A new gated-metal oxide CO sensor design requires no heated substrate. The trick to achieving this was the addition of a simple gate bias. The device's operating specs are impressive: –60°F to 140°F, sensitivity of 0–1000 ppm, and response time of <5 s. It has no cross-sensitivity to other gases. The gate bias enhances the surface energy of the reaction, replacing the thermal requirement of a heater. The change in surface energy can be manipulated by sweeping the gate bias. The gate bias also helps transport electrons through the material for easy detection and measurement. The developer anticipates applications of the CO sensor in the areas of home safety, vehicles, aircraft, and commercial buildings, and also expects that the underlying technology could become a platform upon which to build devices that could detect other gaseous compounds.
Contact Dr. Zvi Yaniv, Applied Nanotech, Austin, TX; 512-993-5020, [email protected], www.appliednanotech.net.