title: Durable microfabricated high-speed humidity sensors.
abstract: We describe a durable microfabricated humidity sensor made of interdigitated rhodium electrodes on a silicon substrate covered with a sensing film of Nafion perfluorosulfonate ionomer. Rhodium electrodes are much less prone to oxidative degradation compared to previously described gold electrode-based sensors. Even with dc excitation, Rh electrode sensors exhibit excellent long-term response stability. It has been found that low-amplitude (+/-1 V) square wave excitation can prolong the usability of gold electrode-based sensors to at least several months; however, this mode of interrogation cannot provide subsecond response times. Rhodium deposition on the microsensors is much more difficult than that of gold. We were able to attain crack-free Rh deposits by adaptation of pulsed electroplating techniques. At excitation voltages of >2 V dc, the Rh sensors respond to moisture with 10 <--> 90% rise and fall times of 30-50 ms. These are the fastest microfabricated water vapor sensors reported to date. We demonstrate applications as a breath monitor. Such sensors should also be of utility in atmospheric eddy measurements. Short-term repeatability is better than 0.6% RSD (n = 7).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and NanoTech Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuban
authors.forename: Jordan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Purnendu K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Dasgupta
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004566:Electrodes; D006046:Gold / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006813:Humidity; D012238:Rhodium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006046:Gold; D012238:Rhodium; D012825:Silicon