Chemical Detection System and Method Using a Capacitive Trans Impedance Amplifier

A device for identifying chemical species in a sample gas, the device comprising:

• an inlet adapted to receive a sample gas, the inlet being selectively separated from an ionization region that ionizes the sample gas to generate ions;
• a filter having at least a pair of oppositely disposed filter electrodes defining an analytical gap between which a substantially asymmetric field is generated, the substantially asymmetric field being controllable by a signal generator, wherein the filter separates the ions based on ion mobility characteristics;
• at least one collector electrode adapted to receive the ions, the collector being coupled to an capacitive trans impedance amplifier (CTIA);
• and
• a signal processor adapted to receive an output voltage generated by the CTIA in order to detect a spectral peak associated with the ions.