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AIP Advances 1, 032115 (2011); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3624456 (10 pages)

Ultra-portable explosives sensor based on a CMOS fluorescence lifetime analysis micro-system

Yue Wang1, Bruce R. Rae2, Robert K. Henderson2, Zheng Gong3, Jonathan Mckendry3, Erdan Gu3, Martin D. Dawson3, Graham A. Turnbull1, and Ifor D. W. Samuel1

1Organic Semiconductor Centre, SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, United Kingdom
2Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JL, United Kingdom
3Institute of Photonics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Wolfson Centre, 106 Rottenrow, Glasgow, G4 0NW, United Kingdom

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(Received 23 May 2011; accepted 14 July 2011; published online 29 July 2011)

This work explores the use of a green-light-emitting copolymer as a chemosensor to detect nitroaromatic-based explosive vapors by recording photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL decay. We show successful detection of 10 ppb 1,4-dinitrobenzene (DNB) vapor. Both a conventional time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) device and CMOS time-resolved fluorescence lifetime micro-system are used in the DNB detection. An ultra-portable on-site explosive sensor based on the micro-system has also been demonstrated. This gives rise to the potential for real-time, reliable, inexpensive organic/inorganic hybrid explosives detection.

© 2011 Author(s). This article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
    1. Photophysical study of the conjugated polymer
    2. Fluorescence lifetime measurement with the CMOS micro-system
    3. Ex-situ sensing of explosives based on PL (as a reference) and lifetime
    4. Ultra-portable explosive sensing using the CMOS micro-system
  3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
  4. CONCLUSIONS

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

chemical sensors, CMOS integrated circuits, explosives, light emitting diodes, microsensors, organic-inorganic hybrid materials, photoluminescence, photon counting, polymer blends, portable instruments, time resolved spectra

PACS

  • 85.85.+j

    Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and devices

  • 78.47.jd

    Time resolved luminescence

  • 07.07.Df

    Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing

  • 07.10.Cm

    Micromechanical devices and systems

  • 85.60.Jb

    Light-emitting devices

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3624456

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

2158-3226 (online)

Publisher:

American Institute of Physics is a Member of CrossRef is a Member of CrossRef American Institute of Physics

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Figures (6) Tables (2)

Figures (click on thumbnails to view enlargements)

FIG.1
Experimental set-up configuration of (a) conventional TCSPC measurement; (b) CMOS micro-TCSPC system.

FIG.1 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.2
(a) Illustration of a fluorescence lifetime decay histogram; (b) Illustration of the two-gate rapid-lifetime determination technique, using two equal time gates.

FIG.2 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.3
A photo of the customized sensing box. Consisting of two ports for gas flow, two wires for connection to an external DC power supply and a USB connection, with the CMOS system sitting inside (Inset: Illustration of the experimental setup).

FIG.3 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.4
Absorption (dash line) and PL spectra (solid line) of a 250 nm thick film of CDTG copolymer.

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FIG.5
(a) Conventional TCSPC lifetime sensing with sensor #3 (i.e. thickness of 150 nm); (b) CMOS micro-system sensing results from the same sensor.

FIG.5 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.6
Real-time two gate RLD dynamics during (a) 15-minutes exposure, and (b) 15-minutes recovery, of sensor #3. The scatter points in the figures represent the RLD lifetime values every 15 seconds, the background individual bars represent the average lifetime value every 60 seconds with standard deviation error bars.

FIG.6 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

Tables

Table I. Comparison of the change in emission intensity (ΔPL) and lifetime measured with both the conventional TCSPC and the CMOS micro-system, before exposure (pre-exp) and after a 15-minute exposure to DNB (post-exp). Pre-exponential factor are shown in brackets. Also shown is the change of average lifetime in percentage (Δτavg). The film thicknesses of sample #1, #2 and #3 are 50 nm, 95 nm and 150 nm, respectively.

View Table
Table II. In-situ CMOS lifetime results both before exposure (pre-exp) and after a 15-minute exposure to 10 ppb DNB vapor (post-exp), and after a 15-minute recovery (post-rec), also shown the change of lifetime (Δτ) during the 15 minute periods.

View Table




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