Miniaturized ion mobility spectrometer sensor cell

A sensor cell for use in an ion mobility spectrometer, said sensor cell comprising:

• a cover having an air inlet therein;
• an ambient temperature sensor attached to the cover;
• a thin-film heater element attached to an interior surface of the cover;
• a heater frame attached to the cover that forms a thin heater channel through the upper portion of the sensor cell;
• a heated air sensor disposed in the heater channel downstream of the thin-film surface heater element;
• a nuclear ionization source attached to a holder;
• a lid attached to the holder that forms walls of the heater channel and an ionization channel;
• a field electrode printed circuit board disposed adjacent to the holder having an opening therein that permits heated air to pass by the nuclear ionization source and has a plurality of field electrodes disposed on a bottom surface thereof;
• a detector electrode printed circuit board having plurality of detector electrodes disposed on a top surface thereof, an air outlet formed therein, and detector electronics disposed thereon, that processes current outputs of the detector electrodes to generate a histogram of ion currents that identify mobilities of chemical species tested by the ion mobility spectrometer;
• and
• a gasket disposed between the field electrode printed circuit board and the detector electrode printed circuit board that forms outer walls of the ionization channel.

An ion mobility spectrometer comprising:

• a sensor cell comprising:
• a cover having an air inlet therein;
• an ambient temperature sensor attached to the cover;
• a thin-film heater element attached to an interior surface of the cover;
• a heater frame attached to the cover that forms a thin heater channel through the upper portion of the sensor cell;
• a heated air sensor disposed in the heater channel downstream of the thin-film surface heater element;
• a nuclear ionization source attached to a holder;
• a lid attached to the holder that forms walls of the heater channel and an ionization channel;
• a field electrode printed circuit board disposed adjacent to the holder having an opening therein that permits heated air to pass by the nuclear ionization source and has a plurality of field electrodes disposed on a bottom surface thereof;
• a detector electrode printed circuit board having plurality of detector electrodes disposed on a top surface thereof, an air outlet formed therein, and detector electronics disposed thereon, that processes current outputs of the detector electrodes to generate histogram of ion currents that identify mobilities of chemical species tested by the ion mobility spectrometer;
• and
• a gasket disposed between the field electrode printed circuit board and the detector electrode printed circuit board that forms outer walls of the ionization channel.