Portable low-power electronic interface for gas detection using microcantilevers

Over the last decade, microcantilevers acting as chemical sensors have been demonstrated as a powerful technique for gas detection at trace level. However, one of the main limitations for a widespread deployment in commercial applications is due to the existing read-out technologies which are extremely slow and tedious. This paper presents the development of a portable low-power readout system to face with the throughput and reliability related challenges. In particular, the portable system is capable to generate the excitation signal and to acquire the output signal of resonating microcantilevers modified with zeolite based coatings for gas sensing applications. The accuracy of the read out system has been assessed by comparison with commercial lock-in amplifier 7265 model from Signal Recovery. The performance of the electronic interface has been validated in the detection of 25 ppmV of 2-nitrotoluene with BEA coated microcantilevers operating in dynamic mode.