Material Science for Future (Bio-)Chemical Microsystems: The Key Role of Tailoring Interfaces

Abstract

Modular components of future chemical sensor systems are introduced briefly. Their development involves, in particular, new or fine-tuned (well-known) sensor-active materials and transducers. A molecular understanding of the sensing mechanisms is shown to be a prerequisite for the development of a new generation of sensor systems with particular emphasis on their miniaturization and integration. This understanding requires comparative microscopic, spectroscopic and sensor test studies on prototype materials to be performed, which requires to use experimental setups that combine the usual techniques of interface analysis with sensor preparation and sensor test chambers. A few selected case studies on prototype materials are chosen to illustrate recent trends in the development of new materials and transducers for integrated chemical and biochemical sensor systems.