Chemical microsensors based on ion sensitive glassy membranes. Thick a
nd thin films of chalcogenide glasses can be used to build up sensitiv
e microsystems able to detect ionic species (Hg2+, Cu2+) in aqueous so
lution. Characteristics of sensing systems based on thick or thin film
s elaborated by the fast quenching method or by vacuum evaporation are
presented. Regarding the detection of Hg2+ ion, the microsensor exhib
its a very low limit of detection close to 10(-8) mol/l. A quasi-Nerns
tian behaviour over six orders of magnitude and a very good stability
are observed on the Cu2+ ion sensing system.