Ionization-based detection

• US 20060289809A1
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bonne, Ulrich, Newstrom-Peitso, Karen M., Marta, Teresa M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,476,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/504.R
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/025 Gas chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/642 photoionisation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/645 electrical conductivity detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/622 Ion mobility spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/624 Differential mobility spectrometry [DMS]; Field asymmetric-waveform ion mobility spectrometry [FAIMS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/62 Detectors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/64 Electrical detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/66 Thermal conductivity detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/70 Electron capture detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7206 interfaced to gas chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/78 using more than one detector

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to detector structures for use in a micro gas analyzer, preferably in a differential setup. The detector structures may comprise one or more detector types, such as photo-ionization (PID), electron capture (ECD), ion mobility (IMS), differential mobility (DMS), ion-trap mass spectrometer (ITMS), in which all are provided with ions and electrons from one vacuum ultra violet (VUV) source. This source may also provide ions for ion-based gas pumps.

Claims

1. A detector structure comprising:

a photo-ionization detector (PID);

an electron capture detector (ECD); and

a vacuum ultra violet (VUV) source, wherein the VUV source is an ionization source for both the PID and ECD.

2. The detector structure of claim 1, further comprising in addition to the PID and ECD, one or more detectors positioned to use the VUV source as an ionization source.

3. The detector structure of claim 2, wherein the one or more detectors comprise a microdischarge detector (MDD), a ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), an differential mobility spectrometer (DMS), a ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS) or combinations thereof.

4. The detector structure of claim 1, further comprising one or more non-ionizing detectors and pumps.

5. The detector structure of claim 4, wherein the non-ionizing detectors are positioned in relation to a sample flow such that they contact a sample before the sample contacts any other detectors.

6. A micro analyzer, comprising:

a sample inlet, wherein a sample enters the micro analyzer;

a sample channel, wherein the sample is contained and flows through the micro analyzer;

a sample exit, wherein the sample exits the micro analyzer;

a photo-ionization detector (PID), coupled at or near the sample exit;

an electron capture detector (ECD), coupled at or near the sample exit; and

a vacuum ultra violet (VUV) source, wherein the VUV source is an ionization source for the detectors.

7. The micro analyzer of claim 6, wherein the sample channel comprises a pre-concentrator to pass unwanted species from the sample and concentrate species of interest within a sample.

8. The micro analyzer of claim 6, wherein the sample channel comprises a separator to physically separate components of the sample in time.

9. The micro analyzer of claim 6, wherein the sample channel comprises a gas chromatography (GC) column.

10. The micro analyzer of claim 6, wherein a second PID and second ECD are coupled at or near the sample inlet.

11. The micro analyzer of claim 10, wherein a second VUV source is an ionization source for both the second PID and second ECD.

12. The micro analyzer of claim 6, further comprising in addition to the PID and ECD, one or more detectors coupled at or near the sample exit positioned to use the VUV source as an ionization source.

13. The micro analyzer of claim 12, wherein the one or more detectors comprise a microdischarge detector (MDD), a ion mobility detector (IMS), an differential mobility detector (DMS), a ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS) or combinations thereof.

14. The micro analyzer of claim 6, further comprising one or more non-ionizing detectors coupled at or near the sample exit.

15. The micro analyzer of claim 14, wherein the non-ionizing detectors are positioned in relation to a sample flow such that they contact a sample before the sample contacts any other detectors at or near the sample exit.

16. The micro analyzer of claim 14, further comprising at least one parallel sample inlet in which the non-ionizing detectors are positioned and separated from the ionizing detectors.

17. A micro analyzer, comprising:

a sample inlet, wherein a sample enters the micro analyzer;

a sample channel, wherein the sample is contained and flows through the micro analyzer;

a sample exit, wherein the sample exits the micro analyzer;

a photo-ionization detector (PID), coupled at or near the sample inlet and exit;

an electron capture detector (ECD), coupled at or near the sample inlet and exit;

a micro discharge detector (MDD), coupled at or near the sample inlet and exit;

an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), coupled at or near the sample inlet and exit;

a differential (ion) mobility spectrometer (DMS), coupled at or near the sample inlet and exit; and

a vacuum ultra violet (VUV) source, wherein the VUV source is an ionization source for the above detectors.

18. A method for analyzing a sample, comprising:

flowing a sample into a gas chromatography (GC) sample channel, sufficient to separate the sample components; and

contacting a sample with at least one PID and ECD, sufficient to measure the desired properties (elution time and concentration) of the sample components, wherein the PID and ECD utilize the same VUV source for ionization.

19. The method claim 18, wherein prior to flowing the sample, contacting the sample with a first paired PID and ECD, wherein the PID and ECD utilize one VUV source for ionization.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein in addition to contacting a sample with at least one PID and ECD, the sample is contacted with at least one of a microdischarge detector (MDD), a ion mobility detector (IMS), an differential mobility detector (DMS), a ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS), a combination thereof or one or more ion gas pumps.