Wireless Hydrogen Sensor Networks

Using GaN-Based Devices

Fan Ren1, Jenshan Lin2, Stephen Pearton3 , Hung-Ta
Wang1, Changzhi Li2, Zhen Ning Low2, Xiaogang Yu2,
Travis Anderson1, and Byoung Sam Kang1,
and John Painter4
1 University of Florida, Chemical Engineering
2 University of Florida, Electrical and Computer Engineering
3 University of Florida, Materials Science and Engineering
4 J Painter Consulting LLC, Deltona, FL 32738

NASA Funded Hydrogen Research at UF

$10M funding over 4 years
27 Projects
60 Faculty members, post-docs, and graduate
students combined
UF NASA Funded Hydrogen Research Web Site:
http://www.mae.ufl.edu/NasaHydrogenResearch

NASA Funded Hydrogen Research at UF

Research Thrust Areas
Fuel Cells (PEM and SOFC)
Hydrogen Production, Storage, and Transport
Nano Sensors - Hydrogen Leak Detection
Gas inlet

H2

Single Crystal Nanowires

Gas outlet
H2 Production

PEM FC micro grids

& Cooling Plate

Hydrogen-Selective Sensing
at Room Temperature with
ZnO Nanorods

Motivation
Application fields:
Fuel leak detection for
automobile, space shuttle,
and aircraft.
Fire detection (CO, CO2).
Emission, hydrocarbon,
and health monitor.
Environmental control.

Why AlGaN/GaN HEMT ?

GaN device technology is commercially available (blue LED)

Wide range band gap(6.2-3.4eV) for high temperature operation
Outstanding mechanical and electronic properties
Chemical inertness (only NaOH at 450oC), harsh environment
High electron mobility without impurity scattering- fast response excellent sensitivity-signal amplification
Different sensors can be integrated in a single chip

AlGaN

GaN

GaN Diode Fabrication

Ti/Al/Pt/Au

Pt

Ti/Au
SiNx

Al0.28Ga0.72N

GaN
50 m
Optical microscopic image

2DEG

Sapphire
Device Cross-section

Sensing Mechanism
H22H
Diffusion of H
Creation of a polarized
layer at the interface
Barrier-lowering
H2(gas) 2HS 2Hb 2Hi

H2
Hs

Hs

Hb

Hb

Pd, Pt
Hi

Hi

Semiconductor

Experimental Results
Current (mA)

20

Nitorgen

16

1% Hydrogen

12
8
4
0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0

Biased Voltage (V)

q B eV ; ? ? ~ -50 meV @ room T
JF = A T exp
exp
1
B
kT
nkT

**

GaN/AlGaN HEMT Sensor for Hydrogen

Ti/Al/Pt/Au

Ti/Au

Pt

AlGaN

GaN
Sapphire

Source
Gate

Drain
Source

Hardware Design
AC Wall Transformer Battery/Energy Harvest

Regulator

Microcontroller

R0

1M

2M

Vout

Sensor

Cell Phone

Regulator

Battery Backup Control

Reference

Internet

R0

ZigBee
1M

2M

Transceiver

Internet Server
Wireless Network Server

State flow diagram of level monitoring

Initialization
SLEEP

Timer set?
NO

YES
Collect Data
NO
Analyze Data

Threshold
Detected?
Monitor
Tx data

YES
Transmit Pulse

Monitor Monitor Monitor

Tx data Tx data Tx data

Power Up

Power Down
Warm up: 30 seconds

5s

1s

5s

1s

5s

1s

5s

1s

Robust Detection of Hydrogen Using

AlGaN/GaN HEMT Sensing Diodes

Sensor 1 Above Car Bay

Sensors 4 And 6 Above Bus Bay

Field Test

Practical Problem-False Alarm

Room temperature

20

50 C

Current (mA)

Nitrogen
16

1% Hydrogen

12
8
4
0
0.0

0.5 1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5 3.0

Biased Voltage (V)

1. Thermal effect on semiconductor and Schottky contact.
2. Voltage drift

Differential Diodes

Optical microscopic image

Robust Detection of Hydrogen Using

Differential AlGaN/GaN Sensing Diodes

Wireless Monitoring of Hydrogen Detection

http://ren.che.ufl.edu/app/default.aspx

Wireless Sensor Module

Client can
deactivate alarm

Wireless pH Remote version 1.1

Sensor

Power
Management

Battery

Features
Reconfigurable over-the-air
Ultra-low-power
2.4Ghz wireless
Rechargeable battery
Different sensors can be implemented with
minimal design changes

MSP430F2013

Nordic
2.4Ghz Transceiver

Conclusions
n

n
n

n
n

GaN-based sensors demonstrate rapid response (<1s) and

reversibility
Differential sensor devices eliminate sensitivity to
temperature and voltage drifts
TiB2 can be used in ohmic contacts to improve reliability
These sensors have been implemented in a wireless
detection circuit
Field testing is underway at Greenway Ford, Orlando, FL
We are seeking investors for a startup company