A low-cost electronic sensor to detect atmospheric radicals and other gases

Air quality and climate change are among the biggest societal challenges that we face today.
Atmospheric free radicals, particularly hydroxyl (•OH) and nitrate (•NO3), are the drivers of chemical processes that determine atmospheric composition and thus influence local and global air quality and climate. Detecting and understanding the behavior of radical species in the atmosphere is therefore of paramount importance and hence a major research goal in atmospheric science. Current techniques for measuring radicals are based on spectroscopic and mass spectrometric methods, which although sensitive and robust, are technically complex, cumbersome, and expensive. The central aim of this project is to develop organic surfaces on confined 1D interfaces to fabricate radical sensors on a Silicon junctionless nanowire transistor (Si JNT) platform. Silicon junctionless nanowire transistors (JNTs) have recently detected record low concentrations (down to the zeptomolar range) of the protein streptavidin in liquid phase. However, JNTs have not yet been tested for sensing in gas phase. Smartcom Synapse being used in the device are a modular logging device for IoT data acquisition and processing.

Additional notes:

Hristo Stefanov delivered this presentation for Silicon Saxony Day.

RADICAL represents a 'Fundamental Breakthrough in Detection of Atmospheric Free Radicals'.

Find out more on the RADICAL project website: radical-air.eu

The RADICAL project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 899282.