A High Measurement Channel Density Impedance Array Analyzer: Instrumentation and Implementation Approaches

Abstract

The development of impedance-based array devices is hindered by a lack of robust platforms and methods upon which to evaluate and interrogate sensors. One aspect to be addressed is the development of measurement-time efficient techniques for broadband impedance spectroscopy of large electrode arrays. The objective of this work was to substantially increase the throughput capability of low frequency impedance measurement of a large channel-count array analyzer by developing true parallel measurement methods. The goal was achieved by Fourier transform based analysis of simultaneously-acquired, multi-channel, time-based, current and voltage data. Efficacy and quantitative analysis of the parallel approach is demonstrated through complex impedance measurement of dummy cell arrays consisting of up to 100 elements to sub-Hertz frequencies. The accuracy and measurement-time efficiency of the standard sequential measurement method, and a hybrid standard + parallel approach, are evaluated.