All DET fabricated hardware have a common structure consisting of a Stainless Steel Tower machined at one end for mounting DET ion sources; a Collector Cylinder and Ceramic Insulator; and a Signal Probe Arm. The Tower end opposite the ion source mounting accommodates incoming detector gas flows and is custom machined for whatever instrument mounting is required. Fabrication documents for machining the Tower base to fit Varian and HP 5890 GC instruments are available for separate purchases, as are details for machining the Tower for Transducer use with a wide variety of possible Swage or Tube gas Inlet and Exit fittings. DET fabricated hardware structures feature only a small number of loose parts which was made possible by a novel method of bonding metal to metal and metal to ceramic parts together in a durable leak free manner that withstands temperatures in excess of 400° C.

DET’s Stand-Alone Current Supply provides Heating Current and Polarization Voltage for DET ion sources and other applications. This electronics module has been used for NPD and other detection modes on different brand research and process GC instruments, as well as in stand alone transducer applications. Other uses include the Ignitor/Polarizer for an FID, and power for Thermal Desorption of non-volatile sample residues acquired on the surface of an electrically heated ceramic probe. The supply provides control of Constant Current heating ranging from 0 - 4000 mA, adjustable in increments of 1 mA; switch selection of - 5, -15, or - 45 V polarization voltages; and a front panel Green/Red Status Light that gives an immediate indication of an open circuit in the ion source wiring. 

This fabrication document is a comprehensive, step by step description of DET’s crafting of Thermionic Ceramic Ion Sources. It consists of separately priced segments as follows:

a.) materials/procedures for forming the rigid ceramic coated sub-structure used for all ion source types

b.) materials/formulas/procedures for each type of ceramic surface coating with separate pricing for each coating type

c.) machining details/procedure for attaching a Twinex electrical connector and connector holder.