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Abstract:
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Since the late 1990s our group has been working with groups in chemistry department at the University of Texas at Austin on a project referred as "Electronic Taste Chip ," a MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS ) based miniaturized microfluidic chemical sensor with multianalyte detection capabilities . By integrating optical detection mechanism directly onto the silicon chip a cost effective , compact , and portable sensor can be realized enabling use of these chips out of conventional laboratory environment . Addition to the integration a noble approach of accessing a photodiode with non -contact powerless RFID type readout is presented . By doing so a packaged photodiode can be interrogated without direct electrical contact , enhancing the portability even further for a sensor operated in aqueous medium . First background information regarding the project as well as design and integration criteria is presented followed by demonstration of non -contact RFID -type readout of a photodiode . Detailed discussion on the development of process integration scheme is discussed along with the measurements verifying the performance of the fabricated photodiode . During this investigation normally overlooked design criteria of collection efficiency , the effect of how a target element is to be delivered to a detection mechanism on the overall performance of the sensor , is addressed and discussed . |