Nanostructure Enforced High Resolution Microwave Smart Sensors: The Next Generation of Non-invasive Robust Portable Sensors

本研究项目将重点研究纳米结构材料与微波高分辨率器件的相互作用，并将研究单片制造和纳米材料与高分辨率微波器件集成的可能性，以实现低成本，小型化，敏感，选择性和鲁棒性，最先进的传感器结构。传感器设备将通过无线通信链路与外部便携式处理器和显示单元（例如智能设备和智能电话）进行通信。正交传感方法，如光学技术（如紫外线）将与材料研究一起进行研究，重点是微波读出技术，以提高传感器设备在选择性和灵敏度参数方面的性能。从传感的角度来看，与目前的微波传感器结构相比，该计划有望使传感器设备大幅小型化，同时通过将其与纳米级材料相结合，极大地增加了表面积。纳米级材料作为界面层将使传感器结构受益匪浅，不仅提高了传感器的灵敏度，而且为传感器对特定气体或液体分子作为靶材料提供了合适的选择性水平。为了实现正交传感方法，将使用微波器件作为电子读出器，研究目标材料存在时界面层的局部表面等离子体共振（LSPR）等其他效应。研究了贵金属（如金、银和铂）对界面层的电学和光学性质的影响，从而对微波器件的响应进行了研究。本研究将点亮金属与半导体载流子层结界面的肖特基势垒（其灵敏度比化学电阻响应高3 ~ 4个数量级），作为微波传感器器件的敏感区。这项研究计划将促进一个全新的微波谐振器传感器组件和系统的多用途应用，如在生物医学和环境领域。与目前可用的微波传感技术相比，它将在灵敏度、选择性、分辨率和鲁棒性方面提供相当大的提高，从而使微波传感器设备在以非接触式方式运行时具有卓越的性能。由于该计划，手持、精确和实时的生物医学、安全和安全分析设备有望问世，这将有利于加拿大社会减少医学分析的成本和时间，减少不必要的患者到医疗中心就诊。该研究可用于国防、医疗和天然气领域的传感器。

This research program will focus on the interaction of nanostructure materials with microwave high-resolution devices and will study the possibility of monolithic fabrication and integration of the nano-materials to the high-resolution microwave devices in order to achieve a low-cost, miniaturized, sensitive, selective and robust, state-of-the-art sensor structures. The sensor device will be communicating with an external portable processor and display unit (ex. smart devices and smart phones) through a wireless communication link. Orthogonal sensing methods such as optical techniques (ex. UV-Light) will be investigated along with material study with focus on microwave readout technique to enhance the performance of the sensor device regarding to selectivity and sensitivity parameters. From sensing perspective, this program promises to miniaturize the sensor devices considerably, comparing to the current microwave sensor structures, while increasing the surface area tremendously, by integrate them with nano-scale materials. The sensor structure will be benefited immensely from the nano-scale materials as an interface layer, which not only improves the sensitivity of the sensor but also provides a suitable level of selectivity for the sensor to specific gas or liquid molecules as target materials. To enable orthogonal sensing methods other effects, such as localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the interface layer, will be investigated in presence of the target materials, using microwave device as the electronic readout. The effect of decorating noble metals, such as Gold, Silver, and Platinum, on electrical and optical properties of the interface layer and consequently on the response of the microwave device will be studied and investigated. This research will light up the Schottky barrier in the interface of the metal to the semiconductor carrier layer junction (which is 3 to 4 orders of magnitude more sensitive than chemoresistive responses) to be used as the sensitive region for the microwave sensor devices.This research program will promote an entirely new category of microwave resonator sensor components and systems for versatile applications, such as in the biomedical and environmental sectors. It will offer a considerable increase in sensitivity, selectivity, resolution and robustness, regarding to currently available microwave sensing technology, thereby leading to microwave sensor devices with superior performance while operating in contactless fashion. Handheld, precise and real-time biomedical, security and safety analyzer devices are anticipated as a result of this program, which will be beneficial for Canadian society regarding to reducing the cost and time of medical analyses and reducing the unnecessary patient visits to medical centers. The study can lead to sensors for defense, medical and natural gas sectors.