Ion mobility spectrometer

1. A field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer comprising an ionizer, an ion filter, a deflector electrode, an ion detector, and a controller;

wherein the ion filter is located between the deflector electrode and the ion detector and defines at least one ion channel along which ions may pass from the ionizer to the ion detector;

wherein the ion channel is defined by a plurality of conductive layers separated along the length of the channel by at least one non-conductive layer; and

wherein the controller is configured to apply an oscillating electric potential having a first phase and a second phase to the conductive layers of the ion channel, the electric potential directing ions within the ion channel toward the ion detector in the first phase and in a direction other than toward the ion detector in the second phase.

2. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the deflector electrode deflects ions away from the ionizer and toward the ion detector.

3. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the controller allows the application of a time-varying electric potential to the conductive layers.

4. The spectrometer of claim 3 , wherein the electric potential is time-varying in an asymmetric manner.

5. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the controller allows the electric potential to be selectively varied.

6. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a plurality of ion channels.

7. The spectrometer of claim 6 , wherein the conductive layers form electrodes and the ion channels are defined at either end by apertures in said electrodes.

8. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises two or more interdigitated electrode arrays, each array having a plurality of channel-defining slots.

9. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a resistive or semiconductive substrate on which the conductive layers and non-conductive layer are provided.

10. The spectrometer of claim 9 , wherein the substrate is the ion detector.

11. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein two conductive layers are provided.

12. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein two non-conductive layers are provided.

13. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the filter has a structure C-NC-C-NC, where C and NC represent conductive and non-conductive layers respectively.

14. The spectrometer of claim 13 , wherein the filter further includes a substrate.

15. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the filter has a structure C-NC-substrate-NC-C, where C and NC represent conductive and non-conductive layers respectively.

16. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the spectrometer comprises a plurality of functional layers.

17. The spectrometer of claim 1 further comprising a semi-permeable membrane.

18. The spectrometer of claim 17 , wherein the membrane comprises a heating element.

19. The spectrometer of claim 17 , wherein the membrane is in the form of an inlet tube.

20. The spectrometer of claim 1 that comprises a standard.

21. The spectrometer of claim 1 that comprises multiple ion filters.

22. The spectrometer of claim 1 that comprises multiple ion detectors.

23. The spectrometer of claim 1 , further comprising a gas flow generator that can generate a gas flow through the spectrometer.

24. The spectrometer of claim 23 , wherein the gas flow is a counterflow against the direction of movement of ions.

25. The spectrometer of claim 1 , further comprising a heater configured to heat the filter.

26. The spectrometer of claim 25 , wherein the heater comprises a substrate which is heated by Joule-effect heating.

27. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the ion channel includes inert conductive particles located on the walls of the channel along its length.

28. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the ion filter comprises a wafer-like form.

29. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the ion filter comprises a plurality of stacked planar layers.

30. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the ion channel is curved or serpentine.

31. The spectrometer of claim 1 that is coupled to one or more other detection or analysis devices.

32. The spectrometer of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to operate the spectrometer periodically to sample at intervals.

33. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the ion detector comprises an electrode coupled to a capacitor that is periodically discharged.

34. A method of analyzing a sample, the method comprising:

ionizing a sample to generate ions adjacent an ion channel within the field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer of claim 1 ;

biasing the ions such that, in the absence of other forces, they travel along the ion channel;

applying an oscillating electric potential to the conductive layers, such that an electric field is established within the ion channel; and

detecting generated ions that have passed through the ion channel.

35. An ion filter for use in a field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer, the filter defining at least one ion channel along which ions may pass, wherein the ion channel is defined by a plurality of conductive layers separated along the length of the channel by at least one non-conductive layer.

36. The filter of claim 35 , having a structure C-NC-C-NC, where C and NC represent conductive and non-conductive layers respectively.

37. The filter of claim 35 , having a structure C-NC-substrate-NC-C, where C and NC represent conductive and non-conductive layers respectively.

38. A method of manufacturing a field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer, the method comprising:

providing a generally planar resistive substrate having thereon a plurality of conductive layers separated by at least one non-conductive layer;

patterning the substrate to provide a filter comprising two or more interdigitated electrode arrays defining a plurality of ion channels themselves defined by a plurality of conductive layers separated along the length of the channel by at least one non-conductive layer; and

attaching said filter on one face to a generally planar ionization layer comprising means for ionizing an analyte.

39. An ion filter for use in a spectrometer such as a field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer, the filter comprising a pair of interdigitated electrodes defining a plurality of ion channels along which ions may pass.

40. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the direction other than toward the ion detector is a direction away from the ion detector.

41. The spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the direction other than toward the ion detector is a direction toward at least one of said conductive layers.

42. The method of claim 34 , wherein the direction other than toward the ion detector is a direction away from the ion detector.

43. The method of claim 34 , wherein the direction other than toward the ion detector is a direction toward at least one of said conductive layers.