Miniature sensor structures for ion mobility spectrometers

Abstract

For ion mobility spectrometry applications, a desired shape of a sensor structure may be created by forming a desired shape from a ceramic material, such as aluminum nitride. In various embodiments, the sensor structure may be formed using discrete individual ceramic sheets and/or from a preformed ceramic tube. Via holes are formed into the sensor structure to provide for efficient circuitry configurations of the IMS drift tube and/or providing electrical connections between the interior and exterior of the drift tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making a sensor structure, comprising:
 forming a shaped structure made of a high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material;   forming at least one via hole in the shaped structure;   forming circuitry features on the shaped structure; and   processing the shaped structure to obtain a sensor structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material is aluminum nitride or alumina. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor structure is an ion mobility spectrometry drift tube. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein forming the shaped structure includes applying and forming at least two discrete sheets of the high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material into a structure having a desired shape. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one via hole in the shaped structure is formed to provide a via hole that connects the interior and exterior of the shaped structure. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein forming the shaped structure includes preforming a solid tube of the high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one via hole is machined into the solid tube. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein forming the circuitry features includes forming conductive or resistive features on the shaped structure using an ink deposition process. 
     
     
         9 . A sensor structure, comprising:
 a shaped structure made of a high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material;   circuitry features formed on the shaped structure; and   at least one via hole formed in the shaped structure.   
     
     
         10 . The sensor structure according to  claim 9 , wherein the ceramic material is aluminum nitride or alumina. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor structure according to  claim 9 , wherein the sensor structure is an ion mobility spectrometry drift tube. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor structure according to  claim 9 , wherein the shaped structure is formed by applying and forming at least two discrete sheets of the high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material into a structure having a desired shape. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor structure according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one via hole in the shaped structure is formed to provide a via hole that connects the interior and exterior of the shaped structure. 
     
     
         14 . The sensor structure according to  claim 9 , wherein the shaped structure is a preformed solid tube of the high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material. 
     
     
         15 . The sensor structure according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one via hole is machined into the solid tube. 
     
     
         16 . The sensor structure according to  claim 9 , wherein the circuitry features are formed by deposited conductive or resistive features that are deposited on the shaped structure using an ink deposition process. 
     
     
         17 . An ion mobility spectrometer device, comprising:
 an ion source;   an analyzer component; and   a drift tube coupled between the ion source and the analyzer component, wherein the drift tube includes:
 a shaped structure made of a high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material; 
 circuitry features formed on the shaped structure; and 
 at least one via hole formed in the shaped structure. 
   
     
     
         18 . The ion mobility spectrometer device according to  claim 17 , wherein the ceramic material is aluminum nitride or alumina. 
     
     
         19 . The ion mobility spectrometer device according to  claim 17 , wherein the shaped structure is formed by applying and forming at least two discrete sheets of the high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material into a structure having a desired shape, and wherein the at least one via hole in the shaped structure is formed to provide a via hole that connects the interior and exterior of the shaped structure. 
     
     
         20 . The ion mobility spectrometer device according to  claim 17 , wherein the shaped structure is a preformed solid tube of the high temperature, non-electrically-conductive ceramic material, and wherein the at least one via hole is machined into the solid tube. 
     
     
         21 . The ion mobility spectrometer device according to  claim 17 , wherein the circuitry features are formed by deposited conductive or resistive features that are deposited on the shaped structure using an ink deposition process.