Gas sensor
OwnerJoseph Watsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas sensor includes a substrate preferably made of beryllium oxide which is both an electrical insulator and thermal conductor, the substrate having thereon at least one heating element for the substrate, at lease one gas-sensitive active material deposited on the substrate and a set of at least two space electrodes in contact with the active material. The thermal conductivity of the substrate as arranged together with the heating element cooperate and assists to ensure that the substrate achieves a desired thermal gradient while the sensor establishes a near-uniform temperature throughout substantially the entire sensor, thus enabling the operating temperature of the active material to be maintained substantially constant throughout its entire volume.
Claims14
A gas sensor including a beryllium oxide substrate which is both an electrical insulator and a thermal conductor, said substrate being in the form of a substantially monolithic body having thereon:
- (i) an electrical resistance heating element which heats said substrate, said heating element being arranged to cooperate with said substrate to create a near-uniform temperature throughout substantially the entire sensor;
- (ii) at least one gas-sensitive active material deposited on said substrate;
- and
- (iii) a set of at least two spaced electrodes, each said electrode being in contact with said active material for monitoring a change in electrical conductance, resistance or impedance upon exposure of said active material to a target gas of interest.
A gas sensor including a beryllium oxide substrate which is both an electrical insulator and a thermal conductor, said substrate being in the form of a substantially monolithic body having thereon:
- (i) an electrical resistance heating element for heating said substrate, said heating element being arranged to cooperate with said substrate to create a desired thermal gradient along the substrate;
- (ii) at least one gas-sensitive active material deposited on said substrate;
- and
- (iii) a set of at least two spaced electrodes, each said electrode being in contact with said active material for monitoring a change in electrical conductance, resistance or impedance upon exposure of said active material to a target gas of interest.
A gas sensor including a substrate which is both an electrical insulator and a thermal conductor, said substrate being in the form of a substantially monolithic elongate tile and having thereon:
- (i) a heating element for heating said substrate, arranged at a first end of said tile and arranged so as to permit creation of a desired thermal gradient along a length of said tile;
- (ii) at least one gas-sensitive active material for monitoring a change in electrical conductance, resistance or impedance upon exposure of said active material to a target gas of interest deposited on said tile;
- and
- (iii) at least two spaced apart electrodes, each said electrode being in contact with said active material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.