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AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Atsumitec, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
InventorsNaoki Uchiyama, Naoki Matsuda, Kazuki Yoshimura, Kenji Kato
Estimating the term…
A hydrogen sensor includes a thin film layer formed on a top surface of a planar optical transmission medium, and a catalyst layer formed on a top surface of the thin film layer. A first interface is created between the planar optical transmission medium and the thin film layer. A substrate is joined to a bottom surface of the planar optical transmission medium so that a second interface is created between the planar optical transmission medium and the substrate. On entering a first end portion of the planer optical transmission medium, light from a light source is spread by an entrance section, and the spread light is transmitted inside the planar optical transmission medium to a second end portion by being reflected by the first and second interfaces alternately. Light exiting from the second end portion is transmitted to an optical sensor by an exit light-collecting section. If the thin film layer is hydrogenated by the catalyst layer contacted by hydrogen, the amount of light reflected from the first interface reduces. Hydrogen gas is detected by the optical sensor detecting such reduction in the amount of light.
A hydrogen sensor, comprising:
A hydrogen gas detecting apparatus comprising a light source, a hydrogen sensor and an optical sensor, designed for detecting hydrogen gas in an atmosphere by introducing light emitted from the light source into the hydrogen sensor and then detecting light exiting the hydrogen sensor by the optical sensor, wherein the hydrogen sensor comprises:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.