Sensor technologies covered in brochure

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 1, 2006

Brochure describes technologies such as enhanced metal oxide sensor, solid-state amperometric sensor, microheater and interdigitated microelectrodes for materials analysis.

Synkera Technologies has published a brochure to describe the technologies that form the basis of its chemical sensors, including current and future product lines.

The brochure describes technologies such as the firm's enhanced metal oxide sensor (MOS), solid-state amperometric sensor, microheater and interdigitated microelectrodes for materials analysis.

Included in the publication are brief descriptions of sensor technologies under development that will be released soon.

Synkera is improving MOS sensor technology by adding expertise and knowledge of nanomaterials, nanofabrication, advanced materials engineering and other fabrication techniques.

The firm offers sensors for different gases on this platform, including detection of hydrogen (sensors for trace and LEL amounts), ammonia, NOx, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), flammable gases (methane, propane, pentane), nitrogen trifluoride and hydrogen sulfide.

Synkera is also working on other sensors within this group that will be released soon.

Other sensor technologies are a gas microsensor platform and a solid polymer electrochemical sensor technology.

The microsensor platform can be tailored by micromachining the ceramic base material to deliver any of several features.

For instance, the platform can be tailored to have a microheater that reduces power to as little as a quarter of what is typically required on a chemical sensor.

It also could be tailored to increase the surface area of a flat substrate that is typically used for a sensor thereby enhancing the sensitivity of the sensor.

The solid-state electrochemical sensor works at a wide range of relative humidity levels.

Synkera expects to introduce the first sensor from this technology within a few months.

The brochure briefly describes Synkera's other sensor technologies including a high performance humidity sensor, sensor arrays and electronic modules that will support the operation of these sensors.

Also included is a description of Synkera's interdigitated electrode substrate.

These electrodes are ceramic based, durable and capable of service up to very high temperatures, and have been used for characterisation of a wide variety of materials.