Electrical Characterizations
In this laboratory, electrical measurements are carried out aimed at characterizing the behavior of sensor devices towards various types of environments. The various resistive sensor devices are housed in special watertight measuring chambers and, after having imposed a bias voltage on them, the current variations induced by the presence of chemical compounds in the form of gas or vapor are recorded. The currents that can be measured start from the femtoAmpere (= 1,0 × 10-15 Ampere) up to Ampere, while the measurable capacities range from 10 femtoFarad (= 1,0 × 10-14 Farad) up to 100 microFarads (= 1, × 10-4 Farad). The gaseous components are supplied with a Mass Flow Controller system controlled by a PC.
It is also possible to carry out measurements on quartz microbalances in which case the variations in the oscillation frequency of the quartzes are recorded as the concentrations of the analytes under examination vary. Analytical measurements of components, circuits and systems in the frequency domain are carried out with a Frequency Response Analyzer, especially useful with inorganic materials. The following materials constituting the sensitive membranes of the sensors have been characterized: polymers, ceramics, nanostructured, mesostructured, composite materials. In addition to chemical sensors, biological and physical sensors were also characterized.
INSTRUMENTS
INSTRUMENTATION: Mass Flow Controller Systems
PURPOSE PURPOSE: The laboratory is equipped to carry out calibrations of sensors for gas at controlled concentrations. It houses a series of mass-flo controllers (MKS, Environics) to generate controlled gas flows housed inside three fume cupboards. Mass Flow Controllers (MFCs) have different gas flow ranges: 0.2–10 sccm (standard cubic centimeters per minute), 4–200 sccm and 40–2000 sccm. Measurement systems are then implemented downstream to evaluate sensor performances.
Contact person: Andrea Bearzotti
INSTRUMENTATION: Mask Aligner Electronic Vision CO. AL4-2
PURPOSE PURPOSE: Tool that bases its operation on the lithography process, normally used in the production of integrated circuits. It is located in a clean room to eliminate as much as possible the presence of dust, which could deposit on the materials being processed, affecting the final result. This instrumentation is used in our laboratory for the development and production of interdigitated electrodes, on passivated silicon wafers, to be subsequently used in the field of sensors as transducer elements.
Contact person: Andrea Bearzotti