Abstract: A hand-held, ultra-sensitive gas chromatograph which provides real time detection and analysis of chemical compounds or impurities is disclosed. The detection sensitivity ranges from parts per trillion to parts per million with an average retention time ranging from thirty to forty-five seconds. Optimum calculated effective plate number is 55,000, with a response time on the order of two minutes. The self-contained apparatus operates on twenty-four watts, weighs twelve pounds, and measures 8?×6?×13.

Abstract: An ion mobility sensor which can detect both ion and molecules simultaneously. Thus, one can measure the relative arrival times between various ions and molecules. Different ions have different mobility in air, and the ion sensor enables measurement of ion mobility, from which one can identify the various ions and molecules. The ion mobility sensor which utilizes a pair of glow discharge devices may be designed for coupling with an existing gas chromatograph, where various gas molecules are already separated, but numbers of each kind of molecules are relatively small, and in such cases a conventional ion mobility sensor cannot be utilized.

Abstract: A highly sensitive electronic ion cell for the measurement of trace elements in He carrier gas which involves glow discharge. A constant wave (CW) stable glow discharge detector which is controlled through a biased resistor, can detect the change of electron density caused by impurities in the He carrier gas by many orders of magnitude larger than that caused by direct ionization or electron capture. The stable glow discharge detector utilizes a floating pseudo-electrode to form a probe in or near the plasma and a solid rod electrode. By using this probe, the large variation of electron density due to trace amounts of impurities can be directly measured. The solid rod electrode provides greater stability and thus easier alignment.

Abstract: A glass-silicon column that can operate in temperature variations between room temperature and about 450° C. The glass-silicon column includes large area glass, such as a thin Corning 7740 boron-silicate glass bonded to a silicon wafer, with an electrode embedded in or mounted on glass of the column, and with a self alignment silicon post/glass hole structure. The glass/silicon components are bonded, for example be anodic bonding. In one embodiment, the column includes two outer layers of silicon each bonded to an inner layer of glass, with an electrode imbedded between the layers of glass, and with at least one self alignment hole and post arrangement. The electrode functions as a column heater, and one glass/silicon component is provided with a number of flow channels adjacent the bonded surfaces.

Abstract: A glass-silicon column that can operate in temperature variations between room temperature and about 450° C. The glass-silicon column includes large area glass, such as a thin Corning 7740 boron-silicate glass bonded to a silicon wafer, with an electrode embedded in or mounted on glass of the column, and with a self alignment silicon post/glass hole structure. The glass/silicon components are bonded, for example be anodic bonding. In one embodiment, the column includes two outer layers of silicon each bonded to an inner layer of glass, with an electrode imbedded between the layers of glass, and with at least one self alignment hole and post arrangement. The electrode functions as a column heater, and one glass/silicon component is provided with a number of flow channels adjacent the bonded surfaces.

Abstract: Method and system of forming microfluidic capillaries in a variety of substrate materials. A first layer of a material such as silicon dioxide is applied to a channel etched in substrate. A second, sacrificial layer of a material such as a polymer is deposited on the first layer. A third layer which may be of the same material as the first layer is placed on the second layer. The sacrificial layer is removed to form a smooth walled capillary in the substrate.

Abstract: Method and system of forming microfluidic capillaries in a variety of substrate materials. A first layer of a material such as silicon dioxide is applied to a channel etched in substrate. A second, sacrificial layer of a material such as a polymer is deposited on the first layer. A third layer which may be of the same material as the first layer is placed on the second layer. The sacrificial layer is removed to form a smooth walled capillary in the substrate.

Abstract: A highly sensitive electronic ion cell for the measurement of trace elements in He carrier gas which involves glow discharge. A constant wave (CW) glow discharge detector which is controlled through a biased resistor, can detect the change of electron density caused by impurities in the He carrier gas by many orders of magnitude larger than that caused by direct ionization or electron capture. The glow discharge detector utilizes a floating pseudo-electrode to form a probe in or near the plasma. By using this probe, the large variation of electron density due to trace amounts of impurities can be directly measured.

Abstract: A highly sensitive electronic ion cell for the measurement of trace elements in He carrier gas which involves glow discharge. A constant wave (CW) stable glow discharge detector which is controlled through a biased resistor, can detect the change of electron density caused by impurities in the He carrier gas by many orders of magnitude larger than that caused by direct ionization or electron capture. The stable glow discharge detector utilizes a floating pseudo-electrode to form a probe in or near the plasma and a solid rod electrode. By using this probe, the large variation of electron density due to trace amounts of impurities can be directly measured. The solid rod electrode provides greater stability and thus easier alignment.

Abstract: An ion mobility sensor which can detect both ion and molecules simultaneously. Thus, one can measure the relative arrival times between various ions and molecules. Different ions have different mobility in air, and the ion sensor enables measurement of ion mobility, from which one can identify the various ions and molecules. The ion mobility sensor which utilizes a pair of glow discharge devices may be designed for coupling with an existing gas chromatograph, where various gas molecules are already separated, but numbers of each kind of molecules are relatively small, and in such cases a conventional ion mobility sensor cannot be utilized.

