Films of dithiolene complexes in gas-detecting microsensors

Claim 2

A chemical microsensor for detection of gases and vapors, comprising: a. an insulating substrate; b. a film comprising a dithiolene complex of a transition metal covering the substrate wherein a measurable physical property of the film changes upon exposure to gases and vapors; c. a sensing element to detect any change in physical properties of the film.

Claim 3

A chemical microsensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the film comprises a bis(dithiolene) complex of the following formula: ##STR6## wherein M is a divalent metal and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl.

Claim 4

A chemical microsensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the film comprises a tris(dithiolene) complex of a transition metal of the following formula: ##STR7## wherein M is a trivalent metal and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl.

Claim 5

A chemical microsensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the film comprises a polymer with the repeating unit of the formula: ##STR8## wherein M is a divalent metal and n is an integer greater than one.

Claim 6

A chemical microsensor comprising a. a substrate of insulating material; b. a conductive material microfabricated in a pattern on the substrate; and c. a film covering the substrate and the conductive material wherein the electrical conductivity of the film changes upon exposure to gases and vapors and wherein the film is a bis(dithiolene) complex of a transition metal of the following formula: ##STR9## wherein M is a divalent metal and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl; d. a sensing element to detect any change in electrical conductivity.

Claim 7

A chemical microsensor comprising a. a substrate of insulating material; b. a conductive material microfabricated in a pattern on the substrate; and c. a film covering the substrate and the conductive material wherein the electrical conductivity of the film changes upon exposure to gases and vapors and wherein the film is a bis(dithiolene) complex of a transition metal of the following formula: ##STR9## wherein M is a divalent metal and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl; d. a sensing element to detect any change in electrical conductivity.

Claim 8

A chemiresistor for detection of gases and vapors chosen from the group consisting of water, ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, dimethylmethylphosphonate, diethylsulfide, hydrazine and substituted hydrazine compounds in which the electrical conductivity changes upon exposure to the gases and vapors, comprising: a. a substrate of insulating material; b. a conductive material microfabricated in a pattern on the substrate; and c. a film covering the conductive material wherein the electrical conductivity of the film changes upon exposure to gases and vapors and wherein the film comprises a bis(dithiolene) complex of a transition metal of the following formula: ##STR10## wherein M is a divalent metal and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl; d. a sensing element to detect any change in electrical conductivity.

Claim 9

A chemiresistor for detection of gases and vapors chosen from the group consisting of water, ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, dimethylmethylphosphonate, diethylsulfide, hydrazine and substituted hydrazine compounds in which the electrical conductivity changes upon exposure to the gases and vapors, comprising: a. a substrate of insulating material; b. a conductive material microfabricated in a pattern on the substrate; and c. a film covering the conductive material wherein the electrical conductivity of the film changes upon exposure to gases and vapors and wherein the film comprises a bis(dithiolene) complex of a transition metal of the following formula: ##STR10## wherein M is a divalent metal and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl; d. a sensing element to detect any change in electrical conductivity.

Claim 10

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 6 wherein the film is 0.5 to 5 micron thick.

Claim 11

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 6 wherein the divalent metal is chosen from the group consisting of nickel, palladium, and platinum.

Claim 12

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 8 wherein R 1 -R 4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl with 20 carbons atoms or less, an aryl, or an aryl, substituted with an alkyl, an alkoxy or a tertiary amino group.

Claim 13

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 9 wherein the film comprises bis(diethylaminodithiobenzil)nickel of the following formula: ##STR11##

Claim 14

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 10 wherein the film is a film in the range of three to thirty-three layers.

Claim 15

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 11 wherein the film is a film of five layers.

Claim 16

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 12 wherein the substrate is quartz.

Claim 17

A chemiresistor as recited in claim 13 wherein the conductive material comprises at least one pair of gold interdigitated electrodes.

Claim 18

A surface acoustic wave device for detection of gases and vapors, comprising: a. a substrate; b. a film covering the substrate wherein the mass and/or electrical conductivity of the film changes upon exposure to gases and vapors resulting in a detectable change in frequency and wherein the film is a bis(dithiolene) complex of a transition metal of the following formula: ##STR12## wherein M is a divalent metal and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl. d. a sensing element to detect any change in electrical conductivity and mass.

Claim 19

A surface acoustic wave device for detection of gases and vapors, comprising: a. a substrate; b. a film covering the substrate wherein the mass and/or electrical conductivity of the film changes upon exposure to gases and vapors resulting in a detectable change in frequency and wherein the film is a bis(dithiolene) complex of a transition metal of the following formula: ##STR12## wherein M is a divalent metal and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, a substituted alkyl and a substituted aryl. d. a sensing element to detect any change in electrical conductivity and mass.