A micro-discharge photoionization detector for micro-gas chromatography.

Narayanan, Shree; Rice, Gary; Agah, Masoud

We report on a small (20 × 10 mm) micromachined device for the detection of gases in micro-gas chromatography (GC). It incorporates a micro-discharge across a 20-μm gap, and a remote electrode in the micro cavity that generates an electrical signal corresponding to the photo-ionization of gaseous analytes in a stream of carrier gas. Multi-component mixtures were detected and the results compared to those obtained with a flame ionization detector. The minimum detectable limit is 350 pg.μL of n-octane in air when applying a 1.4 mW discharge. The combination of wet etching of glass (as used for microfluidic channels) with a lift-off process for detector electrodes by a robust batch process results in a universal, non-destructive, and sensitive microdetector for micro-GC. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

PHOTOIONIZATION detectors; GAS chromatography; FLAME ionization detectors; BATCH processing; PHOTOIONIZATION; COMPARATIVE studies

Microchimica Acta, 2014, Vol 181, Issue 5/6, p493

0026-3672

Academic Journal

10.1007/s00604-013-1146-9