Parallel gas chromatograph with microdetector array

A gas chromatograph for simultaneous analysis of six or more fluid samples, the gas chromatograph comprising:

• six or more gas chromatography columns, each of the six or more gas chromatography columns comprising an inlet for receiving a gaseous mobile phase that includes a gaseous sample, a separation media effective for separating at least one separated component of the gaseous sample from other components thereof, and an outlet for discharging the mobile phase and the separated gaseous sample, and
• a microdetector array comprising six or more sample thermal conductivity microdetectors and at least one reference thermal conductivity microdetector, each of the sample and reference thermal conductivity microdetectors being integral with or mounted on a substrate with a planar density of at least about one thermal conductivity microdetector per 1 cm2, the ratio of sample thermal conductivity microdetectors to reference thermal conductivity microdetector(s) being at least 2:1,
• each of the six or more sample thermal conductivity microdetectors having an inlet port in fluid communication with the outlet of one of the gas chromatography columns for receiving a separated gaseous sample, a detection cavity having a volume ranging from about 1 μl to about 500 μl for detecting at least one component of the separated gaseous sample, a thin-film detection filament within the detection cavity, the thin-film detection filament having a temperature-dependent resistance, an outlet port for discharging the gaseous sample, a first conductive path between the a first end of the thin-film detection filament and a first electrical contact, and a second conductive path between a second end of the thin-film detection filament and a second electrical contact, the first and second electrical contacts being adapted for electrical communication with one or more integral or external signal-processing circuits,
• the at least one reference thermal conductivity microdetector having an inlet port in fluid communication with a reference gas source for receiving a reference gas, a detection cavity, a thin-film detection filament within the detection cavity for detecting the reference gas, and an outlet port for discharging the detected reference gas,
• the six or more sample thermal conductivity microdetectors each having a thermal coefficient of resistance that varies less than about 10% between the six or more thermal conductivity microdetectors.

A microdetector array comprising:

• four or more thermal conductivity microdetectors integral with or mounted on a substrate with a planar density of at least about one thermal conductivity microdetector per 10 cm2, each of said thermal conductivity microdetectors comprising:
• a detection cavity having a volume of not more than about 500 μl,
• an inlet port for admitting a fluid sample into the detection cavity,
• a thin-film detection filament within the detection cavity, the thin-film detection filament having a temperature-dependent resistance,
• an outlet port for discharging a fluid sample from the detection cavity,
• first and second electrical contacts for electrical communication with a signal-processing circuit,
• a first conductive path between the first electrical contact and a first end of the thin-film detection filament, and
• a second conductive path between the second electrical contact and a second end of the thin-film detection filament.