US Patent 7776269 - Capacitive nanoelectrode sensor

http://ip.com/patent/US7776269

Carbon nanotubes have been used to construct chemiresistors which detect chemical species based on changes in resistance. However, sensing resistance of nanotube arrays is subject to noise, slow recovery and contact effects. This patent from U.S. Naval Research teaches the alternative of a capacitive chemical nanotube sensor to avoid these problems. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensing device comprising:

a bottom electrode;

a dielectric layer on the bottom electrode;

a grid of nanoelectrodes on and parallel to the dielectric layer; a top electrode in electrical contact with the grid; and

a capacitance meter electrically connected to the top electrode and the bottom electrode.