Methods and devices for detecting unsaturated compounds

Abstract

An insulated-gate field-effect transistor comprising a semiconductor substrate, a source region, a drain region, where the source region is spaced apart from the drain region to thereby form a channel, and both the source region and the drain region are located at or near one surface of the substrate, a gate insulator deposited over said channel, and a gate electrode, said gate electrode including a material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene, where the gate electrode covers the gate insulator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insulated-gate field-effect transistor comprising:
 (i) a semiconductor substrate;   (ii) a source region;   (iii) a drain region, where the source region is spaced apart from the drain region to thereby form a channel, and both the source region and the drain region are located at or near one surface of the substrate;   (iv) a gate insulator deposited over said channel; and   (v) a gate electrode, said gate electrode including a material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene, where the gate electrode covers the gate insulator.   
     
     
         2 . An insulated-gate field-effect transistor of  claim 1 , further comprising a conductive layer disposed between the gate insulator and the gate electrode. 
     
     
         3 . An insulated-gate field-effect transistor of  claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer. 
     
     
         4 . An insulated-gate field-effect transistor of  claim 1 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is a metal salt of nickel (II). 
     
     
         5 . An insulated-gate field-effect transistor of  claim 1 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is a metal salt of copper (I). 
     
     
         6 . An insulated-gate field-effect transistor of  claim 1 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is nickel (II) chloride. 
     
     
         7 . An insulated-gate field-effect transistor of  claim 1 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is copper (I) chloride. 
     
     
         8 . A method for fabricating an acetylene sensor, the method comprising:
 (i) providing an inert substrate;   (ii) placing at least a pair of electrodes onto the surface of said substrate;   (iii) providing a solution that includes a material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of the acetylene;   (iv) depositing the solution onto the substrate to at least partially cover said electrodes; and   (v) heating the substrate having the solution deposited thereon to thereby remove solvents associated with said solution.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is a metal salt of nickel (II). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is a metal salt of copper (I). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is nickel (II) chloride. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , where said material that demonstrates appreciable change in resistivity relative to the concentration of acetylene is copper (I) chloride. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , where said step of heating includes heating the substrate with the solution deposited thereon to a temperature of about 100° C. to about 150° C. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , where said solution includes water as a solvent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , where said solution includes acetonitrile as a solvent. 
     
     
         16 . A power transformer comprising an acetylene sensor, the acetylene sensor comprising a substrate, electrodes, and a sensor layer, where the electrical properties of the substrate do not change based upon any reaction or interaction with acetylene, and where the sensor layer includes a material that undergoes and appreciable change in resistivity based upon reaction or interaction with acetylene. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where said material that undergoes an appreciable change in resistivity based upon reaction or interaction with acetylene is a metal salt of nickel (II). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , where said material that undergoes an appreciable change in resistivity based upon reaction or interaction with acetylene is a metal salt of copper (I). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , where said material that undergoes an appreciable change in resistivity based upon reaction or interaction with acetylene is nickel (II) chloride. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , where said material that undergoes an appreciable change in resistivity based upon reaction or interaction with acetylene is copper (I) chloride. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , where the acetylene sensor is in contact with fluids contained within the power transformer.