Resonant Chemical Sensor Performance Enhancement through 3D Printed Scaffolds

A silicon micromachined gravimetric chemical sensor which is modified with a high surface area 3D-printed polymer coating is presented. The 3D-printed polymer improves both sensor sensitivity and response time compared to spray coated polymers [1]. The sensing film was printed directly on the surface of the hammerhead using three-dimensional (3D) lithography. This demonstrates the ability to generate intricate 3D patterns with exceptional precision within a photoresist devoid of solvents using a UV light-sensitive polymer. Overall, this process leads to an improvement in sensitivity by a factor of 2.5 compared to sensors with spray-coated polymers.