A New Gas-Phase Atmospheric Pressure Ion Detection Mechanism

Abstract

Researchers at WSU have produced a novel Radiative Ion-Ion Recombination: A New Gas-Phase Atmospheric Pressure Ion Detection Mechanism.

All the present atmospheric ion detectors including flame ionization detectors and ion mobility spectrometers utilize Fraday plate designs for ion detection. These plates collect charge and convert it to amplified current. The sensitivity of these plates is limited by the thermal noise in association with the electrons. Approximately 106 ions per second are required for a minimal detection.

The WSU technology by comparison, combines photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) and a novel radiative ion-ion recombination (RIIR) detector for ion mobility spectrometry. The application of RIIR to atmospheric pressure ion detection systems could provide single-ion counting capabilities that are currently possible only under vacuum conditions.

Applications and Advantages

•A viable alternative to traditionally amplified circuits for ion detection

•Could detect ion at atmospheric pressure

•Single-ion counting capability

•Economic alternative to what is currently on the market

Patent# 20130256525 and 8716653