Micromachined Gas Sensors

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A:Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 8048

Special Issue Editor

Electrical Micro & Nano Devices and Sensors Research Centre (e-Minds), Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, ON, Canada
Interests: micro electromechanical systems (MEMS); medical, chemical, and environmental sensors and transducers; micro and nano fabrication processes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced micromachining techniques create opportunities for the development of revolutionary new gas sensors that are small enough for integration into microelectronic systems and instrumentation, more easily deployable in a multitude of sensing applications, and capable of sensing unique aspects of the environment more accurately, safely, and reliably than ever before. Today, micromachined gas sensor systems are being successfully adapted and adopted to create leading-edge technologies that transfer significant benefits of micromachining and integration to the fields of medicine and environmental monitoring. The acceleration of micromachined sensors’ implementation is primarily due to their potential for device miniaturization, low power consumption, better performance, lower cost, and higher reliability. This Special Issue is dedicated to showcase research papers, short communication, and review articles that focus on micromachined gas sensors theoretical foundations, advanced design and use of sensors and sensor arrays, micromachined sensor technologies toward early detection, micromachining and sensor optimization, sensor analytical modeling and design simulations, sensing and structural material selections, practical industrial, environmental and healthcare applications, sensor evaluations and characterizations methods, and advanced micromachined gas sensor fabrication process.

We look forward to seeing your contribution appear in this Special Issue.

Dr. Arezoo Emadi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Analytical modelling
  • Chemical sensors
  • Gas sensors
  • Novel applications
  • Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS)
  • Micro and nano fabrication process
  • Sensor array
  • Sensor design and optimization

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 4542 KiB  
Article
Surface Acoustic Wave DMMP Gas Sensor with a Porous Graphene/PVDF Molecularly Imprinted Sensing Membrane
by Sheng Xu, Rui Zhang, Junpeng Cui, Tao Liu, Xiuli Sui, Meng Han, Fu Zheng and Xiaoguang Hu
Micromachines 2021, 12(5), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12050552 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2660
Abstract
In this paper, surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors containing porous graphene/PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) molecularly imprinted sensitive membrane for DMMP gas detection were investigated. A 433 MHz ST-cut quartz SAW resonator was used to convert gas concentration changes into frequency shifts by the sensors. [...] Read more.
In this paper, surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors containing porous graphene/PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) molecularly imprinted sensitive membrane for DMMP gas detection were investigated. A 433 MHz ST-cut quartz SAW resonator was used to convert gas concentration changes into frequency shifts by the sensors. The porous graphene/PVDF film was fabricated on the sensor’s surface by using the tape-casting method. DMMP molecules were adsorbed on the porous structure sensing film prepared by the 2-step method to achieve the specific recognition effect. The sensitivity of the sensor could reach −1.407 kHz·ppm−1. The response time and recovery time of the SAW sensor with porous graphene/PVDF sensing membrane were about 4.5 s and 5.8 s at the concentration of 10 ppm, respectively. The sensor has good anti-interference ability to most gases in the air. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micromachined Gas Sensors)
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21 pages, 4347 KiB  
Article
Impact of Improved Design on Knudsen Force for Micro Gas Sensor
by Xiaowei Wang, Zhijun Zhang, Wenqing Zhang, Tianyi Su and Shiwei Zhang
Micromachines 2020, 11(7), 634; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11070634 - 28 Jun 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2182
Abstract
Knudsen force generated by thermally driven gas flow in a microscale structure has been used for gas detection and has shown immeasurable potential in the field of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gas sensors due to its novel sensing characteristics. In this article, the performances [...] Read more.
Knudsen force generated by thermally driven gas flow in a microscale structure has been used for gas detection and has shown immeasurable potential in the field of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gas sensors due to its novel sensing characteristics. In this article, the performances of three kinds of Knudsen force gas sensors with improved isosceles triangular shuttle arm structures were studied. In the first design, the top side and right side lengths were equal; in the second, the top side and bottom side lengths were equal; and for the third, the bottom side and right side lengths were equal. A detailed investigation including gas flow, thermal characteristics, Knudsen force, and coupling effects between the shuttle-heater pairs was conducted using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method and the main mechanisms for gas flow presented were almost the same in this work. However, the second design returned the highest Knudsen force performance. The value increased by 42.9% (P = 387 Pa) compared to the Knudsen force of the original square shuttle arm. The results also demonstrate that the coupling effects become weak toward the right with an increase in the number of shuttle-heater pairs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micromachined Gas Sensors)
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Review

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25 pages, 10001 KiB  
Review
Capacitive Based Micromachined Resonators for Low Level Mass Detection
by Muhammad Umair Nathani, Haleh Nazemi, Calvin Love, Yameema Babu Lopez, Siddharth Swaminathan and Arezoo Emadi
Micromachines 2021, 12(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12010013 - 25 Dec 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2810
Abstract
Advancements in microfabrication technologies and novel materials have led to new innovations in miniaturized gas sensors that can identify miniscule changes in a complex environment. Micromachined resonators with the capability to offer high sensitivity and selectivity in array integration make mass loading a [...] Read more.
Advancements in microfabrication technologies and novel materials have led to new innovations in miniaturized gas sensors that can identify miniscule changes in a complex environment. Micromachined resonators with the capability to offer high sensitivity and selectivity in array integration make mass loading a potential mechanism for electronic nose applications. This paper investigates the mass sensing characteristics of progressive capacitive based micromachined resonators as potential candidates for volatile organic compound detection where also there is a need for miniaturized array configuration. In this paper, a detailed investigative review of the major three geometric designs of capacitive based micromachined resonators, namely, the microcantilever, the microbridge and the clamped membrane sensors is performed. Although many reviews are present in literature regarding mass sensors, however there is a gap in the literature regarding the common capacitive based micromachined mass sensors. This research gives a review on the foundation for capacitive based micromachined mass sensors while highlighting the potential capabilities of each geometric design to be developed further. Moreover, this paper also introduces the advancements based on the geometric designs of the capacitive based micromachined mass sensors. An in-depth analysis is done for each geometric design, to identify the critical design parameters, which affect the sensors’ performances. Furthermore, the theoretically achievable mass sensitivity for each capacitive based micromachined mass sensor is modeled and analyzed using finite element analysis with mass variation in the picogram range. Finally, a critical analysis is done on the sensor sensitivities and further discussed in detail wherein each design is compared to each other and its current advances. Additionally, an insight to the advantages and disadvantages associated with each simulated geometry and its different advances are given. The results of the investigative review and analysis indicate that the sensitivities of the capacitive based micromachined sensors are dependent not only on the material composition of the devices but also on the varying degrees of clamping between the sensor geometries. In essence, the paper provides future research the groundwork to choose proper candidate geometry for a capacitive based micromachined mass sensor, with its several advantages over other mass sensors, based on the needed application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micromachined Gas Sensors)
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