SEMICONDUCTOR METAL OXIDE BASED GAS SENSOR ACTIVATED AT ZERO HEATER POWER

• Main Authors: SHANKAR, Ravi, LEE, Wei Ren Douglas, BRUNO, Giuseppe
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.07.2023
• Subjects: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TESTING

A gas sensor is formed by a thin-film semiconductor metal-oxide gas sensing layer, with a thermally conductive and electrically-insulating layer in direct physical contact with a back of the gas sensing layer to carry the gas sensing layer. Sensing circuitry applies a voltage to the gas sensing layer and measures a current flowing through the gas sensing layer. The current flowing through the gas sensing layer is indicative of whether a gas under detection has been detected by the gas sensing layer, and serves to self-heat the gas sensing layer. A support structure extends from a substrate to make direct physical contact with and carry the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer about a perimeter of a back face thereof, with the support structure shaped to form an air gap between the back of the thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer and a front of the substrate.