Chemical impedance detectors for fluid analyzers

• US 7,518,380 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bonne, Ulrich, Higashi, Robert, Nusseibeh, Fouad
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Vincent Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Valone; Thomas F.
• Application Number:
  US11/383,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20070113642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 324/663
• US Class Current: 324/663
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/6845 Micromachined devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/20 Rowland circle spectrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/058 Flat flow cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/651 Cuvettes therefore
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/02 by investigating impedance

Abstract

A chemical impedance detector having several electrodes situated on or across a dielectric layer of a substrate. The electrodes may be across or covered with a thin film polymer. Each electrode may have a set of finger-like electrodes. Each set of finger-like electrodes may be intermeshed, but not in contact, with another set of finger-like electrodes. The thin-film polymer may have a low dielectric constant and a high porous surface area. The chemical impedance detector may be incorporated in a micro fluid analyzer system.

Claims

1. A detector system comprising:

a plurality of chemical impedance detectors; and

wherein;

each chemical impedance detector of the plurality of chemical impedance detectors comprises;

a first terminal connected to a first plurality of finger-like electrodes;

a second terminal connected to a second plurality of finger-like electrodes;

a layer of polymer situated on the first plurality of finger-like electrodes, the second plurality of finger-like electrodes, and an area between the first plurality of finger-like electrodes and the second plurality of finger-like electrodes;

wherein the first plurality of finger-like electrodes is intermeshed, but without contact, with the second plurality of finger-like electrodes; and

wherein a first at least one chemical impedance detector of the plurality of chemical impedance detectors is situated proximate to an inlet of a fluid analyzer; and

a second at least one chemical impedance detector of the plurality of chemical impedance detectors is situated proximate to an outlet of a fluid analyzer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid analyzer comprises:

a concentrator connected to the inlet; and

a separator connected to the concentrator and the outlet.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a thermal conductivity detector coupled to at least one chemical impedance detector of the plurality of chemical impedance detectors; and

a flow sensor coupled to the thermal conductivity sensor and/or the at least one chemical impedance detector.

4. The detector system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pre concentrator;

a separator coupled to an output of the pre concentrator; and

at least one chemical impedance detector situated in the pre concentrator.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a concentrator;

a separator coupled to an output of the concentrator; and

at least one chemical impedance detector situated in the separator.