Microscale mass spectrometric chemical-gas sensor

• Main Authors: BERGER PHILIP S, GENTRY W. RONALD
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.07.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TESTING; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A mass sensor includes a magnet assembly and a mass analyzer. The mass analyzer includes a ceramic housing formed from two end plates and a center portion. The mass analyzer further includes a thermionic electron emitter ionizer, a double focusing mass spectrometer having superimposed orthogonal magnetic and electric fields, and a microchannel plate ion detector located in the housing cavity. The double focusing mass spectrometer includes an electric sector energy analyzer having a film resistor deposited on an inside surface of each end plate. The film resistors are substantially concentric and congruent and have a circular arc shape. Boundary electrodes are positioned adjacent each curved edge of each film resistor. The mass sensor includes a non-evaporable getter mounted inside the housing cavity and external electrical contacts arranged to form a multi-layer printed circuit card that is installable in a circuit card edge connector.