Research Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for improved disaster management policies and air quality monitoring, particularly for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are biomarkers for fatal respiratory diseases. VOCMemsense proposes an innovative gas sensing technology based on oxide memristive sensing coupled with nano-TFTs circuitry on flexible substrates. Memsensors exploit the resistive switching behavior of oxide nanowires (NWs) and their modulation by multi-gas stimulus. The technology can be sensitive to oxidizing or reducing gases, depending on their resistance state. Sustainable materials and processes are selected for future fabrication in large scale. Detailed studies on resistive switching (RS) and transport mechanism will be conducted using planar structures of individual NWs contacted by electrodes. Arrays of NWs will be fabricated for statistical reduction of measurement errors and detection, quantifying, and identifying multiple VOCs in real time. The integrated platform requires memsensor array addressing and readout circuitry, using ZTO-based oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) for nanoscale processing technologies. The team will engage in dissemination activities for all levels of audiences, from citizens to academia and industry.