The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) presents a seminar by Dr. Genki Yoshikawa, from the International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Namiki, Tsukuba, Japan
Abstract
Demands
for
new
sensors
to
detect
or
identify
target
molecules
are
rapidly
growing
in
various
fields,
such
as
food,
agriculture,
medicine,
security,
and
environment.
Nanomechanical
sensors
have
potential
to
contribute
to
these
global
demands
owing
to
their
intrinsic
versatility.
Based
on
the
newly
developed
platform
“Membrane-type
Surface
stress
Sensor
(MSS),"
we
are
now
trying
to
realize
useful
nanomechanical
sensor
systems
which
can
fulfill
the
practical
requirements,
such
as
portability,
low-cost,
ease
of
use,
in
addition
to
the
basic
specifications,
e.g.
high
sensitivity
and
selectivity.
While
the
MSS
provides
a
practical
sensing
element,
a
consumer
sensor
system
requires
further
optimization
and
integration
of
lots
of
components
including
receptor
layers,
hardware
including
electronics
and
sample
handling,
multidimensional
data
analysis,
and
precise
calibration
for
high
reproducibility.
To
establish
a
de
facto
standard
for
odor
analysis
and
sensor
systems
employing
the
nanomechanical
MSS
technology,
the
“MSS
Alliance”
was
launched
jointly
with
companies
and
a
university.
In
addition,
“Aero-Thermo-Dynamic
Mass
Analysis
(AMA)”
which
we
have
recently
developed
will
provide
another
approach
to
characterizing
gases
by
measuring
molecular
weight
in
ambient
condition
without
a
vacuum
or
ionization.
In
this
talk,
the
overview
of
the
MSS,
AMA,
and
the
related
technologies
ranging
from
the
optimization
scheme
of
the
sensor
chip
to
system
level
developments
will
be
presented
with
some
demonstration
using
actual
sensor
devices.