MEMS technology has emerged more than two decades ago and, since then, it has evolved rapidly and steadily, realizing various types of physical sensors and actuators. Micro-fabrication techniques have also been developed for the realization of micro-platforms for chemiresistive gas sensors. In recent years, many examples of this class of devices have appeared in literature, the typical implementation being suspended microstructures in a cavity of silicon for thermal insulation, on which sensing material are coated. The major benefit of these microplatforms is the drastic reduction of power consumption, which allows the gas sensor to be battery-driven. Together with the extreme miniaturization of these devices, this can lead to wireless or portable gas sensors, and to ubiquitous sensor systems. However, there is a major problem to overcome, which hinders the commercialization of these innovative micro gas sensors. The challenge is to develop robust microfabrication techniques to deposit well-quantified sensing layer efficiently on a microplatforms, without affecting the yield of the microfabrication process. Recently, our group has implemented into the MEMS-based process for micro gas sensor, the technology to deposit nanostructured metal oxides on microplatforms by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD), which represents a feasible solution to this problem. This technology is, in fact, very easy to integrate inside a microfabrication process and lead us to development of a novel multiparameter MEMS-based device. This paper reports the design, realization and characterization of a novel MEMS-based multiparameter sensor, which integrates on the same silicon chip a calorimetric flow sensor, a nanostructured metal-oxide gas sensor and a gas temperature sensor. Potential applications are in the field of environmental and air quality monitoring, control of industrial processes, detection of harmful emissions and chemical warfare and medical diagnostics.
A novel MEMS-based multiparameter sensor
Decarli, Massimiliano;Lorenzelli, Leandro;
2010-01-01
Abstract
MEMS technology has emerged more than two decades ago and, since then, it has evolved rapidly and steadily, realizing various types of physical sensors and actuators. Micro-fabrication techniques have also been developed for the realization of micro-platforms for chemiresistive gas sensors. In recent years, many examples of this class of devices have appeared in literature, the typical implementation being suspended microstructures in a cavity of silicon for thermal insulation, on which sensing material are coated. The major benefit of these microplatforms is the drastic reduction of power consumption, which allows the gas sensor to be battery-driven. Together with the extreme miniaturization of these devices, this can lead to wireless or portable gas sensors, and to ubiquitous sensor systems. However, there is a major problem to overcome, which hinders the commercialization of these innovative micro gas sensors. The challenge is to develop robust microfabrication techniques to deposit well-quantified sensing layer efficiently on a microplatforms, without affecting the yield of the microfabrication process. Recently, our group has implemented into the MEMS-based process for micro gas sensor, the technology to deposit nanostructured metal oxides on microplatforms by supersonic cluster beam deposition (SCBD), which represents a feasible solution to this problem. This technology is, in fact, very easy to integrate inside a microfabrication process and lead us to development of a novel multiparameter MEMS-based device. This paper reports the design, realization and characterization of a novel MEMS-based multiparameter sensor, which integrates on the same silicon chip a calorimetric flow sensor, a nanostructured metal-oxide gas sensor and a gas temperature sensor. Potential applications are in the field of environmental and air quality monitoring, control of industrial processes, detection of harmful emissions and chemical warfare and medical diagnostics.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
