Chemical detection system and method
AssigneeGeneral Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Inc.
InventorsMatthew Todd Griffin, John Michael Alfred Petinarides, Paul Joseph Rauch, Jerome Paul Dahl, Robert Francis McAtee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The exemplary embodiments provide a method, system, and device for identifying chemical species in a sample. According to one embodiment, the method, system, and device may include introducing a sample gas into a differential ion mobility device, ionizing at least a portion of the sample gas to generate at least one ion species, filtering the at least one ion species between a pair of filter electrodes, generating a detection signal in response to the at least one ion species depositing a charge on a collector electrode, and detecting a spectral peak associated with the at least one ion species.
Claims22
A method for identifying an unknown chemical species in a sample, the method including the steps of:
- introducing a sample gas into a differential ion mobility device;
- ionizing at least a portion of the sample gas to generate at least one ion species;
- generating a detection signal using a capacitance trans impedance amplifier (CTIA) in response to the at least one ion species depositing a charge on a collector electrode, the CTIA sending the detection signal to a signal processor;
- determining a moisture level present in the sample gas;
- and
- identifying the at least one ion species, the identification being based on comparing the peak location of the at least one ion species and the moisture level present in the sample gas with known reactant ion peak locations for known moisture levels.
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 to separate the ions based on ion mobility characteristics, the substantially asymmetric field being controllable by a signal generator;
- at least one collector electrode adapted to receive the ions, the collector being coupled to an capacitive trans impedance amplifier (CTIA);
- a signal processor adapted to receive an output from the amplifier, the signal processor identifying a spectral peak associated with the ions based on a known reactant ion peak location, wherein the peak location of the at least one ion species is affected by the moisture level present in the sample gas;
- and
- at least one processor adapted to identify the at least one ion species, the identification being based on comparing the peak location of the at least one ion species and the moisture level present in the sample gas with known reactant ion peak locations for known moisture levels.
(canceled)
A system for identifying chemical species in a sample gas, the system 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 to separate the ions based on ion mobility characteristics, the substantially asymmetric field being controllable by a signal generator;
- a pair of collector electrodes adapted to receive the ions, one electrode being positively biased and the other negatively biased, each collector electrode sending an input current to a dedicated capacitive trans impedance amplifier (CTIA);
- a signal processor adapted to receive each output from each CTIA, the signal processor identifying a spectral peak associated with the ions by comparing the spectral peak with known reactant ion peak location data stored in the signal processor, wherein the peak location of the at least one ion species is affected by the moisture level present in the sample gas;
- and
- at least one processor adapted to identify the at least one ion species, the identification being based on comparint the peak location of the at least one ion species and the moisture level present in the sample gas with known reactant ion peak locations for known moisture levels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.