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US 7,402,799 B2Granted
MEMS mass spectrometer
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorCarl B. Freidhoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A MEMS mass spectrometer having metal walls connected between a lid and base, with the walls defining a plurality of interior chambers including sample gas input chambers, an ionizer chamber, a plurality of ion optics chambers and a ion separation chamber. A detector array at the end of the ion separation chamber includes a plurality of V-shaped detector elements positioned along two parallel lines and arranged to intercept all of the ionized beams produced in the mass spectrometer.
Claims17
A MEMS mass spectrometer for analyzing an input gas sample, comprising:
- a base;
- a lid spaced from said base;
- a wall structure including a plurality of metal exterior and interior walls extending between said lid and said base;
- said exterior walls including side walls and end walls;
- said interior walls including a plurality of walls connected to said side walls, and a plurality of walls connecting one of said end walls with a first of said interior walls;
- said exterior and interior walls defining a plurality of interior chambers including a plurality of sample gas input chambers, an ionizer chamber, at least one ion optics chamber and an ion separation chamber;
- a repeller positioned just prior to said ionizer chamber;
- first and second spaced apart E-field electrodes disposed in said ion separation chamber;
- said ion separation chamber including a detector array having a plurality of detector elements at an end thereof;
- said repeller, ionizer chamber, said at least one ion optics chamber and said E-field electrodes being operable to generate and project a plurality of ionized beams directed toward said detector array;
- said detector elements comprising detecting surfaces positioned vertical to said base and providing respective output signals indicative of the constituency of said gas sample in response to impingement of said ionized beams.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.