Dielectric Breakdown-Based Gas Leakage Detector Using Poly-Si Microtips

Abstract

There has been a growing need for portable gas detection device for gas leakage monitoring. Here, we report the development of dielectric breakdown-assisted ionization (DBAI)-based on-chip gas sensor (GSEN) and temperature sensor (TSEN), which were integrated to serve as leakage gas (L-gas) identification and detection device. The TSEN with single microtip architecture provides high temperature sensitivity but renders itself chemically inert toward different L-gases. The GSEN with an array of microtips imparts high chemical specificity toward different L-gases together with high temperature sensitivity. High chemical and thermal responsiveness of GSEN make it suitable for the chemical identification of different L-gases in air through the temperature-driven DBAI process. The TSEN plays the role of the temperature monitor. The chemical recognizability of the integrated device for different L-gases was demonstrated using Ar, O2, and CO2 as L-gases in air. This chemical recognizability of GSEN for different L-gases was imparted through their characteristic molecular polarizability, resulting in different rates of DBAI and hence the output current. The device finds the application for the detection of a wide variety of ionizable L-gases.