On the Gas Sensing Properties of Microwave Transducers

In this work it is reported about the development and characterization of a microwave interdigital capacitor (IDC). The IDC structure was realized in microstrip line technology and its surface was functionalized by screen printing a titanium-dioxide (TiO
₂
) layer on the electrodes and the sensing properties towards O
₂
have been evaluated. Electrical characterization was carried out in a frequency range spanning from 1.5 GHz to 3.5 GHz. The sensor response was evaluated at different binary gas mixtures O
₂
/N
₂
by means of an Agilent 8753ES Vector Network Analyzer (VNA).