Patent ID: 8071938

Claim:
A particle detector, comprising: (a) a first chamber, including a first detector configured for a first particle detection mechanism, wherein analyte particles are subjected to a first detection using the first particle detection mechanism in the first chamber, and wherein a subset of the analyte particles are determined in the first detection to match one or more predetermined mobility characteristics; (b) a second chamber, including a second detector configured for a second particle detection mechanism, wherein an entrance of the second chamber is coupled to an exit of the first chamber, wherein particles of the subset that passes through the first chamber are subjected to a second detection using the second particle detection mechanism in the second chamber, and wherein detection characteristics of the second particle detection mechanism are orthogonal to detection characteristics of the first particle detection mechanism; (c) a shutter between the exit of the first chamber and the entrance of the second chamber selectively inputting said particles of the subset into the second chamber; and (d) a control module configured to control the shutter to input only said particles of the subset into the second chamber, wherein the control includes opening the shutter in response to detecting the subset in the first detection.