A Sub-ppm Acetone Gas Sensor for Diabetes Detection Using 10 nm Thick Ultrathin InN FETs

An indium nitride (InN) gas sensor of 10 nm in thickness has achieved detection limit of 0.4 ppm acetone. The sensor has a size of 1 mm by 2.5 mm, while its sensing area is 0.25 mm by 2 mm. Detection of such a low acetone concentration in exhaled breath could enable early diagnosis of diabetes for p...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shangjr Gwo, Yuh-Hwa Chang, Kun-Wei Kao, Ming-Che Hsu, J. Andrew Yeh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2012-05-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/12/6/7157
Description
Summary:An indium nitride (InN) gas sensor of 10 nm in thickness has achieved detection limit of 0.4 ppm acetone. The sensor has a size of 1 mm by 2.5 mm, while its sensing area is 0.25 mm by 2 mm. Detection of such a low acetone concentration in exhaled breath could enable early diagnosis of diabetes for portable physiological applications. The ultrathin InN epilayer extensively enhances sensing sensitivity due to its strong electron accumulation on roughly 5–10 nm deep layers from the surface. Platinum as catalyst can increase output current signals by 2.5-fold (94 <em>vs</em>. 37.5 μA) as well as reduce response time by 8.4-fold (150 <em>vs</em>. 1,260 s) in comparison with bare InN. More, the effect of 3% oxygen consumption due to breath inhalation and exhalation on 2.4 ppm acetone gas detection was investigated, indicating that such an acetone concentration can be analyzed in air.
ISSN:1424-8220