Ultra-low power digital chemical analyzers

A zero-power digital chemical analyzer, comprising:

• a power supply;
• a detection circuit;
• and
• a chemically-selective percolation switch electrically connected between the power supply and the detection circuit, wherein the chemically-selective percolation switch is configured to switch the detection circuit to an on state when the chemically-selective percolation switch is exposed to a threshold concentration of a target chemical compound, and wherein the chemically-selective percolation switch comprises:
• a positive electrode;
• a negative electrode separated from the positive electrode by a horizontal switch gap;
• a plurality of electrically conductive horizontal parallel plates formed in the switch gap, wherein at least some of the horizontal parallel plates vertically overlap at least some other horizontal parallel plates to form vertical structure gaps;
• and
• a binding agent located at a plurality of binding sites in the switch gap, wherein the binding agent is selective for binding to the target chemical compound, wherein the binding sites are on horizontal surfaces of the horizontal parallel plates, wherein the binding sites are distributed in the switch gap such that the binding sites are capable of binding molecules of the target chemical compound to form an electrically conductive pathway via percolation between the positive electrode and the negative electrode when the chemically-selective percolation switch is exposed to the threshold concentration of the target chemical compound.

A digital chemical analyzer, comprising:

• a power supply;
• a first chemically-selective percolation switch tuned to conduct electric current from the power supply when exposed to a first threshold concentration of a target chemical compound;
• and
• a second chemically-selective percolation switch tuned to conduct electric current when exposed to a second threshold concentration of the target chemical compound, wherein the second threshold concentration is greater than the first threshold concentration;
• wherein the first and second chemically-selective percolation switches each comprise:
• a positive electrode;
• a negative electrode separated from the positive electrode by a horizontal switch gap;
• a plurality of electrically conductive horizontal parallel plates formed in the switch gap, wherein at least some of the horizontal parallel plates vertically overlap at least some other horizontal parallel plates to form vertical structure gaps;
• and
• a binding agent located at a plurality of binding sites in the switch gap, wherein the binding agent is selective for binding to the target chemical compound, wherein the binding sites are on horizontal surfaces of the horizontal parallel plates, wherein the binding sites are distributed in the switch gap such that the binding sites are capable of binding molecules of the target chemical compound to form an electrically conductive pathway via percolation between the positive electrode and the negative electrode when the chemically-selective percolation switch is exposed to the threshold concentration of the target chemical compound.