Integrated virtual impactor enabled PM_2.5 sensor

Abstract

As more and more proofs show that fine particles (diameter of 2.5μm and below) pose more risk on human health than coarse particles, an increasing need for monitoring fine particles has emerged. A miniaturized sensor designed for measuring fine particle concentration is presented in this paper. The proposed sensor possesses a compact size of only 15 mm × 10mm × 1mm. A virtual impactor has been integrated as a particle size selector and the design is optimized by simulation-assisted analysis. The sensor is realized by silicon microfabrication and wafer-level packaging. Testing results show that a high measurement accuracy of 2.55 μg/m³ has been achieved.