Dense thin film-based chemical sensors and methods for making and using same
US7340941B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 1, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/0256
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Sensors for determining the ambient amount (e.g., concentration) of a chemical (e.g., molecular hydrogen in a gas or vapor) are disclosed. Preferred embodiments of these sensors comprise a dense thin metal (e.g., palladium or a palladium alloy) film disposed on a microcantilever beam that is suspended above a stationary baseplate. The dense thin metal film is configured to absorb, for example, hydrogen, thereby causing the film to expand which in turn causes the microcantilever beam to deform. The deformation can be measured, for example, as a change in capacitance between the microcantilever beam and the stationary baseplate. The measured change in capacitance is indicative of the ambient hydrogen concentration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.