Abstract
This paper describes, in detail, the development of a novel, low-cost, and flexible drift tube (DT) along with an associated ion mobility spectrometer system. The DT is constructed from a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), with a bespoke “dog-leg” track design, that can be rolled up for ease of assembly. This approach incorporates a shielding layer, as part of the flexible PCB design, and represents the minimum dimensional footprint conceivable for a DT. The low thermal mass of the polyimide substrate and overlapping electrodes, as afforded by the dog-leg design, allow for efficient heat management and high field linearity within the tube–achieved from a single PCB. This is further enhanced by a novel double-glazing configuration which provides a simple and effective means for gas management, minimizing thermal variation within the assembly. Herein, we provide a full experimental characterization of the flexible DT ion mobility spectrometer (Flex-DT-IMS) with corresponding electrodynamic (Simion 8.1) and fluid dynamic (SolidWorks) simulations. The Flex-DT-IMS is shown to have a resolution >80 and a detection limit of low nanograms for the analysis of common explosives (RDX, PETN, HMX, and TNT).
Highlights
printed circuit board (PCB) design, and represents the minimum dimensional footprint conceivable for a drift tube (DT)
Comparisons can be drawn between drift tube ion mobility spectrometry (DT-IMS) and ToF-mass spectrometry (MS), unlike MS, DT-IMS measurements are made at atmospheric pressure vastly reducing the requirement for auxiliary equipment, in particular vacuum pumps.[1]
Electric field homogeneity is a fundamental requirement for DT-IMS instruments, as it is the major force governing the motion of ions.[25]
Summary
PCB design, and represents the minimum dimensional footprint conceivable for a DT. The low thermal mass of the polyimide substrate and overlapping electrodes, as afforded by the dog-leg design, allow for efficient heat management and high field linearity within the tube−achieved from a single PCB. With this design it is possible to approach the linearity of the field inherent to resistive glass tube designs, yet manufactured at a fraction of the cost, while enabling higher sensitivity compared to conventional DTs due to an increased detection area.
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