Project description
High-performance gas sensors based on 2D materials
Gas sensors are electronic devices that identify different gas types. They are commonly used to detect toxic or explosive gases and measure gas concentration in the atmosphere. High-frequency field-effect transistors (FET) could fuel research into a new generation of high-frequency electronics including gas sensors. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HF2ET2D project will tap into the potential of 2D materials to develop high-frequency gas sensors for use in unattended gas sensor networks. The focus will be on relatively new materials such as black phosphorus, indium selenium and platinum diselenide, which have so far received scant attention. Their excellent electrical, optical and gas sensing properties hold great promise for fabricating high-frequency FET-type gas sensors with superior performance.
Objective
Human safety and the protection of air quality would clearly benefit from the deployment of widespread, unattended, wireless networks with gas sensing capabilities. While the Internet of Things (IoT) is on the rise (3.2 billion devices connected by 2023), the 5G will improve IoT performance and reliability. The development of high frequency field effect transistors (HF-FETs) for wireless networks is fuelling the research in a new generation of high frequency electronics employing new nanomaterials. In this context, the HF2ET2D aims at the synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) materials and at the fabrication of HF-FETs in order to realize high frequency gas sensors for being integrated in the new generation of unattended gas sensor networks. Additionally, it aims at improving sensor performance (sensitivity and selectivity) by using surface functionalization and light excitation. 2D materials like black phosphorus, Indium Selenium (InSe) and Platinum Diselenide (PtSe2) are still very new materials, which deserve being investigated further. Their rich electrical-optical-gas sensing properties will allow us to fabricate high frequency FET gas sensors with superior performance. The crystalline quality of these materials, their good carrier mobility and high on/off current will affect the figure of merit of the HF-FETs (maximum frequency of oscillation and the cut-off frequency). Direct band gap, good light absorbance, and high photo-responsivity are interesting factors to enhance the electrical characteristics of the transistors and ameliorate the repeatability and drift issues often experienced with gas sensors. Ultra large surface to volume ratios, rich surface chemistry and favourable surface energy levels for gas adsorption will allow to obtain room temperature gas sensors and avoid the high operation temperature of commercially available metal oxide gas sensors, at an affordable cost.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesinternetinternet of things
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materialstwo-dimensional nanostructures
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorssmart sensors
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringair pollution engineering
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technology
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
43003 Tarragona
Spain