Back to results
US 6,474,139 B2Granted
Combustible gas diode sensor
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAmer Mohammad Khaled Samman, Samuel Admassu Gebremariam, Lajos Rimai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combustible gas sensor diode including a SiC semiconductor substrate, on top of which an AlN layer and a catalytic metal “gate” electrode are deposited is disclosed. The combustible gas sensor diode can be operated in either a D.C. forward conduction mode or an A.C. reverse bias mode. Methods of detecting combustibles in both D.C. and A.C. modes are further disclosed.
Claims1
A method of detecting combustibles in a gas stream, comprising:
- placing a reverse biased diode sensor in contact with the gas stream, wherein the diode sensor comprises:
- a SiC semiconductor substrate;
- a metal back contact juxtaposed to the SiC semiconductor substrate;
- an AlN layer deposited on the SiC semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a catalytically active metal gate deposited on the AlN layer;
- measuring the capacitance of the diode sensor at frequencies between 100 and 1000 KHz;
- and
- detecting a shift in the capacitance versus voltage characteristics of the diode sensor.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.