Title :
A micro helium-discharge photoionization detector for gas sensing
Author :
Narayanan, Shrikanth ; Agah, Masoud ; Rice, Gary
Author_Institution :
Bradley Dept. of ECE, VT MEMS Lab., Blacksburg, VA, USA
Abstract :
This paper reports a 2cm × 1cm easy-to-micromachine helium discharge photoionization detector (μHeDPID) for use in micro gas chromatography by utilizing a lift-off process. This universal detector consumes a miserly 2.5mW for plasma generation and non-destructively photoionizes analyte compounds, thus avoiding fouling of electrodes. The ionized species is detected by a remote electrode connected to a picoammeter. The detector exhibits at least 350pg and 50ppm detection limit for n-octane in air. Despite the detector simplicity, its efficiency is in par with previously reported destructive plasma detectors which are based on more sophisticated spectrometric analysis.
Keywords :
chromatography; electrochemical electrodes; gas sensors; helium; maintenance engineering; micromachining; microsensors; photodetectors; photoionisation; plasma devices; plasma production; μHe-DPID; He; gas sensing; lift-off process; microgas chromatography; micromachine helium discharge photoionization detector; n-octane; nondestructively photoionizes analyte compound; picoammeter; plasma detector; plasma generation; power 2.5 mW; remote fouling electrode; spectrometric analysis; Detectors; Electrodes; Gas chromatography; Ionization; Microfluidics; Plasmas;
Conference_Titel :
SENSORS, 2013 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Baltimore, MD
DOI :
10.1109/ICSENS.2013.6688154
