A gas sensitive field effect transistor comprises a semiconductor substrate that includes a capacitance well, and source and drain regions of a field effect transistor. A gate of the field effect transistor is separated from the semiconductor substrate by an insulator, and a gas sensitive layer separated from the gate by an air gap. The field effect transistor provides an output signal indicative of the presence of a target gas within the air gap to an amplifier, which provides an amplified output signal that is electrically coupled to the capacitance well.