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New approaches for improving selectivity and sensitivity of resistive gas sensors: a review

Janusz Marek Smulko (Department of Metrology and Optoelectronics, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland)
Maciej Trawka (Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland)
Claes Goran Granqvist (Department of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden)
Radu Ionescu (Department of Electronics, Rovira i Virgily University, Tarragona, Spain)
Fatima Annanouch (Department of Electronics, Rovira i Virgily University, Tarragona, Spain)
Eduard Llobet (Department of Electronics, Rovira i Virgily University, Tarragona, Spain)
Laszlo Bela Kish (Department of Electrical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States)

Sensor Review

ISSN: 0260-2288

Article publication date: 21 September 2015

1880

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present the methods of improving selectivity and sensitivity of resistance gas sensors.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper compares various methods of improving gas sensing by temperature modulation, UV irradiation or fluctuation-enhanced sensing. The authors analyze low-frequency resistance fluctuations in commercial Taguchi gas sensors and the recently developed tungsten trioxide (WO3) gas-sensing layers, exhibiting a photo-catalytic effect.

Findings

The efficiency of using low-frequency fluctuations to improve gas detection selectivity and sensitivity was confirmed by numerous experimental studies in commercial and prototype gas sensors.

Research limitations/implications

A more advanced measurement setup is required to record noise data but it will reduce the number of gas sensors necessary for identifying the investigated gas mixtures.

Practical implications

Fluctuation-enhanced sensing can reduce the energy consumption of gas detection systems and assures better detection results.

Originality/value

A thorough comparison of various gas sensing methods in resistance gas sensors is presented and supported by exemplary practical applications.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was partially financed by the National Science Center, Poland, number of the decision: DEC-2012/06/M/ST7/00444 “Detection of gases by means of nanotechnological resistance sensors”. CGG’s work was supported by the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007–2013)/ERC grant agreement no. 267234 (“GRINDOOR”), by the Spanish Government under grant no. TEC2012-32420 and the Catalan Government under grant no. 2014 SGR 1,267. R.I. acknowledges a “Ramón y Cajal” fellowship from the Ministry of Economy and Competiveness (MINECO), Spain. E.L. is supported by the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies via the ICREA Academia Award. The paper is an updated and enriched version of the presentation given at the 8th International Conference on Sensing Technology, Liverpool, UK.

Citation

Smulko, J.M., Trawka, M., Granqvist, C.G., Ionescu, R., Annanouch, F., Llobet, E. and Kish, L.B. (2015), "New approaches for improving selectivity and sensitivity of resistive gas sensors: a review", Sensor Review, Vol. 35 No. 4, pp. 340-347. https://doi.org/10.1108/SR-12-2014-0747

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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