Gas sensing using local probes, such as atomic force and scanning tunneling
microscopes, enables accurate measurement and detection of very small quan
tities of gas molecules and chemicals. Here, we report a unique application
of the evanescent microwave probes (EMP) in detecting hydrogen. The EMP is
extensively used to map resistivity and other nonuniformities in a variety
of materials including metals, insulators, semiconductors (both organic an
d inorganic), composites, and biological specimens. The EMP detects the mic
rowave resistivity of the sample and it has an exponential sensitivity to d
istance and thickness variations. Here, the EMP is used to detect deflectio
ns in a Pd-coated cantilever and to quantify the amount of stress and the r
esistivity change in the Pd film as a function of hydrogen concentration. T
he stress was in the range of 5.26-8.59x10(7) Pa for H-2 concentrations of
0.5%-1.4% at room temperature, which is about three times larger than that
found in the bulk Pd for the same range of H-2 concentrations. The Pd film'
s resistivity changed by 13.5% at 3.0% H-2 concentration and it resulted in
an 18% change in the EMP signal. The EMP with an appropriate frequency can
also be used to resonantly detect various physi-absorbed molecules at the
surface of an appropriate material as well. We discuss these possibilities
along with some specific experimental data. (C) 1999 American Institute of
Physics. [S0034-6748(99)04809-1].