SST: Development of a Micro Mass Spectrometer and the Design of a Spectrometer-Based Distributed Sensor Network

SST：微型质谱仪的研制和基于质谱仪的分布式传感器网络的设计

• 批准号: 0428540
• 负责人: Jeffrey Glass
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Duke University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-10-01 至 2009-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0428540&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SST; Development; Micro; Mass; Spectrometer

0428540GlassThe design, development, and testing of a microfabricated, miniaturized magnetic sector mass spectrometer ("micro mass spectrometer") with a mass resolution of 1 atomic mass unit (amu), a mass range of 1 - 300 amu, and a sub part-per-billion (ppb) sensitivity to chemical species is proposed. The design of a distributed sensor network specifically for a system of such spectrometers will also be undertaken. The micro mass spectrometer has, as its enabling component, a icrofabricated, carbon nanotube (CNT) field-enhanced ionization source and ion optic lens, and designed so that the ion beam is oriented parallel, not perpendicular, to the substrate surface. Electron impact ionization and field ionization arrays will both be investigated. The proposed effort will focus on the development and testing of this device for applications in gas-phase environmental sensing. The team is comprised of a group of scientists from Duke Universityand MCNC-RDI, a microelectronics research and development institute. Scientists at Duke University bring expertise in surface science, field emission, and gas phase chemistry and will work in tandem with researchers at MCNC-RDI, who offer expertise in MEMS design and microfabrication, sensor development, and vacuum microelectronics. With respect to intellectual merit, the prime novelty and device concept are conveyed in Figure 1, showing a schematic representation of the proposed micro mass spectrometer and an SEM micrograph of a demonstrated field emission device. In addition to the design, development and microfabrication of this important sensor and its various components, the proposed research will enable an investigation of the subtle and important differences between field emitter and field ionization arrays within the same microsystem. An electron field emitter array will generate ions indirectly through electron impact ionization and dissociation and will have both energy and pressure dependences. Higher energies and pressures will lead towards more dissociation of the gaseous species, producing ion fragments at the detector. In contrast, direct, field-enhanced ionization is expected to be less sensitive to both energy and pressure, above a specific ionization threshold. A fundamental study of these parameters in addition to electrode materials and geometries and their combined effects on gas phase kinetics and ionization will lead to a greater understanding of sensor design and detector optimization. With respect to broader impact, this proposal focuses on environmental gas sensing applications; however with proper source characterization and system design, the technology can be used in applications ranging from chemical warfare agent detection to biomedical diagnostics. Also, the technology platform created by this research, an on-chip ion and/or electron workbench, can be applied to a number of far ranging applications, including ion propulsion for miniature spacecraft, miniaturized X-ray tubes, UV light sources, and microwave devices. The successful completion of this program will lead to a new fundamental understanding of microscale gas phase ionization, reaction kinetics, and ion measurement, as well as enabling the development of a new paradigm for analyzing and detecting chemical species in gaseous environments.

0428540Glass提出了一种微加工、小型化磁扇形质谱仪（“微型质谱仪”）的设计、开发和测试，其质量分辨率为1个原子质量单位（amu），质量范围为1-300 amu，对化学物质的灵敏度低于十亿分之一（ppb）。还将专门针对此类光谱仪系统设计分布式传感器网络。微型质谱仪具有微细加工的碳纳米管 (CNT) 场增强电离源和离子光学透镜作为其使能组件，其设计使离子束与基底表面平行而不是垂直。电子碰撞电离和场电离阵列都将被研究。拟议的工作将集中于开发和测试该设备在气相环境传感中的应用。该团队由来自杜克大学和微电子研发机构MCNC-RDI的科学家组成。杜克大学的科学家带来了表面科学、场发射和气相化学方面的专业知识，并将与 MCNC-RDI 的研究人员合作，后者提供 MEMS 设计和微加工、传感器开发和真空微电子学方面的专业知识。就智力价值而言，主要的新颖性和设备概念如图 1 所示，显示了所提出的微型质谱仪的示意图和演示的场发射设备的 SEM 显微照片。除了这种重要传感器及其各种组件的设计、开发和微加工之外，拟议的研究还将能够研究同一微系统内场发射器和场电离阵列之间微妙而重要的差异。电子场发射器阵列将通过电子碰撞电离和离解间接产生离子，并且具有能量和压力依赖性。 较高的能量和压力将导致气态物质更多的解离，在检测器处产生离子碎片。相比之下，直接场增强电离预计对高于特定电离阈值的能量和压力不太敏感。除了电极材料和几何形状及其对气相动力学和电离的综合影响之外，对这些参数的基础研究将有助于更好地理解传感器设计和探测器优化。就更广泛的影响而言，该提案重点关注环境气体传感应用；然而，通过适当的源表征和系统设计，该技术可用于从化学战剂检测到生物医学诊断的各种应用。此外，这项研究创建的技术平台，即片上离子和/或电子工作台，可应用于许多远距离应用，包括微型航天器的离子推进、微型X射线管、紫外光源和微波设备。该计划的成功完成将带来对微尺度气相电离、反应动力学和离子测量的新的基本理解，并能够开发用于分析和检测气态环境中化学物质的新范例。