NANOTUBE ARRAY GAS SENSOR
First Claim
1. A nanotube array gas sensor, comprising:
- an insulator template comprising an array of parallel aligned, open-ended nanotubes;
a sensing material deposited on at least interior surfaces of the parallel aligned, open-ended nanotubes of the array of the insulator template;
catalyst nanoparticles distributed on the sensing material;
at least one first top electrode positioned on at least a first portion of a top of the insulator template, wherein the at least one first top electrode comprises a first conductor material;
at least one second top electrode positioned on at least a second portion of the top of the insulator template, wherein the at least one second top electrode comprises a second conductor material;
at least one bottom electrode positioned on at least a portion of a bottom of the insulator template; and
an electronic controller coupled with the at least one first top electrode, the at least one second top electrode, and the at least one bottom electrode, and adapted to measure electrical resistances of the insulator template, the electrical resistances of the insulator template comprising a first electrical resistance between the at least one first top electrode and the at least one bottom electrode, and a second electrical resistance between the at least one second top electrode and the at least one bottom electrode, wherein the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance indicate a type and a concentration of a gas in the nanotube array gas sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects describe a nanotube array gas sensor, and methods to manufacture and use the same. In one example, the nanotube array gas sensor comprises an insulator template including an array of parallel aligned, open-ended nanotubes; a sensing material deposited on at least interior surfaces of the nanotubes; and catalyst nanoparticles distributed on the sensing material. An electronic controller activates electrodes made of different conductor materials in order to obtain multiple measurements of electrical resistance across the insulator template. The electrical resistance measurements can be compared to electrical resistance profiles in order to determine types and concentrations of gases in the nanotube array gas sensor.
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20 Claims
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1. A nanotube array gas sensor, comprising:
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an insulator template comprising an array of parallel aligned, open-ended nanotubes; a sensing material deposited on at least interior surfaces of the parallel aligned, open-ended nanotubes of the array of the insulator template; catalyst nanoparticles distributed on the sensing material; at least one first top electrode positioned on at least a first portion of a top of the insulator template, wherein the at least one first top electrode comprises a first conductor material; at least one second top electrode positioned on at least a second portion of the top of the insulator template, wherein the at least one second top electrode comprises a second conductor material; at least one bottom electrode positioned on at least a portion of a bottom of the insulator template; and an electronic controller coupled with the at least one first top electrode, the at least one second top electrode, and the at least one bottom electrode, and adapted to measure electrical resistances of the insulator template, the electrical resistances of the insulator template comprising a first electrical resistance between the at least one first top electrode and the at least one bottom electrode, and a second electrical resistance between the at least one second top electrode and the at least one bottom electrode, wherein the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance indicate a type and a concentration of a gas in the nanotube array gas sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of manufacturing a nanotube array gas sensor, comprising:
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fabricating an insulator template comprising an array of parallel aligned, open-ended nanotubes; depositing a sensing material on at least interior surfaces of the parallel aligned, open-ended nanotubes of the insulator template; distributing catalyst nanoparticles on at least some of the sensing material; positioning at least one first top electrode on at least a first portion of a top of the insulator template, wherein the at least one first top electrode comprises a first conductor material; positioning at least one second top electrode on at least a second portion of the top of the insulator template, wherein the at least one second top electrode comprises a second conductor material; positioning at least one bottom electrode on at least a portion of a bottom of the insulator template; and coupling an electronic controller with the electrodes, wherein the electronic controller is adapted to measure electrical resistances of the insulator template, the electrical resistances of the insulator template comprising a first electrical resistance between the at least one first top electrode and the at least one bottom electrode, and a second electrical resistance between the at least one second top electrode and the at least one bottom electrode, the first and second electrical resistances indicating type and concentration of gas in the nanotube array gas sensor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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obtaining, by an electronic controller of a nanotube array gas sensor, a first measurement of a first electrical resistance, wherein the first electrical resistance is between at least one first top electrode comprising a first conductor material positioned on at least a first portion of a top of an insulator template of the nanotube array gas sensor, and at least one bottom electrode positioned on at least a portion of a bottom of the insulator template; and obtaining, by the electronic controller, a second measurement of a second electrical resistance, wherein the second electrical resistance is between at least one second top electrode comprising a second conductor material positioned on at least a second portion of the top of the insulator template, and the at least one bottom electrode; and comparing at least the first and second measurements of the first and second electrical resistances to one or more stored electrical resistance profiles corresponding to at least one of one or more gas types, one or more gas concentrations, or one or more gas mixtures in order to determine at least one of a gas type, a gas concentration, or a gas mixture of a gas in the nanotube array gas sensor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification