NET4Air’ School on Environmental Sensors

Net4Air’ School on Environmental Sensors took place on October 14, 2023 as an extension of the CAS International Semiconductor Conference, IEEE event. At it, 32 participants learned how sensor technology can help improve our awareness of environmental pollutants. The school was held in a hybrid format, with interested parties having the opportunity to attend the presentations online.

The school agenda was as follows:

TimeTopicPresenter
09:30 – 10:30Overview on air sensor concept and developmentCarmen Moldovan
10:30 – 11:00Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00Materials for gas sensorsMaria Losurdo
12:00 – 13:00Fabrication and development of environmental sensorsMircea Modreanu
Carmen Moldovan
13:00 – 14:00Lunch
14:00 – 15:00Industrial applications of environmental sensorsCornel Cobianu
15:00 – 16:00Screen printing technology for environmental sensorsMarin Gheorghe

Dr. Carmen Moldovan is the Director of the Research Center for Integration of Technologies and Head of Laboratory of Microsystems for Biomedical applications within IMT-Bucharest. Her research activity is focused on development of chemosensors and biosensors, implantable micro-nanoelectrodes nanowire transistors, M(N)EMS, BioMEMS, microfluidic platforms, and energy harvesters for self-autonomous systems and Platforms.

Her talk focused on the current need in society for environmental sensors, and how their development and improvement will influence the market and society in the near future. Moreover, she highlighted the activity of the NET4Air project in the framework of European development and its demands on economic development and sustainability.

Dr. Maria Losurdo is the Director of CNR-ICMATE, with more than 25 years of experience in scientific research, research management and higher education to the role. Her research work covers alternative materials for plasmonics, creating the concept of “broadband active tunable phase change plasmonics”.

Her presentations focused on the wide range of materials employed for environmental monitoring and the constraints for their use. Moreover, she advised on the best way to perform material selection and introduced the latest work at ICMATE using the presented materials.

Dr. Mircea Modreanu is a Principal investigator at Tyndall National Institute-University College Cork. His research interest cover nanomaterials development for micro-nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, and RF/microwave/ millimeter-wave/ systems for targeted wireless/energy-harvesting application.

His presentation together with Dr. Moldovan highlighted the current fabrication processes involved in the development of new gas sensors and offered information on how best to select one of the technological processes for one’s sensing needs. Moreover, in this presentation the need for more projects to shift from conceptualization (TRL 1-3) to commercialization (TRL 8-9) was highlighted, with participants being encouraged to shift to the more intermediary technology readiness levels (TRLs).

Dr. Cornel Cobianu has a broad expertise in microelectronic technologies, especially on gas sensors and thin films deposition processes. His experience covers both industry (Honeywell Romania) and R&D (IMT-Bucharest), as well as a long teaching practice (Valahia University).

His presentation highlighted the historical development of sensors in industry and the requirements for translating a sensors from research to an industrial framework.

Dr. Marin Gheorghe has an experience of over 35 years in the field of microelectronic engineering (thick and thin layer technology), solar cells, materials for electronic use, sensors, MEMS devices and BioMEMS and microfluidics.

This final presentation covered the advantages of the use of screen printing technology for environmental sensing, sharing some of his expertise in what problems can arise and how to deal with them.

In person participants to the school have received a certificate to confirm their training in the use of nanotechnology for environmental sensing.


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