title: Optical and Electronic NO(x) Sensors for Applications in Mechatronics.
abstract: Current production and emerging NO(x) sensors based on optical and nanomaterials technologies are reviewed. In view of their potential applications in mechatronics, we compared the performance of: i) Quantum cascade lasers (QCL) based photoacoustic (PA) systems; ii) gold nanoparticles as catalytically active materials in field-effect transistor (FET) sensors, and iii) functionalized III-V semiconductor based devices. QCL-based PA sensors for NO(x) show a detection limit in the sub part-per-million range and are characterized by high selectivity and compact set-up. Electrochemically synthesized gold-nanoparticle FET sensors are able to monitor NO(x) in a concentration range from 50 to 200 parts per million and are suitable for miniaturization. Porphyrin-functionalized III-V semiconductor materials can be used for the fabrication of a reliable NO(x) sensor platform characterized by high conductivity, corrosion resistance, and strong surface state coupling.
authors.affiliation: CNR-INFM Regional Laboratory LIT3, via Amendola 173, 70126 Bari, Italy; E-Mails:  angela.elia@fisica.uniba.it  (A.E.);  spagnolo@fisica.uniba.it  (V.S.);  scamarcio@fisica.uniba.it  (G.S.);  lugara@fisica.uniba.it  (P.M.L.).
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Franco
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elia
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Spagnolo
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scamarcio
authors.forename: Pietro Mario
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lugarà
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ieva
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cioffi
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Torsi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Losurdo
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wolter
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricco