# US 2018/0321190 A1 · Aerosol ionizer

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- Number: US 2018/0321190 A1
- Document ID: US20180321190A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/032,874
- Filed: 2018-07-11
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2013-05-18
- Assignees: Brechtel Manufacturing, Inc.
- Applicants: Brechtel Manufacturing, Inc.
- Inventors: Fredrick J. Brechtel; Xerxes Lopez-Yglesias
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321190A1

## CPC

- G01N 27/66: and measuring current or voltage
- G01N 27/624: Differential mobility spectrometry [DMS]; Field asymmetric-waveform ion mobility spectrometry [FAIMS]
- H01J 27/02: Ion sources; Ion guns {(for examination or processing discharge tubes H01J37/08; ion sources, ion guns for particle spectrometer or separator tubes H01J49/10; ion propulsion F03H1/00)}
- H01J 49/145: {using chemical ionisation}
- H01J 49/161: {using photoionisation, e.g. by laser}
- G01R 29/24: Arrangements for measuring quantities of charge
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

A system and method comprising an ion production chamber having an ultra-violet light source disposed towards said chamber, a coated quartz plate between the chamber and the UV source whose coating absorbs incident UV light and ejects electrons into the chamber through the photoelectric effect, a harvest gas disposed to flow through the chamber from an inlet to an outlet, and a jet operable to introduce a sample into the harvest gas flow. In some embodiments the system includes using helium as the harvest gas. Certain embodiments include introducing a sample perpendicular to the harvest gas flow and using multiple sample introduction jets to increase mixing efficiency. In some embodiments the harvest gas and particle sample jet are one and the same. The charge sample may be coupled to a MEMS-based electrometer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
an ion production chamber, said chamber including a substrate exhibiting the photoelectric effect at UV frequencies;
an ultra-violet energy source disposed to provide UV light energy to the substrate;
a diaphragm operable to control the UV energy entering the chamber;
a harvest gas disposed to flow through the chamber from an inlet to an outlet, and
a jet, said jet operable to introduce a sample into the harvest gas flow.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a first coating, said first coating including a material that exhibits the photovoltaic effect.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2 wherein said material includes one or more of either gold, chromium, nickel, indium, copper, or zinc.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a second coating, said second coating substantially UV transparent and electrically conductive.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 wherein the second coating selected from a group including calcium vanadate aluminum doped zinc oxide, indium doped cadmium oxide, barium stannate, strontium vanadate, or indium tin oxide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate is quartz.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the UV energy source is a UV lamp.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further including:
a metal electrode, said electrode coupled to an electrometer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 where the harvest gas flow and particle sample flow are substantially the same gas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the harvest gas flows at substantially 0.3-2 liters per minute.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the diaphragm is controlled by a shutter controller and operable to fully block the UV energy entering the chamber.