# US 10,481,118 B2 · Hydrogen sensor and method for manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 10,481,118 B2
- Document ID: US10481118B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/402,550
- Filed: 2017-01-10
- Published: 2017-08-24
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-02-23
- Assignees: Shin Sung C&T Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Shin Sung C&T Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Woo Young Lee; Ji Sun Baek; Byung Jin Jang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481118B2

## CPC

- G01N 27/125: {Composition of the body, e.g. the composition of its sensitive layer}
- G01N 27/127: {comprising nanoparticles}
- G01N 27/129: {Diode type sensors, e.g. gas sensitive Schottky diodes (capacitor type sensors G01N27/227; field-effect transistor type sensors G01N27/414)}
- G01N 33/005: {H2}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

Disclosed are a hydrogen sensor which includes a P-type silicon nanowire array and a hydrogenation catalyst formed on a surface of the nanowire array, and a method of manufacturing the same.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hydrogen sensor comprising electrodes and a sensing part positioned between the electrodes, wherein electrical resistance of the sensing part changes with changes in hole concentration, wherein the sensing part comprises:
a P-type silicon nanowire array comprising a plurality of P-type silicon nanowires; and
a hydrogenation catalyst formed directly on the entire surface of the P-type silicon nanowires to form a core-shell structure and having a thickness of 1 nm to 20 nm,
wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is configured to be reduced into a metal hydride (MHx) to form a Schottky contact between the P-type silicon nanowires and the hydrogenation catalyst, and to form a work function of the metal hydride a negative number when exposed to hydrogen such that holes inside the plurality of P-type silicon nanowires are neutralized, and
wherein a Schottky barrier is formed by a difference between the work function of the metal hydride and the work function of the P-type silicon nanowires, and decreases a current.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hydrogen sensor of claim 1, wherein the nanowire array is doped with a Group III element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The hydrogen sensor of claim 2, wherein a doping amount of the Group III element is 1011 atoms/cm3 to 1020 atoms/cm3.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The hydrogen sensor of claim 1, wherein a specific resistance value of the nanowire array is 0.001 Ωcm to 10,000 Ωcm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The hydrogen sensor of claim 1, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst includes one or more metals selected from a group consisting of palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rd), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), magnesium (Mg) and vanadium (V).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The hydrogen sensor of claim 1, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst has a thickness of 1 nm to 10 nm.

### Claim 7

A method for manufacturing a hydrogen sensor, the method comprising:
obtaining a sensing part by:
(a) forming a P-type silicon nanowire array comprising a plurality of P-type silicon nanowires by etching a P-type silicon wafer; and
(b) depositing a hydrogenation catalyst directly on the entire surface of the P-type silicon nanowires to form a core-shell structure having a thickness of 1 nm to 20 nm,
wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is configured to be reduced into a metal hydride (MHx) to form a Schottky contact between the P-type silicon nanowires and the hydrogenation catalyst, and to form a work function of the metal hydride a negative number when exposed to hydrogen such that holes inside the plurality of P-type silicon nanowires are neutralized, and
wherein a Schottky barrier is formed by a difference between the work function of the metal hydride and the work function of P-type silicon nanowires, and decreases a current, and
wherein electrical resistance of the sensing part changes with changes in hole concentration; and
positioning the sensing part between electrodes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein, in the operation (a), the etching is performed using a silver nitrate (AgNO3) and hydrofluoric acid containing solution which includes 0.25 g to 1 g of silver nitrate per 100 ml of the hydrofluoric acid containing solution.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein, in the operation (a), the etching is performed at 50° C. to 70° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst has a thickness of 1 nm to 10 nm.