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US 8,986,615 B1Granted
Molecular concentrator based on thermal ratcheting
AssigneeThe Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsMario Ancona, Arthur W. Snow, F. Keith Perkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A molecular concentrator comprising a thermal ratchet for driving molecules from one place to another. A plurality of conducting wires are arranged on or suspended above a substrate. Each of the wires is configured to strongly sorb a vapor of interest when the wire is at room temperature and to rapidly desorb the vapor when the wire is at an elevated temperature. By selectively heating and cooling the wires, vapor molecules incident on the wires can be directed in a desired manner, e.g., from the wires closest to the vapor-containing environment to a sensor.
Claims20
An apparatus for directing vapor molecules to a desired location, comprising:
- an arrangement of heater structures coupled to a selectively controllable source of heat energy configured to selectively apply heat energy to the heater structures, each of the heater structures having a low thermal mass and being configured to rapidly heat upon an application of the heat energy and to rapidly cool in the absence of the heat energy, the heater structures further being thermally isolated one from another so that a heating or a cooling of one structure does not heat or cool a neighboring structure;
- wherein each of the heater structures is configured to sorb molecules from a vapor incident on the structures when the structure is cool and to desorb at least some of the sorbed molecules when the structure is heated, at least some of the desorbed molecules then being sorbed by a neighboring structure;
- wherein the heat energy is selectively applied and removed from one or more of the heater structures to cause the molecules from the vapor to selectively sorb and desorb from one heater structure to another at the desired location in a desired manner;
- and
- wherein the arrangement of heater structures comprises a plurality of thermally isolated metal wires in a concentric arrangement, each of the wires being coupled to the source of heat energy such that the heat energy can be selectively applied and removed from each individual wire;
- wherein the heat energy is selectively applied and removed from one or more of the metal wires to cause the molecules from the vapor to move from wires located at a periphery of the concentric arrangement to wires located at the center of the concentric arrangement.
3 more elements
An apparatus for sensing molecules in a vapor, comprising:
- an arrangement of heater structures coupled to a selectively controllable heater chip configured to selectively apply heat energy to the heater structures, each of the heater structures having a low thermal mass and being configured to rapidly heat upon an application of the heat energy and to rapidly cool in the absence of the heat energy, the heater structures further being thermally isolated one from another so that a heating or a cooling of one structure does not heat or cool a neighboring structure;
- and
- a sensor chip comprising at least one sensor configured to receive and analyze at least one molecule from the vapor;
- wherein each of the heater structures is configured to sorb molecules from a vapor incident on the structures when the structure is cool and to desorb at least some of the sorbed molecules when the structure is heated, at least some of the desorbed molecules then being sorbed by a neighboring structure;
- wherein the heat energy is selectively applied and removed from one or more of the heater structures to cause the molecules from the vapor to selectively sorb and desorb from one heater structure to another in a desired manner;
- wherein when the molecules from the vapor reach a specified heater structure, heat energy is removed from the specified heater structure to cause the specified heater structure to cool;
- wherein the heater structures comprise a plurality of thermally isolated metal wires in a concentric arrangement with the sensor located at the center of the concentric arrangement, each of the metal wires being coupled to the heater chip such that the heat energy can be selectively applied and removed from each individual wire;
- wherein the wires are selectively heated and cooled to cause analyte molecules from the vapor to move from wires located at a periphery of the concentric arrangement to the sensor;
- and
- wherein analyte molecules desorb from the cooled heater structure and are adsorbed by the sensor.
7 more elements
A method for directing an analyte molecule in a vapor to a desired location, comprising:
- selectively applying and removing a heat energy to one of a plurality of heater structures having a low thermal mass and being configured to rapidly heat upon an application of the heat energy and to rapidly cool in the absence of the heat energy, the heater structures further being thermally isolated one from another so that a heating or a cooling of one structure does not heat or cool a neighboring structure;
- wherein each of the heater structures is configured to sorb molecules from a vapor incident on the structures when the structure is cool and to desorb at least some of the sorbed molecules when the structure is heated, at least some of the desorbed molecules then being sorbed by a neighboring structure;
- and
- wherein the heat energy is selectively applied and removed from one or more of the heater structures to cause the molecules from the vapor to selectively sorb and desorb from one heater structure to another at the desired location in a desired manner.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.