Ultrasensitive chemical detection using a nanocoax sensor

ACS Nano. 2012 Apr 24;6(4):3171-8. doi: 10.1021/nn205036e. Epub 2012 Mar 12.

Abstract

We report on the design, fabrication, and performance of a nanoporous, coaxial array capacitive detector for highly sensitive chemical detection. Composed of an array of vertically aligned nanoscale coaxial electrodes constructed with porous dielectric coax annuli around carbon nanotube cores, this sensor is shown to achieve parts per billion level detection sensitivity, at room temperature, to a broad class of organic molecules. The nanoscale, 3D architecture and microscale array pitch of the sensor enable rapid access of target molecules and chip-based multiplexing capabilities, respectively.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / instrumentation*
  • Electric Capacitance
  • Electrodes
  • Ethanol / analysis
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation*
  • Temperature
  • Time Factors
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / analysis

Substances

  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • Ethanol