Patent ID: 7576322

Claim:
A device for the non-contact detection and analysis of an analyte that is substantially residing upon a surface, comprising: a plasma source including a housing means having an upstream end and a downstream end; an inlet for a gas disposed at the upstream end of the housing means; an exit port at the downstream end; means for generating a non-equilibrium, low temperature plasma at substantially atmospheric pressure positioned within said housing intermediate said upstream and downstream ends, said plasma generating means arranged to allow flow of a gas through said means; focusing means disposed adjacent said exit port, said means arranged to urge the gas and plasma into a directed plume; means causing said directed plume to contact said surface to thereby ionize analyte on or adjacent said surface and to form analyte ions by transferring energy from energetic species contained in the plasma to the analyte; and an ion collection means and a sensor operably connected to said plasma source, said ion collection means having inlet port means arranged relative to said exit port of said plasma source to collect at least a potion of the analyte ions, and said sensor including means to identify and quantify the analyte.