Sintered electrically conductive oxide, thermistor element employing the oxide, and temperature sensor employing the thermistor

Abstract

A sintered electroconductive oxide having a perovskite oxide type crystal structure represented by a compositional formula: M1aM2bMncAldCreOf wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from group 3 elements; and M2 represents at least one element selected from among Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba, wherein element M1 predominantly includes at least one element selected from Nd, Pr and Sm, and a, b, c, d, e and f satisfy the following relationships: 0.6005≦a<1.000, 0<b≦0.400, 0≦c<0.150, 0.400≦d<0.950, 0.050<e≦0.600, 0.50<e/(c+e)≦1.00, and 2.80≦f≦3.30. Also disclosed is a thermistor element including a thermistor portion which is formed of the sintered electroconductive oxide as well as a temperature sensor employing the thermistor element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.