Hydrogen sensor
AssigneesAlps Electric Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsYasuichi Ono, Toshiaki Konno
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Abstract
The present invention has a hydrogen detection portion composed of a semiconductor and a hydrogen absorber provided at least a part of a surface thereof, and pairs of electrodes provided at the semiconductor so as to sandwich the place at which the hydrogen absorber is provided and so as not to be electrically connected to each other with the hydrogen absorber, wherein the presence of hydrogen can be detected by the change in resistance of the semiconductor in response to hydrogen absorption into the hydrogen absorber, the change in resistance being measured between said pairs of electrodes.
Claims9
A hydrogen sensor comprising:
- a non-oxide semiconductor in a form of a thin-film layer, the semiconductor having a resistance;
- a hydrogen absorber provided over the semiconductor, the hydrogen absorber and a part of the semiconductor underneath thereof forming a hydrogen detection portion, wherein the resistance of the semiconductor changes in response to hydrogen absorption into the hydrogen absorber;
- and
- a pair of electrodes for measuring a change in the resistance of the semiconductor, the pair of electrodes being provided on the semiconductor on each side of the hydrogen absorber so as to sandwich the hydrogen absorber therebetween,
- wherein each of the electrodes is spaced apart from the hydrogen absorber such that the electrodes are not in direct contact with the hydrogen absorber,
- and wherein the electrodes are configured to electrically connect to the hydrogen absorber only through the semiconductor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.