Enhanced Sensitivity of Micro Mechanical Chemical Sensors Through Structural Variation

Chemical detection devices are very effective; however, their bulkiness makes them undesirable for portable applications. The next generation of chemical detectors is microscopic mechanical devices capable of measuring trace amounts of chemical vapor within the environment. The chemicals do not react directly with the detector, instead intermolecular forces cause chemicals to adhere to the surface. This surface adhesion of the chemical creates surface stress on the detectors leading to measurable movement. Modifications to the structural design of these microstructures have resulted in signal enhancement to over seven hundred percent