Web Release Date: November 15,
An Electrothermal Carbon Nanotube Gas Sensor
Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, California 94720
Received August 7, 2007
Revised October 15, 2007
Abstract:
We show both gas pressure and species sensing capabilities based on the electrothermal effect of a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT). Upon exposure to gaseous environments, the resistance of a heated MWCNT is found to change following the conductive heat-transfer variances of gas molecules. To realize this mechanism, a suspended MWCNT is constructed by synthesis and assembly in localized chemical vapor deposition that is accomplished within seconds via real-time electrical feedback control. Vacuum pressure sensitivity and gas species differentiability are observed and analyzed. Such MWCNT electrothermal sensors are compact, fast and reversible in responses, and fully integratable with microelectronics.
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