Sensitivity of a platinum-polyyne-based sensor to low relative humidity and chemical vapors

The sensitivity to relative humidity (RH) variations in the range 0%-90% of a platinum polyyne, namely poly-[1,4-dihexadecyloxy-2,5-diethynylbenzene-bis(triphenylphosphine) platinum(II)] (Pt-P-HDOB) membrane was investigated by means of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) based sensor. A thin film of polymeric membrane was spin deposited on the free surface of the device and the resulting acoustic velocity and attenuation perturbations allowed the acoustic characterization of the membrane by means of the perturbation theory. The SAW sensor was able to reveal even very low (<10% RH) humidity conditions at room temperature, with high reproducibility, repeatability and stability. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.