Integrated taste sensor using a semiconductor ion sensor

Abstract

A monolithically integrated taste sensor was constructed using a surface photovoltage(SPV) technique. The contactless approach of the SPV method provides a simple electrode structure with patterning flexibility. Polyvinylbutyral membrane was successfully used to immobilize artifitial lipid membranes as an ion sensitive material. For the sensitivity enhancement, an impedance measurement method combined with a new differential measurement method was proposed and the system was applied to discriminate the quality of sweet substances.
It was finally demonstrated by the preliminary experiment that different kinds of commertial sugars and wines were distinguishable.