DEVELOPMENT OF CHEMICAL SENSORS USING MICROFABRICATION AND MICROMACHINING TECHNIQUES

Chemical and electrochemical sensors have been produced using microelectronic fabrication techniques. The recent advancement of micromachining technology provides new impetus to the development of chemical sensors. Micromachining techniques, such as chemical anisotropic etching, plasma etching and sacrificial layers, add a new dimension to the advancement of chemical sensor research. Controlled temperature and operating conditions can be accomplished using these techniques and it is possible to construct low mass, low power driven devices. Sensors and sensor arrays can be constructed for multiple sensing. Tin oxide based sensors, metal insulator semiconductor diode sensors and high temperature solid electrolyte oxygen sensors are used to illustrate the advantages of this endeavor.