Combined colorimetric and gravimetric CMUT sensor for detection of benzyl methyl ketone

The detection of benzyl methyl ketone (BMK) is of interest as it is a common precursor for the synthesis of (meth)amphetamine. Resonant gravimetric sensors can be used to detect the mass and hereby the concentration of a gas while colorimetric arrays typically have exceptional selectivities to a target analyte.

We present a sensor system consisting of a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) and a colorimetric array for detection of BMK. The CMUT is used as a resonant gravimetric gas sensor where the resonance frequency shift due to mass loading of the plate. A single local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) step was used to define the cavities which were sealed with a Si3N4 plate with a thickness of 100 nm, resulting in a resonance frequency of 38.8 MHz and a mass sensitivity of 28.3zgHz×μm2 or 8.5 × 103 cm2/g This sensitivity is, to our knowledge, the best reported as compared with the state of the art of CMUTs.

The CMUTs were functionalized with the same dyes used to fabricate the colorimetric arrays. While both the CMUT and the colorimetric array showed selectivity between BMK and acetone and water, the highest selectivity was achieved with the colorimetric array. Here the analyte BMK resulted in the only signal (color change), while acetone and water did not give any signal.

Furthermore, the mass of the BMK was found as a function of time. Thus, the combination of a colorimetric array and a CMUT resulted in a sensor system with a selectivity between BMK, acetone and water and in addition a quantitative value for the mass..