Silicon Planar Microcalorimeter Employing Nanostructured Films

This paper reports upon the combination of a silicon micromachined micro-hotplate with a nanostructured catalytic thin film in order to create a novel, low-power, microcalorimetric gas sensor. Full 3-D numerical simulations of the micro-hotplate have been carried out and agree well with both its observed temperature distribution and operating temperature of 500°C at a power consumption of 106 mW. Our experimental work on microcalorimeters with electrodeposited nanoporous catalytic films suggests that they offer several advantages over classical pellistor devices, such as lower power consumption and better reproducibility.