# US 8,739,622 B2 · Capacitive humidity detector with nanoporous hydrophilic dielectric

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- Number: US 8,739,622 B2
- Document ID: US8739622B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/054,322
- Filed: 2009-06-22
- Published: 2011-07-28
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2008-07-16
- Assignees: Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
- Applicants: Hubert Grange; Jean-Sébastien Danel; Brigitte Desloges; Vincent Jousseaume
- Inventors: Hubert Grange; Jean-Sébastien Danel; Brigitte Desloges; Vincent Jousseaume
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739622B2

## CPC

- H01G 5/0136: {with movable electrodes}
- B82Y 15/00: Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
- G01N 27/225: {by using hygroscopic materials}
- H01G 5/0134: {Solid dielectrics}
- H01G 5/16: using variation of distance between electrodes
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A humidity sensor of capacitive type, a device for detecting or measuring humidity including the sensor, and a method to fabricate the sensor. The humidity sensor includes at least one nanoporous dielectric material positioned between at least one first electrode of a capacitor and at least one second electrode of the capacitor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A humidity sensor of capacitive type, comprising:
at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode; and
at least one nanoporous dielectric material between the first electrode and the second electrode, the nanoporous dielectric material comprising pores with radius of less than 2 nanometers, the nanoporous dielectric material further comprising hydrophilic sites, the nanoporous dielectric material being MSQ or SiOCH.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The humidity sensor of capacitive type according to claim 1, the nanoporous dielectric material comprising hydrophilic sites on a surface thereof, including at least one of SiO sites, SiOH sites, and radical Si sites.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The humidity sensor of capacitive type, according to claim 1, further comprising:
at least one floating electrode permeable to humidity resting upon the nanoporous material and positioned facing the first electrode and the second electrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A device for measuring or detecting humidity comprising:
a sensor of capacitive type according to claim 1; and
at least one capacitor including a common electrode with the capacitive sensor, the capacitor comprising a non-porous dielectric material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device according to claim 4, the non-porous dielectric material being a silicon oxide of TEOS type.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A device for detecting humidity in a sealed component comprising a device according to claim 4.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A device for detecting humidity in a sealed component comprising a sensor according to claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the nanoporous dielectric material has an open porosity between 30% and 50%.

### Claim 9

A method to fabricate a humidity sensor of capacitive type, comprising:
forming on a substrate at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode;
forming at least one nanoporous dielectric material at least between the first electrode and the second electrode, the nanoporous dielectric material comprising pores with a radius of less than 2 nanometers, the nanoporous dielectric material being MSQ or SiOCH; and
hydrophilic treatment of the dielectric material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein, after formation of the nanoporous dielectric material, further comprising hydrophilic treatment by oxidizing plasma of the dielectric material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, the plasma being N2O plasma.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising fabrication of at least one floating, humidity-permeable electrode on the nanoporous material, and positioned facing the first electrode and the second electrode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the nanoporous dielectric material has an open porosity between 30% and 50%.