I am currently helping develop a portable trace-gas sampling system that uses ion mobility spectrometry to measure gases at parts per billion sensitivities. What excites me most about this project is the fact that we're taking a proven science (ion mobility spectrometry) and are pushing the forefront of its capabilities by miniaturizing components, scaling down the power requirements and making it portable. While this form of spectroscopy is not my main area of focus, it has been a fun learning environment that allows me to use and further hone my skills while offering opportunities to solve challenging problems.

Gas molecules are ionized (electrified) before they are filtered through a set of electrodes before reaching a detector plate. The electrodes basically create an electromagnetic conveyor belt, attracting and repelling molecules based on their electron-to-mass ratios, as they make their way to the detector, where they ultimately deposit their electrical charge. Based on the relative intensities and frequencies of the deposited charges, we're able to determine the relative amount of certain gases that flow through the instrument.