Capacitive type sensor

• US 6,882,165 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
• Inventors: Ogura, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benson, Walter
• Application Number:
  US10/625,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20040080325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 733/350.4, 324/663, 324/664, 324/689, 324/658, 324/670, 324/686, 324/699, 324/718, 361/303, 374/28
• US Class Current: 324/663
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/121 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/225 by using hygroscopic materials

Abstract

A capacitive type sensor includes a pair of electrodes disposed on a surface of an insulating substrate to face with each other, and a water vapor sensitive disposed between and in contact with the electrodes. These electrodes are each constituted by an electrically conductive material whose linear thermal expansion coefficient is less than that of the water vapor sensitive film and is substantially the same as that of the insulating substrate, and suppresses a swelling of the water vapor sensitive film caused when the sensor is placed in a high temperature/humidity environment, thus suppressing drift deterioration of the sensor.

Claims

1. A capacitive type sensor comprising:

an insulating substrate;

first and second electrodes mounted on the insulating substrate to face each other; and

a gas sensitive film provided between the first and second electrodes and supported by the insulating substrate;

wherein the gas sensitive film has a linear thermal expansion coefficient of at least 2×

10<sup>−

5</sup> per degree centigrade;

wherein the first and second electrodes have a linear thermal expansion coefficient which is substantially the same as the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the insulating substrate and which is not more than 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup> per degree centigrade;

wherein said first and second electrodes each have a thickness from 1 μ

m to 11 μ

m, inclusive; and

wherein a face-to-face distance between said first and second electrodes is from 0.5 μ

m to 5 μ

m, inclusive.

2. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 1, wherein the gas sensitive film is a water vapor sensitive film, and a capacitance of the capacitive type sensor varies in accordance with an amount of water vapor absorbed by the water vapor sensitive film.

3. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

the insulating substrate consists essentially of a material that is selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz, silicon, ceramics, and sapphire,

the water vapor sensitive film consists essentially of a material that is selected from the group consisting of a crosslinked polymer material, and an organic polymer material, and

the first and second electrodes each consists essentially of a material that is selected from the group consisting of Si, Sic, GaAs, and polysilicon.

4. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

an upper water vapor sensitive film provided on the first and second electrodes and the water vapor sensitive film;

wherein a shielding film is provided in the upper water vapor sensitive film.

5. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 2, wherein the first and second electrodes are joined to the surface of the insulating substrate.

6. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 5, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed by subjecting an electrically conductive substrate, joined to the insulating substrate, to polishing or etching.

7. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 2, wherein

the first electrode comprises a first electrode body and a plurality of first comb-electrode portions extending from the first electrode body;

the second electrode comprises a second electrode body and a plurality of second comb-electrode portions extending from the second electrode body;

the first and second comb-electrode portions are alternately disposed with a predetermined face-to-face distance therebetween; and

the water vapor sensitive film is disposed between and in contact with the first and second comb-electrode portions, and forms a plurality of vertically arranged capacitors with the first and second comb-electrode portions.

8. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 7, further comprising an upper water vapor sensitive film provided on the first and second electrodes and the water vapor sensitive film,

wherein a shielding film is provided in the upper water vapor sensitive film above and near the first and second comb-electrode portions.

9. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

the first electrode comprises a first electrode body, a first straight electrode portion extending from the first electrode body, and a plurality of first annular electrode portions extending from the first straight electrode portion;

the second electrode comprises a second electrode body, a second straight electrode portion extending from the second electrode body, and a plurality of second annular portions extending from the second straight electrode portion;

the first and second annular electrode portions are coaxially and alternately disposed with a predetermined face-to-face distance therebetween; and

the water vapor sensitive film is disposed between and in contact with the first and second annular electrode portions, and forms a plurality of vertically arranged capacitors with first and second annular electrode portions.

10. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

the first electrode comprises a first electrode body, at least one first straight electrode portion extending from the first electrode body, and a plurality of first toothed electrode portions extending perpendicularly from the at least one first straight electrode portion;

the second electrode comprises a second electrode body, a plurality of second straight electrode portions extending from the second electrode body, and a plurality of second toothed electrode portions extending perpendicularly from each of the second straight electrode portions;

adjacent ones of the first straight electrode portion, the first toothed electrode portions, the second straight electrode portions, and second toothed electrode portions are disposed to face one another with a predetermined face-to-face distance; and

the water vapor sensitive film is disposed between and in contact with adjacent portions of the first straight electrode portion, the first toothed electrode portions, the second straight electrode portions, and second toothed electrode portions, and forms a plurality of vertically arranged capacitors with the adjacent portions.

11. The capacitive type sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

the first electrode comprises a first electrode body, and a lower electrode portion which extends from the first electrode body and which includes a plurality of first toothed electrode portions disposed at equal intervals;

the first toothed electrode portions extend upward perpendicularly from an upper face of the lower electrode portion to form lower comb electrodes;

the second electrode includes a second electrode body and an upper electrode portion extending from the second electrode body;

the upper electrode portion includes an upper wall having a plurality of second toothed electrode portions disposed at equal intervals, and side walls fixed at bottom faces thereof to the insulating substrate;

the second toothed electrode portions extend downward perpendicular from the upper wall of the upper electrode portion to form upper comb electrodes;

the upper comb electrodes and the lower comb electrodes are disposed to face one another with a predetermined face-to-face distance therebetween; and

the water vapor sensitive film is disposed between and in contact with the upper and lower comb electrodes, and forms a plurality of vertically arranged capacitors with the upper and lower comb electrodes.