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US 12,392,744 B2Granted
Sensor for measuring a gas property
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsJulia Isabel Perez Barraza, Matthias Eberl, Francesco Solazzi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
It is proposed a sensor for measuring a gas property, wherein the sensor comprises a semiconductor die, wherein the semiconductor die comprises a reference cavity and a measuring cavity, wherein a reference sensor element is arranged in the reference cavity, wherein a measuring sensor element is arranged in the measuring cavity, wherein the reference cavity is sealed from ambient gas, wherein the measuring cavity is fluidly connected to ambient gas. Further it is proposed a method for manufacturing such a sensor.
Claims22
A sensor for measuring a gas property, the sensor comprising:
- a semiconductor die that defines a reference cavity and a measuring cavity,
- wherein the reference cavity is sealed from an ambient gas,
- wherein the measuring cavity is fluidly connected to the ambient gas, and
- wherein the semiconductor die includes:
- a plurality of reference sensor elements arranged in the reference cavity;
- and
- a plurality of measuring sensor elements arranged in the measuring cavity,
- wherein the plurality of reference sensor elements and the plurality of measuring sensor elements are conductive regions formed within the semiconductor die,
- wherein the plurality of reference sensor elements include a first reference sensor element and one or more second reference sensor elements, and
- wherein the plurality of measuring sensor elements include a first measuring sensor element and one or more second measuring sensor elements;
- a first catalytic layer arranged on the first reference sensor element and configured to react with gas molecules of a gas to induce a modification of one or more electrical properties of the first reference sensor element;
- and
- a second catalytic layer arranged on the first measuring sensor element and configured to react with the gas molecules of the gas to induce a modification of one or more electrical properties of the first measuring sensor element,
- wherein the first reference sensor element and the first measuring sensor element are configured to measure a gas concentration of the gas based on catalytic combustion of the first catalytic layer and the second catalytic layer, respectively,
- wherein the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements are configured to measure the gas concentration of the gas based on a thermal conductivity of the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements being modified by an interaction with the gas molecules of the gas,
- wherein the first reference sensor element and the first measuring sensor element are electrically connected to form a half bridge circuit, the half bridge circuit configured to provide a first readout signal representative of the gas concentration of the gas, and
- wherein the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements are electrically connected to form a bridge circuit, the bridge circuit configured to provide a second readout signal representative of the gas concentration of the gas.
14 more elements
A sensor for measuring a gas property, the sensor comprising:
- a semiconductor die that defines a reference cavity and a measuring cavity,
- wherein the reference cavity is sealed from an ambient gas,
- wherein the measuring cavity is fluidly connected to the ambient gas,
- wherein the semiconductor die includes:
- a plurality of reference sensor elements arranged in the reference cavity;
- and
- a plurality of measuring sensor elements arranged in the measuring cavity,
- wherein the plurality of reference sensor elements and the plurality of measuring sensor elements are conductive regions formed from semiconductor material within the semiconductor die,
- wherein the plurality of reference sensor elements include a first reference sensor element and one or more second reference sensor elements,
- wherein the plurality of measuring sensor elements include a first measuring sensor element and one or more second measuring sensor elements,
- wherein the first reference sensor element and the first measuring sensor element are configured to utilize catalytic combustion to sense gas molecules of the gas,
- wherein the first reference sensor element and the first measuring sensor element have one or more electrical properties that are modified based on the catalytic combustion caused by an interaction with the gas molecules of the gas,
- wherein the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements are configured to utilize thermal conductivity to sense the gas molecules of the gas,
- wherein the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements have a thermal conductivity property that is modified based on an interaction with the gas molecules of the gas,
- wherein the first reference sensor element and the first measuring sensor element are electrically connected to form a half bridge circuit, the half bridge circuit configured to provide a first readout signal representative of a gas concentration of the gas, and
- wherein the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements are electrically connected to form a bridge circuit, the bridge circuit configured to provide a second readout signal representative of the gas concentration of the gas.
13 more elements
A sensor for measuring a gas property, the sensor comprising:
- a semiconductor die that defines a reference cavity and a measuring cavity,
- wherein the reference cavity is sealed from an ambient gas,
- wherein the measuring cavity is fluidly connected to the ambient gas,
- wherein the semiconductor die includes:
- a plurality of reference sensor elements arranged in the reference cavity;
- and
- a plurality of measuring sensor elements arranged in the measuring cavity,
- wherein the plurality of reference sensor elements and the plurality of measuring sensor elements are conductive regions formed from semiconductor material within the semiconductor die,
- wherein the plurality of reference sensor elements include a first reference sensor element and one or more second reference sensor elements,
- wherein the plurality of measuring sensor elements include a first measuring sensor element and one or more second measuring sensor elements,
- wherein the first reference sensor element and the first measuring sensor element are configured to utilize catalytic combustion to sense gas molecules of the gas,
- wherein the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements are configured to utilize thermal conductivity to sense the gas molecules of the gas,
- wherein the first reference sensor element and the first measuring sensor element are electrically connected to form a half bridge circuit, the half bridge circuit configured to provide a first readout signal representative of a gas concentration of the gas, and
- wherein the one or more second reference sensor elements and the one or more second measuring sensor elements are electrically connected to form a bridge circuit, the bridge circuit configured to provide a second readout signal representative of the gas concentration of the gas.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.