Micronas develops CMOS based gas sensor

Switzerland based Micronas has developed gas sensor microchip fabricated using CMOS semiconductor fabrication technology. Claiming this as a breakthrough in gas sensing technology Micronas calls it, mySENS technlogy.

"Leveraging its extensive experience in Hall-effect sensors, Micronas is in an ideal position to use existing know-how for developing new sensor technologies for a broad range of markets and applications," says Peter Zimmermann, Director Marketing at Micronas. "With the mySENS technology we are expanding our sensor expertise towards the field of gas sensing to target industrial as well as automotive applications."

This sensor technology allows integrating sensing elements with standard electronic devices such as analog circuits, logic/processor circuits, and memory inside a single semiconductor device leading to both system and sensor inside one chip.

Micronas says, mySENS technology provides a unique platform for solid-state gas sensors enabling adaptation towards different target gases. Small system size in proven and cost-efficient standard semiconductor mass-manufacturing technology leads to lower system cost through the integration of external components.

With small size and low power advantages, these kind of complete sensor + system on chip solution targets wide range of applications including building technology, automotive, industrial, environment monitoring and healthcare.

With prototype already tested by few early customers, the first gas sensor product version is expected to be available within 2009 and the production volumes slated for second half of 2010.