Additively Manufactured Detection Module with Integrated Tuning Fork for Enhanced Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy
Authors
Roberto Viola, Nicola Liberatore, Sandro Mengali
Abstract
Starting from Quartz-Enhanced Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy (QEPAS), we have explored the potential of a tightly linked method of gas/vapor sensing, from now on referred to as TuningFork-Enhanced Photo Acoustic Spectroscopy (TFEPAS). TFEPAS utilizes a non-piezoelectric metal or dielectric tuning fork to transduce the photoacoustic excitation and an optical interferometric readout to measure the amplitude of the tuning fork vibration. In particular, we have devised a solution based on Additive Manufacturing (AM) for the Absorption Detection Module (ADM). The novelty of our solution is that the ADM is entirely built monolithically by Micro-Metal Laser Sintering (MMLS) or other AM techniques to achieve easier and more cost-effective customization, extreme miniaturization of internal volumes, automatic alignment of the tuning fork with the acoustic micro-resonators, and operation at high temperature. This paper reports on preliminary experimental results achieved with ammonia at parts-per-million concentration in nitrogen to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution. Prospectively, the proposed TFEPAS solution appears particularly suited for hyphenation to micro-Gas Chromatography and for the analysis of complex solid and liquid traces samples, including compounds with low volatility such as illicit drugs, explosives, and persistent chemical warfare agents.
Viola, R.; Liberatore, N.; Mengali, S. Additively Manufactured Detection Module with Integrated Tuning Fork for Enhanced Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy. Sensors 2022, 22, 7193. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22197193
