Research/Intelligent MEMS Chemical Sensors

Autonomous Integrated Chemical Sensors†

A sensor system able to keep track of compounds stability on a long-term is proposed in this research. The compounds are such as brewed beverages (wine, sake...), liquid medicines (eye drops) etc. Such an application requires performing punctual analyses on a long-term, to verify the stability of the product, in a small and closed environment (bottle). Due to these specifications, the system has to be: tiny, autonomous in term of data processing and energy, and wireless. As a consequence, the sensor sytem which will be developped is a MEMS-sensor (tiny) directly integrated with VLSI operators (autonomous), with transmitters and an antenna (wireless).

↑

Introduction†

How can we know whether a beverage or a medecine are still good without opening the bottle and drink it, use it or perform ex-situ chemical analyses?

By placing inside the container an intelligent chemical sensor which will inform, on a long-term, about the deviation in the composition. The system has to be: tiny (MEMS), autonomous in term of data processing (integrated VLSI operators) and energy, and wireless (integrated transmitters and antenna).

↑

Principle†

A remote control powers on the integrated chemical sensors placed inside the container. The sensors transmit their answer in a wireless way. Application to wine, medicine (eye drops), etc.

↑

Fabrication†

Integration MEMS sensor / VLSI: Monolithic Post-process
Chemical Sensors: One generic sensor plus several specific sensors (active area functionalized for specific detection)
Functionalization for specific detection: Enzymes, polymeric sensitive layer, polymer electrolyte.
Integration of the Wireless system

↑

Perspective†

The originality of the system proposed here is in the punctual and long-term quality tracking of beverage or medicines. Contrary to usual sensors, here there is no need to analyse in details the composition of the product, as the scope is to warn only when there is a change in the chemical composition. Its scope, perfectly suitable for VLSI, is to realize an abnormality detector on which the change of value in time is important, and not the absolute value.

↑