Patent ID: 8136385

Claim:
A chemical sensor system comprising: a first cantilevered probe comprising: a piezoelectric layer; a treated section selected to react with a chemical species; a resistive heater thermally couplable to the treated section; and first and second electrodes electrically coupled to the piezoelectric layer; a driver circuit electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes and configured to actuate the cantilevered probe; a sensing circuit electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes and configured to sense oscillation of the cantilevered probe; a heater circuit electrically coupled to the resistive heater; and a plurality of additional cantilevered probes arranged in an array together with the first cantilevered probe, each of the plurality of additional cantilevered probes comprising: a piezoelectric layer; and first and second electrodes electrically coupled to the piezoelectric layer; wherein the first cantilevered probe is actuated when, through the first and second electrodes, a drive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric layer by the driver circuit, the actuated cantilevered probe generating a displacement signal transmitted to the sensing circuit, and wherein the piezoelectric layers of each of the cantilevered probes of the array are connected in series.