Abstract: A multiple parallel hand-held gas chromatograph (GC) system which includes several independent GCs. Each independent GC has its own injector, separation column, detector and oven and the GCs are mounted in a light weight hand-held assembly. Each GC operates independently and simultaneously. Because of different coatings in different separation columns, different retention times for the same gas will be measured. Thus, for a GC system with multiple parallel GCs, the system can measure, in a short period, different retention times and provide a cross-reference in the determination of the measured gas and to become a two-dimensional system for direct field use.

Abstract: A system and method for preconcentrating, identifying, and quantifying chemical and biological substances is disclosed. An input valve directs a first volume of a sample gas to a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. The SAW device preconcentrates and detects a mass of a substance within the sample gas. An output valve receives a second volume of the sample gas containing the preconcentrated substance from the SAW device and directs the second volume to a gas chromatograph (GC). The GC identifies the preconcentrated substance within the sample gas. A shunt valve exhausts a volume of the sample gas equal to the first volume minus the second volume away from the SAW device and the GC.

Abstract: A micro-miniature gas chromatograph column is fabricated by forming matching halves of a circular cross-section spiral microcapillary in two silicon wafers and then bonding the two wafers together using visual or physical alignment methods. Heating wires are deposited on the outside surfaces of each wafer in a spiral or serpentine pattern large enough in area to cover the whole microcapillary area inside the joined wafers. The visual alignment method includes etching through an alignment window in one wafer and a precision-matching alignment target in the other wafer. The two wafers are then bonded together using the window and target. The physical alignment methods include etching through vertical alignment holes in both wafers and then using pins or posts through corresponding vertical alignment holes to force precision alignment during bonding. The pins or posts may be withdrawn after curing of the bond.

Abstract: Fabrication and use of porous silicon structures to increase surface area of heated reaction chambers, electrophoresis devices, and thermopneumatic sensor-actuators, chemical preconcentrates, and filtering or control flow devices. In particular, such high surface area or specific pore size porous silicon structures will be useful in significantly augmenting the adsorption, vaporization, desorption, condensation and flow of liquids and gasses in applications that use such processes on a miniature scale. Examples that will benefit from a high surface area, porous silicon structure include sample preconcentrators that are designed to adsorb and subsequently desorb specific chemical species from a sample background; chemical reaction chambers with enhanced surface reaction rates; and sensor-actuator chamber devices with increased pressure for thermopneumatic actuation of integrated membranes.

Abstract: Fabrication and use of porous silicon structures to increase surface area of heated reaction chambers, electrophoresis devices, and thermopneumatic sensor-actuators, chemical preconcentrates, and filtering or control flow devices. In particular, such high surface area or specific pore size porous silicon structures will be useful in significantly augmenting the adsorption, vaporization, desorption, condensation and flow of liquids and gasses in applications that use such processes on a miniature scale. Examples that will benefit from a high surface area, porous silicon structure include sample preconcentrators that are designed to adsorb and subsequently desorb specific chemical species from a sample background; chemical reaction chambers with enhanced surface reaction rates; and sensor-actuator chamber devices with increased pressure for thermopneumatic actuation of integrated membranes.

Abstract: A microminiature gas chromatograph (.mu.GC) comprising a least one silicon wafer, a gas injector, a column, and a detector. The gas injector has a normally closed valve for introducing a mobile phase including a sample gas in a carrier gas. The valve is fully disposed in the silicon wafer(s). The column is a microcapillary in silicon crystal with a stationary phase and is mechanically connected to receive the mobile phase from the gas injector for the molecular separation of compounds in the sample gas. The detector is mechanically connected to the column for the analysis of the separated compounds of sample gas with electronic means, e.g., ion cell, field emitter and PIN diode.

Abstract: A two-wafer microcapillary structure is fabricated by depositing boron nitride (BN) or silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) on two separate silicon wafers (e.g., crystal-plane silicon with [100] or [110] crystal orientation). Photolithography is used with a photoresist to create exposed areas in the deposition for plasma etching. A slit entry through to the silicon is created along the path desired for the ultimate microcapillary. Acetone is used to remove the photoresist. An isotropic etch, e.g., such as HF/HNO.sub.3 /CH.sub.3 COOH, then erodes away the silicon through the trench opening in the deposition layer. A channel with a half-circular cross section is then formed in the silicon along the line of the trench in the deposition layer. Wet etching is then used to remove the deposition layer. The two silicon wafers are aligned and then bonded together face-to-face to complete the microcapillary.

Abstract: The thickness, uniformity, and surface smoothness requirements for surface coatings of glass microspheres for use as targets for laser fusion research are critical. Because of their minute size, the microspheres are difficult to manipulate and control in electroplating systems. The electroplating apparatus (10) of the present invention addresses these problems by providing a cathode cell (20) having a cell chamber (22), a cathode (23) and an anode (26) electrically isolated from each other and connected to an electrical power source (24). During the plating process, the cathode (23) is controllably vibrated along with solution pulse to maintain the particles in random free motion so as to attain the desired properties.