Thermally pulsed chemielectric point sensing

US10466190B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy · US

Inventors

• Mario Ancona · Alexandria, US
• F. Keith Perkins · Alexandria, US
• Arthur W. Snow · Alexandria, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 24, 2018
• Grant date: Nov 5, 2019
• Expiry date: Sep 24, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2030/326
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for producing chemielectric point-sensor systems with increased sensitivity and increased selectivity. The chemielectric sensor system includes a sensor/heater assembly, where the sensor is a chemielectric sensor whose resistance or capacitance changes upon exposure to chemical analytes. The heater functionality applies a programmed sequence of one or more thermal pulses to the sensor to quickly raise its temperature. After each thermal pulse ends the change in resistivity of the sensor is measured. Such data as a function of the pulse time and temperature are recorded and analyzed to determine the chemical composition (selectivity) and concentrations in the ambient vapor by comparison to a library dataset. The sensor operation with fast thermal pulses also allows operation at higher frequencies where the noise is lower and hence sensitivity is improved.