A novel wireless gas sensor based on LTCC technology

Abstract

This work presents the development of a highly selective wireless NO2 gas sensor based on a resonant antenna circuit using a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technique. The wireless LTCC based gas sensor consists of a planar inductor-interdigital capacitor (LC) resonant antenna, which incorporates two dimensional (2D) SnS2 nanoflakes as a model NO2 gas selective material. The fabrication of the LTCC platform is fully described, a brief description on the characterization of the gas sensitive material is presented and eventually the operation of the system for the sensing of NO2 gas is investigated. The response of the LTCC template was associated to the changes of its resistance and capacitance due to the alterations in the properties of 2D SnS2 as a result of physical adsorption of NO2 gas molecules onto its surface. The wireless gas sensing performance under different operating temperatures and NO2 gas concentrations are presented. The obtained LC gas sensor is successfully used for the wireless sensing of NO2 in the background of atmospheric gas at concentrations lower than 0.6 ppm. The developed technology has a great promise for establishing wireless gas sensors for harsh environments