SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE PERSONAL MONITOR FOR TOXIC AGENTS

IT IS PLANNED TO DEVELOP A MINIATURIZED SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE (SAW) VAPOR DETECTION SYSTEM AS A PERSONAL MONITOR FOR TOXIC ORGANIC VAPORS. THE SAW SENSORS ARE VERY PROMISING ASTHEY CAN BE MADE VERY SENSITIVE TO ESSENTIALLY ANY TOXIC ORGANIC COMPOUND WITH AT LEAST MODEST VAPOR PRESSURE. THEY CAN DETECT SOLVENTS SUCH AS BENZENE AND DICHLOROETHANE IN THE LOW PPM RANGE AND MANY OF THE HIGH MOLECULAR, MUCH LESS VOLATILE ESTERS AND PESTICIDES DOWN TO THE PPB LEVEL. THE SAW DEVICES WILL RESPOND IN SECONDS TO EXPOSURE TO A VAPOR CHALLENGE. THEIR SPECIFICITY WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE DEGREE OF INTERACTION OF THE VAPOR OF INTEREST WITH AN ADSORBENT COATING ON THE SURFACE OF THE SAW DEVICE. BECAUSE OF THEIR SOLID-STATE CONSTRUCTION AND COMPATIBILITY WITH INTEGRATED ELECTRONICS, THEY HAVE MANY ADVANTAGES OVER CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TOXIC VAPOR DETECTORS. THESE MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE VERY SMALL,RUGGED, SENSITIVE, EASILY MANUFACTURED, AND LOW COST ON A LARGE-VOLUME BASIS. UNTIL THESE SOLID-STATE VAPOR SENSORS AND ASSOCIATED ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS ARE SUCCESSFULLY MINIATURIZED, THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, INCLUDING COST SAVINGS, WILL NOT BE REALIZED.