Devices for use in detection and identification of trace and vapor amounts of substances

A substance detection and identification device, comprising:

• a housing having a sample inlet configured for passage of a sample material therethrough;
• a sensing unit located in a chamber in said housing and comprising a vessel containing a circular array of sensing elements arranged around an axis, each of said sensing elements configured and operable to interact with the sample material in a vicinity thereof for detecting one or more specific substances and generating sensing data indicative thereof, said vessel being formed with an array of apertures arranged around the axis, each of said apertures being aligned with one of said sensing elements, said apertures serving as gas inlets for passage of the sample material towards the respective sensing elements resulting in substantially concurrent supply of the sample material to the sensing elements, and serving as gas outlets for facilitating flow of the sample material from the sensing elements, said chamber comprising a one way outlet valve configured and operable to permit discharge of the sample material from said chamber;
• a sample path passing within said housing between the sample inlet and the circular array of sensing elements, for facilitating flow of the sample material towards the sensing unit;
• a heating unit configured and operable to heat at least one of said sensing elements and/or the sample material;
• and
• a pressure unit configured to attract the flow of the sample material along said sample path into said sensing unit, and cause flow of the sample material from the sensing elements to discharge from said housing.