Replacing a Solid Dielectric Substrate with a Polymer Substrate in the Construction of a Mercury-sensitive Sensor

This work was supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia. Grant number FR-24-4324.

The paper presents studies related to the creation of a mercury-sensitive sensor. The possibility of increasing the time and temperature stability of the sensor developed by the authors through technological and constructive refinement is given. In particular, increasing the adhesion between the sensitive layer and the substrate by replacing the solid substrate with a polymer one. Technologically, the sensor layer is not deposited on the substrate, but on the contrary, a polyimide substrate is formed on the sensor layer. Technological processes were carried out and the resulting structures were investigated. According to the initial results, the adhesion strength of the mercury-sensitive gold thin layer to the polymer substrate increased by approximately one order of magnitude compared to the adhesion strength of the same layer to a solid dielectric layer. This gives us reason to assume that a sensor made with this design and technology will be stable and durable over time and against thermal loads.