US 2013/0255352 A1Published application

Method for manufacturing sensor element for use in gas sensor, inspecting electrical characteristics of sensor element, and pre-treating sensor element

AssigneeNGK Insulators, Ltd.

InventorsShinji OHTSUBO, Tetsuya ISHIKAWA

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Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing a sensor element, by which stabilization of an electrode, which is performed prior to inspecting element characteristics, can be performed for a shorter time period and in a more reliable manner than in the conventional. The sensor element includes: an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer; a first electrode that is formed on a surface of the oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer; and a second electrode that is formed in a space provided inside the oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer, and that is configured to reduce said predetermined gas component. As the pre-treatment, by an external power source. a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, to thereby decompose and remove a gas component attached to the second electrode.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing a sensor element for use in a gas sensor that measures a concentration of a predetermined gas component in a measurement gas, said sensor element comprising an electrochemical pumping cell including:

an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer;
a first electrode that is formed on a surface of said oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer;
and
a second electrode that is formed in a space provided inside said oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer,
said method comprising the steps of:
a) forming, by printing, a wiring pattern of a conductive paste on a green sheet containing, as a main component, ceramic which is an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte, said wiring pattern including portions serving as said first electrode and said second electrode;
b) laminating a plurality of green sheets that have been subjected to said step a), and integrating said plurality of green sheets;
c) cutting out a plurality of element bodies from a laminated body obtained by said step b);
d) baking the element body cut out by said step c);
e) heating the element body having been subjected to said step d), in a reducing atmosphere;
f) by an external power source, applying a voltage between said first electrode and said second electrode included in the element body having been subjected to said step e), to thereby decompose and remove an atmosphere gas of said step e) attached to said second electrode;
and
g) inspecting electrical characteristics of the element body having been subjected to said step f).

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/798,496Filed 13 Mar 2013
Priority: JP 2012-07639129 Mar 2012
Published: 3 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01R 31/28
Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by…
G01N 27/4071
For investigating or analysing gases: using sensor elements of laminated structure
G01R 35/00
Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this
G01N 27/4074
Composition or fabrication of the solid electrolyte: for detection of gases other than oxygen