We are interested in scaling-down analytical instruments because of three key reasons: (i) scaled-down components have better performance, i.e., operate faster, have larger bandwidth, consume less power, etc; (ii) scaling-down enables portability because scaled-down devices can operate at higher pressures, which relaxes the specifications of the pump system; (iii) scaled-down analytical components can be multiplexed and hence the enable very interesting applications such as the global and local gathering of data from a massive network. Our work has focused on two kinds of instruments: (i) quadrupole mass filters, and (ii) multiplexed plasma sensors for harsh environments.
