A system and method comprising an ion production chamber having an ultra-violet light source disposed towards said chamber, a coated quartz plate between the chamber and the UV source whose coating absorbs incident UV light and ejects electrons into the chamber through the photoelectric effect, a harvest gas disposed to flow through the chamber from an inlet to an outlet, and a jet operable to introduce a sample into the harvest gas flow. In some embodiments the system includes using helium as the harvest gas. Certain embodiments include introducing a sample perpendicular to the harvest gas flow and using multiple sample introduction jets to increase mixing efficiency. In some embodiments the harvest gas and particle sample jet are one and the same. The charge sample may be coupled to a MEMS-based electrometer.
G01N 27/66 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode using wave or particle radiation to ionise a gas, e.g. in an ionisation chamber and measuring current or voltage
H01J 49/14 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisation chambers
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
G01R 29/24 - Arrangements for measuring quantities of charge
A system and method comprising an ion production chamber having a ultra-violet light source disposed towards said chamber, a harvest gas disposed to flow through the chamber from an inlet to an outlet, and a jet, said jet operable to introduce a sample into the harvest gas flow. In some embodiments the system includes using helium as the harvest gas. Certain embodiments include introducing a sample perpendicular to the harvest gas flow and using multiple sample introduction jets to increase mixing efficiency. The charge sample may be coupled to a MEMS-based electrometer.
H01J 49/26 - Mass spectrometers or separator tubes
G01N 30/32 - Control of physical parameters of the fluid carrier of pressure or speed
G01N 27/66 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode using wave or particle radiation to ionise a gas, e.g. in an ionisation chamber and measuring current or voltage
G01R 29/24 - Arrangements for measuring quantities of charge
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
H01J 49/14 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisation chambers
H01J 49/16 - Ion sources; Ion guns using surface ionisation, e.g. field-, thermionic- or photo-emission
A system and method comprising an ion production chamber having a plasma source disposed in said chamber, a harvest gas disposed to flow through the chamber from an inlet to an outlet, and a jet, said jet operable to introduce a sample into the harvest gas flow. In some embodiments the system includes using helium as the harvest gas. Certain embodiments include introducing a sample perpendicular to the harvest gas flow and using multiple sample introduction jets to increase mixing efficiency. The charge sample may be coupled to a MEMS-based electrometer.
G01N 27/68 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode using electric discharge to ionise a gas
G01R 29/24 - Arrangements for measuring quantities of charge
G01N 27/62 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode
H01J 49/14 - Ion sources; Ion guns using particle bombardment, e.g. ionisation chambers
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