Design of MEMS Multiplexer for SiNW-based Sensors

This paper describes the development of a SiNW-based array sensor device using MEMS packaging topology. Nanostructured materials have been extensively researched for a broad spectrum of applications [1,2]. Especially, the development and application of nanomaterials for chemical and biological sensing have been widely reported [3,4]. We have developed silicon nanowire-based chemical sensor that could detect explosives and narcotic materials. These nano sensors have, therefore, proven to be quite useful in areas such as environmental sensing, vehicular emission control, industrial gas detectors, and biosensing. In this paper, we propose a MEMS technique to sense multiple analytes of chemicals on a single chip packaging using MEMS multiplexing technique we developed. The technique will provide multiple sensing capabilities and process the data using signal processing hardware. First, a SiNW device was fabricated by using E-beam techniques. After appropriate characterization and analysis, the drawbacks and limitations of this approach are highlighted. Second, we fabricated MEMS switches to package functionalized nanowire arrays to determine different chemical compounds in the same package, as illustrated in Figure 1. The IV characteristics of the SiNW nanowire-based array devices have been measured through an IV probe station, as shown in Figure 2.