# US 2019/0376940 A1 · Carbon dioxide sensing device and method having an array of sensors on a single chip

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- Number: US 2019/0376940 A1
- Document ID: US20190376940A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/436,347
- Filed: 2019-06-10
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-11
- Assignees: N5 Sensors, Inc.
- Applicants: N5 Sensors, Inc.
- Inventors: Ratan DEBNATH; Brian THOMSON; Abhishek MOTAYED; Ibrahima DIAGNE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376940A1

## CPC

- G01N 33/006: {Avoiding interference of water vapour with the gas to be measured}
- G01N 33/004: {CO or CO2}
- G01N 27/127: {comprising nanoparticles}
- G01N 33/0031: {comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array}
- G01N 33/0037: {NOx}
- Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
- 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)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

A carbon dioxide sensor package includes a housing having an opening. A filter membrane is mounted in the opening of the housing. A sensor is disposed within a cavity in the housing, the cavity being disposed beneath the opening, wherein the sensor is configured with first particles functionalizing an outer surface thereof to adsorb a target analyte in a presence of light, wherein the target analyte is carbon dioxide, and further configured to output data associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide sensed by the sensor. The package also includes an application specific integrated circuit disposed within the housing and configured to process data from the sensor and output processed data associated with the concentration of carbon dioxide. A light source is also disposed within the housing and configured to generate the light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor package comprising:
a housing including an opening;
a filter membrane mounted in the opening of the housing;
a sensor disposed within a cavity in the housing, the cavity being disposed beneath the opening, wherein the sensor is configured with first particles functionalizing an outer surface thereof to adsorb a target analyte in a presence of ultraviolet (UV) light, wherein the target analyte is carbon dioxide, and further configured to output data associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide sensed by said sensor;
an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) disposed within the housing and configured to process data from the sensor and output processed data associated with the concentration of carbon dioxide; and
a UV light source disposed within the housing and configured to generate the UV light.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor package of claim 1, further comprising a substrate suitable for interconnecting integrated circuits disposed within the housing and upon which the sensor, ASIC and UV light source are mounted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensor package of claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises second particles functionalizing said outer surface of said sensor, wherein an interfering analyte adsorbs on said second particles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sensor package of claim 3, wherein said interfering analyte is carbon monoxide.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sensor package of claim 1, wherein the filter membrane is a membrane made from one or more of a plurality of materials including Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyamide, ion-track etched membranes, metal mesh, and wherein the membrane has a plurality of pores through which ambient air can enter the cavity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sensor package of claim 1, wherein the filter membrane is configured to permit C02 to substantially pass through the filter membrane into the cavity and to inhibit passage of at least one of: water droplets, water vapor, and organic vapors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sensor package of claim 1, further comprising:
one or more heating elements for heating the sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The sensor package of claim 7, wherein the one or more heating elements heat the sensor to a temperature within a range of 60 degrees C. to 100 degrees C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor package of claim 1, wherein the ASIC processes the data to remove effects associated with interfering signals and/or sensor drift.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The sensor package of claim 1, wherein the first particles include one of: Zn0, In203, WO3 or SN02 particles.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The sensor package of claim 10, wherein the first particles also include one of: Pd—Ag, Pd, Cu, Pt, Ag, Au or Ni particles.

### Claim 12

A method for sensing carbon dioxide gas concentration, the method comprising:
filtering an ambient gas mixture through a filter membrane into a cavity;
generating light onto a sensor disposed in said cavity; and
sensing carbon dioxide in the ambient gas mixture using the sensor, wherein the sensor is configured with first particles functionalizing an outer surface thereof to adsorb a target analyte in a presence of light, wherein the target analyte is carbon dioxide, and further configured to output data associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide sensed by said sensor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising providing, with said sensor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) disposed within a housing and configured to process data from the sensor and output processed data associated with the concentration of carbon dioxide.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor further comprises second particles functionalizing said outer surface of said sensor, wherein an interfering analyte adsorbs on said second particles.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein said interfering analyte is carbon monoxide.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the filter membrane is a membrane made from one or more of a plurality of materials including Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyamide, ion-track etched membranes, metal mesh, and wherein the membrane has a plurality of pores through which ambient air can enter the cavity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the filter membrane is configured to permit C02 to substantially pass through the filter membrane into the cavity and to inhibit passage of at least one of: water droplets, water vapor, and organic vapors.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising: heating the sensor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more heating elements heat the sensor to a temperature within a range of 60 degrees C. to 100 degrees C.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the ASIC processes the data to remove effects associated with interfering signals and/or sensor drift.

### Claim 21 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the first particles include one of: Zn0, In203, WO3 or SN02 particles.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the first particles also include one of: Pd—Ag, Pd, Cu, Pt, Ag, Au or Ni particles.

### Claim 23

A carbon dioxide sensor comprising:
a substrate on which oxide particles are deposited, wherein said oxide particles include one of: ZnO, In203, WO3 or Sn02 particles, and wherein said carbon dioxide sensor exhibits a response to a presence of carbon dioxide proximate the substrate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The carbon dioxide sensor of claim 23 wherein the substrate also has metal particles deposited thereon, said metal particles including one of Pd—Ag, Pd, Cu, Pt, Ag, Au or Ni particles.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The carbon dioxide sensor of claim 23, further comprising:
an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) disposed within the housing and configured to process data from the sensor and output processed data associated with the concentration of carbon dioxide.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The carbon dioxide sensor of claim 23, further comprising:
an ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to generate and direct UV light onto said substrate.