Chip-Scale Quadrupole Mass Filters for a Micro-Gas Analyzer
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Chip-Scale Quadrupole Mass Filters for a Micro-Gas Analyzer by Kerry Cheung B.S., Applied and Engineering Physics Cornell University, 2003 S.M., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005 Submitted to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY June 2009 © 2009 Massachusetts Institute of Technology All rights reserved Author__________________________________________________________________ Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science May 22, 2009 Certified by______________________________________________________________ Akintunde I. Akinwande Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Thesis Supervisor Accepted by_____________________________________________________________ Terry P. Orlando Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Chairman, Department Committee on Graduate Students 2 Chip-Scale Quadrupole Mass Filters for a Micro-Gas Analyzer by Kerry Cheung Submitted to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science on May 22, 2009 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Abstract Mass spectrometers are powerful analytical instruments that serve as the gold standard for chemical analysis. This tool has numerous applications ranging from national security, industrial processing, environmental monitoring, space exploration, and healthcare to name a few. These systems are typically large, heavy, power-hungry, and expensive, constraining its usage to a laboratory setting. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in utilizing mass spectrometers outside the lab. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology holds the promise of making devices smaller, faster, better, and cheaper. The Micro-Gas Analyzer (MGA) project attempts to leverage MEMS capabilities to create a low-cost, high-performance, portable mass spectrometer. Batch-fabrication of various components for the MGA has been demonstrated to date, but the mass filter component still has room for exploration. Chip-scale quadrupole mass filters achieved entirely through wafer-scale processing have been designed, fabricated, and characterized. The device integrates the quadrupole electrodes, ion optics, and housing into a single monolithic block, eliminating the electrode-to-housing misalignments inherent in other quadrupoles. To achieve this integration, unconventional square electrode geometry was utilized. This concept formed the basis of the micro-square electrode quadrupole mass filter (MuSE-QMF). The MuSE-QMF demonstrated mass filtering with a maximum mass range of 650 amu and a minimum peak-width of 0.5 amu at mass 40, corresponding to a resolution of 80. More importantly, the design concept can be extended to complex architectures that were previously unachievable. Batch-fabricated quadrupoles in arrays, in tandem, or with integrated pre-filters can have significant impact on the future of portable mass spectrometry. Additionally, the MuSE-QMF makes a case for operation in the second stability region, and motivates new studies on quadrupole ion dynamics. Thesis Supervisor: Akintunde I. Akinwande Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 3 4 Acknowledgements As an applied and engineering physics major with little to no real world experience, graduate school seemed like the next logical step. Frank Wise, my undergraduate advisor, gave me fair warning of what to expect but it was still quite the journey. These past six years have been filled with challenges, struggles, and emotional turmoil, but I was fortunate enough to have an equal amount of rewards and accomplishments. I’ve learned so much and grown personally and professionally within this time, and I owe it all to the people who have supported me throughout the experience. First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Tayo Akinwande, for giving me the opportunity to work under his guidance. His faith in me and my abilities is what got me through the lows of my doctoral work. He sometimes pushed me when it was needed but was always supportive. Additionally, his compassion and understanding throughout life’s many ups and downs is something I am extremely grateful for. Next, I would like to thank my other committee members, Marty Schmidt and Forest White. Marty supervised my masters but he has never stopped providing excellent advice and feedback since. He has been a source of knowledge and I’ve learned many lessons from him, especially the importance of simple fabrication. I am also very grateful to have Forest onboard who was always enthusiastic about my research and helped me gauge the relevance of my work in the greater community. Outside of my committee, there have been others who have given me excellent advice and assistance with issues that I encountered throughout this thesis work. I want to thank Luis Velásquez-García for many fruitful discussions and his experience with fabrication techniques. My work would not have been possible without some of his insights. Randy Pedder is another who has been instrumental in my work, and I am extremely thankful for his advice and patience. He has been a tremendous asset towards getting me caught up to speed on the field of mass spectrometry and the experimental work involved. I would also like to thank Thomas Hogan and Steve Taylor who have contributed a substantial amount of their time and resources to conduct simulations on my behalf. Appreciation goes to Hanqing Li for helpful feedback on fabrication issues as well. I want to thank Vicky Diadiuk and the Microsystems Technology Laboratories staff for their training and assistance which were vital for my success in the cleanroom. I want to acknowledge Dennis Ward, Bob Bicchieri, Eric Lim, and Donal Jamieson for maintaining the tools needed to complete my devices and for their understanding when I caused tools to go down. I also want to thank Kurt Broderick, Paul Tierney, Dave Terry, Pat Varley, Pat Burkhart, Acia Adams, Debb Hodges-Pabon, Sam Crooks, Carolyn Collins, Anne Wasserman, and others members of the MTL community for their smiles and friendship through the years. Additionally, I want to thank the fab users of past and present – Annie Wang, Kevin Ryu, Orit Shamir, Nan Yang, Vikas Sharma, Ole Nielsen, Kishori Desphande, Andrea Adamo, Ivan Nausieda, Darius Golda, Linhvu, and others who made time in the cleanroom much more enjoyable. 5 My friends who kept me sane outside the cleanroom have my eternal gratitude. I want to thank Dave Chao, Karen Wong, Amil Patel, Tyrone Hill, Ming Tang, and Brian Taff for all the interesting lunch/dinner conversations. Sean Liu, Lila Gollogoly, and Michelle Tiu have my deepest appreciation for all the support and good times at 150 Franklin. Much love goes to Elisa Rah, Dave Nguyen, Helen Hsi, Nancy Hong, Tim Lu, John King, Rich Moy, and their circle of friends for the many fun-filled weekends. Also, I want to acknowledge Lindsay Calderon for being there when I was feeling my worst, and the MIT Asian American Association for giving me a purpose outside academics. Finally, I would like to thank my family for being supportive of everything I choose to do. I thank my parents for working so hard to give me every opportunity they could, and my brother and extended family for always having faith in me. I would also like to thank my cousin, Amy Fung, for making Boston more fun, my friends from back home for keeping me grounded, and Hannah Seong for her love and affection. Lastly, I want to remember those I have lost along the way – Antimony Gerhardt who will always inspire me, my maternal grandmother who I will miss dearly, and Henney who will always be loved and adored. I dedicate this thesis to them all. 6 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 5 Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. 7 List of Figures.................................................................................................................... 9 List of Tables ................................................................................................................... 11 1 Introduction............................................................................................................... 13 1.1 Motivation......................................................................................................... 13 1.2 Mass Spectrometers .......................................................................................... 14 1.2.1 Overview................................................................................................... 14 1.2.2 Mass Filters............................................................................................... 15 1.3 Miniaturization.................................................................................................. 17 1.3.1 Benefits ..................................................................................................... 17 1.3.2 Scaled-Down Components........................................................................ 18 1.4 Micro-Gas Analyzer Project............................................................................