Gas detection device

• US 10,281,444 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikehashi, Tamio, Yamazaki, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzgerald, John
• Application Number:
  US15/243,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20170343522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/22 using change in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0036 Specially adapted to detect a particular component all the other sub-groups of G01N33/0004 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 for organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/005 for H2

Abstract

A gas detection device includes a substrate having a main surface and a movable film structure located on, and including a portion thereof spaced from, the main surface of the substrate. The portion of the movable film structure located over and spaced from the substrate includes a first film formed of an insulating material, a patterned second film which deforms as a result of absorbing or adsorbing a predetermined gas, and a patterned third film comprising a resistive heater, at least a portion of the movable film structure spaced from the substrate being movable with respect to the substrate. From the perspective of a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate, at least a portion of a pattern of the second film overlaps at least a portion of a pattern of the third film.

Claims

1. A gas detection device comprising:

a substrate having a main surface; and

a movable film structure located on, and including a portion thereof spaced from, the main surface of the substrate, the portion of the movable film structure located over and spaced from the substrate including a first film formed of an insulating material, a patterned second film which deforms as a result of absorbing or adsorbing a predetermined gas, and a patterned third film comprising a resistive heater, at least a portion of the movable film structure spaced from the substrate being movable with respect to the substrate;

wherein from the perspective of a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate, at least a portion of a pattern of the second film overlaps at least a portion of a pattern of the third film.

2. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein:

a portion of the movable film structure extends from a position at which the movable film structure is fixed to the main surface of the substrate to the portion of the movable film structure spaced from the substrate which is movable with respect to the substrate, the portion of the movable film structure spaced from the main surface of the substrate which is movable with respect to the substrate extending parallel to the main surface of the substrate.

3. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein the third film is in contact with the second film.

4. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein the preselected gas is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrogen containing gas, water vapor and a volatile organic compound gas.

5. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein the first film is located between the patterned second film and the patterned third film comprising the resistive heater.

6. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein the surface area of the second film and the third film are different.

7. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein a cavity is provided between the movable structure and the substrate.

8. The gas detection device according to claim 7, further comprising a through hole that is provided with the movable film structure and leads to the cavity.

9. The gas detection device according to claim 1, further comprising a conductive film located on the substrate, wherein the conductive film and a portion of the movable film structure together form a variable capacitor.

10. The gas detection device according to claim 9, wherein the patterned third film comprises the portion of the movable film structure which together with the conductive film on the substrate forms a variable capacitor.

11. The gas detection device according to claim 9, wherein the conductive film is covered with a second insulating film.