Metal-solution interface sensors

METAL-SOLUTION INTERFACE SENSORS Non-destructive Methods Use of Microelectrodes... 

Most microhotplate-based chemical sensors have been realized as multi-chip solutions with separate transducer and electronics chips. One example includes a gas sensor based on a thin metal film [16]. Another example is a hybrid sensor system comprising a tin-oxide-coated microhotplate, an alcohol sensor, a humidity sensor and a corresponding ASIC chip (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) [17]. More recent developments include an interface-circuit chip for metal oxide gas sensors and the conccept for an on-chip driving circuitry architecture of a gas sensor array [18,19]. 

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors exploit special electromagnetic waves-surface plasmon-polaritons-to probe interactions between an analyte in solution and a biomolecular recognition element immobilized on the SPR sensor surface. A surface plasmon wave can be described as a light-induced collective oscillation in electron density at the interface between a metal and a dielectric. At SPR, most incident photons are either absorbed or scattered at the metal/dielectric interface and, consequently, reflected light is greatly attenuated. The resonance wavelength and angle of incidence depend upon the permittivity of the metal and dielectric. 

For trace analysis in fluids, some Raman sensors (try to) make use of the SERS effect to increase their sensitivity. While the basic sensor layout for SERS sensors is similar to non-enhanced Raman sensors, somehow the metal particles have to be added. Other than in the laboratory, where the necessary metal particles can be added as colloidal solution to the sample, for sensor applications the particles must be suitably immobilised. In most cases, this is achieved by depositing the metal particles onto the surfaces of the excitation waveguide or the interface window and covering them with a suitable protection layer. The additional layer is required as otherwise washout effects or chemical reactions between e.g. sulphur-compounds and the particles reduce the enhancement effect. Alternatively, it is also possible to disperse the metal particles in the layer material before coating and apply them in one step with the coating. Suitable protection or matrix materials for SERS substrates could be e.g. sol-gel layers or polymer coatings. In either... 

Another interface that needs to be mentioned in the context of polarized interfaces is the interface between the insulator and the electrolyte. It has been proposed as a means for realization of adsorption-based potentiometric sensors using Teflon, polyethylene, and other hydrophobic polymers of low dielectric constant Z>2, which can serve as the substrates for immobilized charged biomolecules. This type of interface happens also to be the largest area interface on this planet the interface between air (insulator) and sea water (electrolyte). This interface behaves differently from the one found in a typical metal-electrolyte electrode. When an ion approaches such an interface from an aqueous solution (dielectric constant Di) an image charge is formed in the insulator. In other words, the interface acts as an electrostatic mirror. The two charges repel each other, due to the low dielectric constant (Williams, 1975). This repulsion is called the Born repulsion H, and it is given by (5.10). 

Enhancement of absorption bands in the IR spectra of ultrathin films in the presence of discontinnons (islandlike) nnder- and ovemanolayers of Ag and An was discovered by Hartstein et al. [356] in the early 1980s. Although these researchers believed that they observed an increase in the vCH band intensities for p-nitro-benzoic acid (p-NBA), benzoic acid, and 4-pyridine-COOH films, it was recently shown [350] that the spectra reported are in actual fact due to fully saturated hydrocarbons (possibly vacuum pump oil). In any case, this discovery has stimulated various research activities and led to the development of surface-enhanced IR absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy. To date, the SEIRA phenomenon has been exploited in chemical [357] and biochemical IR sensors (see [357-360] and literature therein), in studying electrode-electrolyte interfaces [171, 361-365], and in LB films and SAMs [364, 366-370]. Other metals that demonstrate this effect are In [371] and Cu, Pd, Sn, and Pt [372-375]. The metal films can be prepared by conventional metal deposition procedures such as condensation of small amounts of metal vapor on the substrate, spin coating of a colloidal solution, electrochemical [388], or reactive deposition [299] (see also Section 4.10.2). 

The modification of TCO surfaces can clearly be used to enhance the electrochemical performance of oxide electrodes. There are, however, issues yet to be resolved regarding the initial surface composition of the oxide, especially for ITO, which prevent realization of the full electrochemical and electronic potential of these electrodes. In some cases, the modification chemistries produce a surface, which is sufficiently robust to be used in various sensor platforms or condensed phase devices. However, it is not yet clear whether long-term stability can be achieved in those cases where the oxide is exposed to solutions that also promote the hydrolysis of the oxide unless an extremely strong covalently bonded network, or chemisorption interaction can be produced. These modification strategies will continue to evolve with the increasing need for viable interfaces between electroactive materials and the metal oxide electrode. 

The conductive polymer layer contains doping ions, which activity determines the drop in the potential at the membrane/polymer interface. If, during measurement, there is no change in the oxidation state of the polymer and in the concentration of the ion doping the polymer, the drops in the potential at the membrane/polymer and polymer/metal interfaces will also be constant. Any changes in the potential of such sensor will be determined by changes in the activity of ions in the analyzed solution, which also determine the potential at the solution/membrane interface (similar to conventional sensors) [53]. 

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