Temperature control for surface acoustic wave sensor

Abstract

A method for identification of chemicals in a sample using a gas chromatograph and a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor coupled with the gas chromatograph to define a gas chromatography (GC)/SAW system. The method includes receiving a temperature profile defining a varying target temperature as a function of time, separating one or more eluted components from a sample with the gas chromatograph, adjusting a temperature of the SAW sensor in accordance with the temperature profile as the one or more eluted components are separated from the sample by the gas chromatograph, generating SAW frequency response data with the SAW sensor, the SAW frequency response data including one or more peaks corresponding respectively to the one or more eluted components separated from the sample, and identifying a set of one or more candidate chemicals for an eluted component of interest based on a corresponding peak of the SAW frequency response data.

1 . A method for identification of chemicals in a sample, the method comprising:
 receiving a temperature profile defining a varying target temperature as a function of time;   separating one or more eluted components from a sample with a gas chromatograph;   adjusting a temperature of a surface acoustic wave sensor in accordance with the temperature profile as the one or more eluted components are separated from the sample by the gas chromatograph, the surface acoustic wave sensor being coupled with the gas chromatograph to define a gas chromatography/surface acoustic wave system, the one or more eluted components being separated from the sample by the gas chromatograph accumulate at a condensation spot on the surface acoustic wave sensor;   generating surface acoustic wave frequency response data with the surface acoustic wave sensor, the surface acoustic wave frequency response data including one or more peaks corresponding respectively to the one or more eluted components separated from the sample by the gas chromatograph; and   identifying a set of one or more candidate chemicals for an eluted component of interest based on a corresponding peak of the surface acoustic wave frequency response data.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)