Sensitivity-Selectivity Trade-Offs in Surface Ionization Gas Detection

Year: 2018

Authors: Mueller G., Prades J. D., Hackner A., Ponzoni A., Comini E., Sberveglieri G.

Autors Affiliation: Department of Applied Sciences and Mechatronics, Munich University of Applied Sciences, D-80335 Munich, Germany; MIND Group—Departament d’Engiyeria Electrònica i Biomèdica, Universitat de Barcelona, C Martí i Franquès, 108028 Barcelona, Spain; IN2UB, Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia de la Universitat de Barcelona, C Martí i Franquès, 108028 Barcelona, Spain; AIRBUS Central R&T, D-81663 Munich, Germany; National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO), National Research Council, Via Branze 45, 25123 Brescia, Italy; Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy; NANO SENSOR SYSTEMS SRL—Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy

Abstract: Surface ionization (SI) provides a simple, sensitive, and selective method for the detection of high-proton affinity substances, such as organic decay products, medical and illicit drugs as well as a range of other hazardous materials. Tests on different kinds of SI sensors showed that the sensitivity and selectivity of such devices is not only dependent on the stoichiometry and nanomorphology of the emitter materials, but also on the shape of the electrode configurations that are used to read out the SI signals. Whereas, in parallel-plate capacitor devices, different kinds of emitter materials exhibit a high level of amine-selectivity, MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical-systems) and NEMS (nanowire) versions of SI sensors employing the same kinds of emitter materials provide significantly higher sensitivity, however, at the expense of a reduced chemical selectivity. In this paper, it is argued that such sensitivity-selectivity trade-offs arise from unselective physical ionization phenomena that occur in the high-field regions immediately adjacent to the surfaces of sharply curved MEMS (NEMS) emitter and collector electrodes.

Journal/Review: NANOMATERIALS

Volume: 8 (12)      Pages from: 1017-1  to: 1017-22

KeyWords: surface ionization; gas detection
DOI: 10.3390/nano8121017

Citations: 4
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