MEMS-Based Ionization Gas Sensors for VOCs with Array of Nanostructured Silicon Needles

Although volatile organic compound samples can be detected by gas nanosensors in adsorption principles, extreme concentrations of target gases imply the excessive adsorption, which would lead to a long recovery time and even a shortened lifetime. Herein, we report the observations of the ionization current sensing behavior on the volatile organic compounds in an ionization gas sensor with silicon-based nanostructures. The micro ionization gas sensor consists of a pair of silicon microneedle array electrodes covered by nanolayer structures and a microdischarge gas gap. The dynamic response behaviors of the sensors to the exposure of ethanol, acetone, and 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide have been carefully scrutinized. The sensor exhibits sound performances to the high-concentration volatile organic compounds with a fast-recovery property and could generate effective responses well at 36 V, namely, the safety operation voltages. It could be well understood by the Jesse effect where small proportion of impurities in gases could lead to an intensive increase in the overall ionization probability. Besides, the reproducibility, recovery time, sensitivity, and selectivity properties have been systematically characterized.