Piezoresistive Microcantilever Sensors

Embedded Piezoresistive Microcantilever Sensors (EPMA)

 

Analyte molecules passing through permeable window partition into polymer layer, resulting in sensing material swelling. This tiny swelling results in bending of piezoresistive cantilever.  The resistance change of the cantilever is directly proportional to the degree of material swelling, and is measured by an ohmmeter.
 

Materials that can be used in EPMA sensors include:

Organic Polymers - Sensing of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's)

Functionalized Polymers - Poison Gases, Nerve Agents

Bio-Polymer Composites - Bio Molecules and other Bio-Agents

Gels, Functionalized - Liquid Analytes, Bio-Molecules

 

Current Applications:

Personal Hydration Monitoring - Cantimer Corp., Menlo Park, CA.  Small handheld or intraoral microcantilever-based sensors for monitoring of hydration status in individuals.

Poison Gas Sensing - Using commercial piezoresistive microcantilevers from Cantimer Corp. (Menlo Park, CA) to detect the presence of HCN gas.