An electronic system for the thermal management of MOX sensors

MOX sensors are widely used in several application fields: environmental monitoring, home automation, food control, and so on. Research activities in this topic are oriented towards new materials and nanotechnologies, thus requiring new instruments for the sensor characterization and management. Often, in order to improve selectivity, sensitivity, stability, the sensor is heated according to purposely-designed profiles. The repeatability of the measurement conditions strongly depends on the ability to perform a sensor resistance measurement in a synchronous fashion with respect to the imposed thermal profile. This work proposes an electronic equipment for a complete and synchronous management of a generic MOX sensor, showing a resistance varying from tens of kilohms up to tens of gigohms. First experimental results encourage its use with real sensors.