Recent Progress in Sensor Arrays: From Construction Principles of Sensing Elements to Applications.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Traditional sensors, based on the "lock-and-key" principle, offer high selectivity but cannot detect multiple analytes concurrently.
• Complex systems often contain multiple analytes with similar structures, posing challenges for conventional detection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of sensor array construction strategies and principles.
• To highlight the applications of sensor arrays in identifying and detecting diverse target analytes.
• To discuss current challenges and future perspectives in sensor array technology.

Main Methods:

• Focuses on the design and principles of sensing elements for sensor arrays.
• Explores the use of pattern recognition technologies to analyze distinct sensor responses.
• Reviews diverse applications across various scientific and industrial fields.

Main Results:

• Sensor arrays, utilizing multiple sensing elements, generate unique "fingerprints" through distinct responses.
• Pattern recognition enables the identification of various analytes, even those with similar structures, within complex systems.
• Demonstrates the broad applicability of sensor arrays in detection and identification tasks.

Conclusions:

• Sensor arrays offer a powerful approach for simultaneous multi-analyte detection, overcoming traditional sensor limitations.
• The review consolidates knowledge on sensor array construction, principles, and applications.
• Identifies key challenges and outlines future research directions for advancing sensor array technology.