Nanomechanical Chemical Sensor Platform

For gas phase chemical sensing, we have developed a selective, sensitive and portable sensing platform, which integrates bio receptors, chemo-mechanical sensor array, and electrical readout circuits. The biggest challenge in chemical sensors is selectivity of a receptor to its respective target molecule against a background of various interfering agents. For target specific receptors, sequence-specific recognition motifs have been identified through directed evolution methods, called phage display. We have demonstrated and updated a parylene micromembrane surface stress sensor array which uses capacitive signal readout. For a fully integrated sensor platform, a portable chemical sensing board has been built.