Numerical Analysis of the Steady State in SAW Sensor Structures with Selected Polymers for Detection of DMMP and CO

The chapter presents the results of the numerical investigation of the SAW gas detector structures with selected polymer layers in steady-state conditions. The effect of SAW velocity changes vs. the surface electrical conductivity of the detector structures is predicted on the base of acoustoelectric elemental theory. The electrical surface conductivity of the rough polymer sensing layer placed above the piezoelectric waveguide depends on the profile of the diffused gas molecule concentration inside the whole detector structure. Numerical results in the steady state conditions for the gas molecules DMMP and polymer layer of (RR)-P3HT have been shown as well as for carbon oxide molecules with thin polyaniline and polypyrrole layer. The main aim of the investigations was to study a thin film’s interaction with targeted gases in the SAW detector configuration based on diffusion equations for polymers. Numerical results for profile concentration in steady state conditions for gas molecules concentration, film thickness, roughness, and interaction temperature have been shown. The results of numerical analyzes allow for selecting better detector design conditions, including the morphology of the detector layer, its thickness, operating temperature, and layer type. The numerical results, based on the code written in Python, were shown.