A Design to Investigate the Influence of Light on the Sensitivity of Capacitive Gas Sensors

Bachelor Thesis (2025)
Author(s)

D.J.J. Borggreven (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

A.M.A. Feenstra (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

A.J. de Jong (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

J.C. Wooning (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

Contributor(s)

Mohamed A. Basyooni-M.Kabatas – Mentor (TU Delft - Dynamics of Micro and Nano Systems)

Tao Shen – Mentor (TU Delft - Bio-Electronics)

Murali Krishna Krishna Ghatkesar – Mentor (TU Delft - Micro and Nano Engineering)

Peter Steeneken – Mentor (TU Delft - Precision and Microsystems Engineering)

Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
More Info
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Graduation Date
07-07-2025
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
['Mechanical Engineering']
Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

Early detection of plant diseases is crucial to minimize crop losses and reduce the usage of pesticides. Electronic Nose (E-Nose) detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by stressed or diseased plants, and one such device is a pixelated capacitive sensor (PCS). We designed and built a setup to investigate the influence of light (wavelength and intensity) on the sensitivity of a functionalized PCS for VOCs detection. Our test results indicate that UV illumination, particularly at 375 nm, enhances the sensitivity of the PCS, with a 3-fold enhancement compared to dark conditions. The sensor showed fast saturation (<1 min) and recovery (<2 min) times, confirming the effectiveness of the chamber design for repeatable gas exposure.

Files

BEP_Paper_PME_A06_1_.pdf
(pdf | 3.84 Mb)
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