A Unique Guided Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Sensor Array for Detecting and Monitoring Gas Phase Mixtures

Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes a new type of surface acoustic wave (SAW) chemical sensor array system. This new SAW sensor array will be designed and fabricated on a single lithium niobate piezoelectric substrate. Three unique features will be added to this proposed sensor aray. First, very high frequency (up to 1 GHz) Saw transducers will be designed for each sensor unit to produce the same high frequency SAW, so that beneficial improvements in sensor sensitivity, resolution, and unit size will be achieved. Second, a simple and effective SAW waveguide will be introduced into each unit to confine the high frequency SAW in the effective areadefined by the transducer aperture, so that the efficiency (in both sensitivity and power levels) will be substantially improved. Third, a POC neural network computer control and processsing system will be developed to identify and classify odors and other vapor mixtures from the patterns of responses obtained. It is POC's belief that this new sensor array system, in comparison to current fiber optic chemical sensors, will provide a more sensitive, versatile, and distributable miniaturized sensor array for both industrial process control and environmental monitoring.