Temperature control for surface acoustic wave sensor

A method for identification of chemicals in a sample, the method comprising:

• receiving a temperature profile defining a varying target temperature as a function of time;
• separating one or more eluted components from a sample with a gas chromatograph;
• adjusting a temperature of a surface acoustic wave sensor in accordance with the temperature profile as the one or more eluted components are separated from the sample by the gas chromatograph, the surface acoustic wave sensor being coupled with the gas chromatograph to define a gas chromatography/surface acoustic wave system, the one or more eluted components being separated from the sample by the gas chromatograph accumulate at a condensation spot on the surface acoustic wave sensor;
• generating surface acoustic wave frequency response data with the surface acoustic wave sensor, the surface acoustic wave frequency response data including one or more peaks corresponding respectively to the one or more eluted components separated from the sample by the gas chromatograph;
• and
• identifying a set of one or more candidate chemicals for an eluted component of interest based on a corresponding peak of the surface acoustic wave frequency response data.