Sensors and Sensor Systems for Harsh Environment Applications

This chapter focuses on the development of sensors and sensor systems for harsh environments. Among various applications with high commercial impact, combustion optimisation and emission control in small-scale boilers is considered as an illustrative application which can benefit from the employment of a multimeasur and sensor system able to cope with harsh environment conditions. More specifically, silicon on insulator (SOI) is proposed as common technology platform for the realisation of a diode temperature sensor, a thermal flow sensor, a capacitive humidity sensor, a chemiresistive oxygen sensor, a diode ultraviolet (UV) photosensor, and a non-dispersive-infra-red (NDIR) carbon dioxide sensor. Considerations regarding circuitry, packaging and system integration and testing are also included, along with a detailed analysis of each single sensing device