Wide band lambda probe having improved starting behaviour

A control device for an operation of a broadband lambda sensor, comprising:

• an arrangement for determining an oxygen concentration of an exhaust gas on the basis of a comparison of a Nernst voltage with a reference voltage having a nominal value;
• an arrangement for, if a deviation is present between the Nernst voltage and the reference voltage, injecting a pump current into a cavity of a pump cell;
• an arrangement for regulating an electric voltage present at the pump cell such that lambda=1 holds in the cavity, the pump current being a measure for a value of lambda in the exhaust gas;
• an arrangement for maintaining the Nernst voltage close to the nominal value of the reference voltage by way of a pilot control until the Nernst voltage is an actual measure for the oxygen concentration in the cavity of the pump cell;
• and
• an ohmic resistor arranged between a connection of a reference electrode and a reference voltage of a comparator, the ohmic resistor maintaining the Nernst voltage close to the nominal value of the reference voltage for as long as the Nernst voltage does not yet amount to the nominal value at lambda=1.