Thermal conductivity gas sensor with amplification material
First Claim
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1. A thermal conductivity gas sensor, comprising:
- a sensing element;
an amplification material coupled to the sensing element, and having a target gas dependent thermal diffusivity; and
a semiconductor substrate having a cavity, the sensing element being positioned within the cavity,wherein the sensing element measures the thermal diffusivity of the amplification material,wherein the amplification material is positioned around all of the sensing element such that the amplification material encapsulates the sensing element, andwherein the sensing element is a resistive transducer such that the sensing element has a first resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a reference gas and a second resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a target gas.
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Abstract
In one example, a thermal conductivity gas sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes a sensing element and an amplification material coupled to the sensing element. The amplification material has a target gas dependent thermal diffusivity. The sensing element measures the thermal diffusivity of the amplification material to determine a target gas concentration.
28 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A thermal conductivity gas sensor, comprising:
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a sensing element; an amplification material coupled to the sensing element, and having a target gas dependent thermal diffusivity; and a semiconductor substrate having a cavity, the sensing element being positioned within the cavity, wherein the sensing element measures the thermal diffusivity of the amplification material, wherein the amplification material is positioned around all of the sensing element such that the amplification material encapsulates the sensing element, and wherein the sensing element is a resistive transducer such that the sensing element has a first resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a reference gas and a second resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a target gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A CMOS gas sensor, comprising:
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a sensing element; an amplification material coupled to the sensing element, and having a target gas dependent thermal diffusivity; and a semiconductor substrate having a cavity, the sensing element being positioned within the cavity, wherein the sensing element has a first resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a reference gas, and wherein the sensing element has a second resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a target gas; and a module converting a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance into a target gas concentration, wherein the amplification material is positioned around all of the sensing element such that the amplification material encapsulates the sensing element, and the sensing element is electrically connected to the module.
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12. A thermal conductivity gas sensor, comprising:
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a sensing element; an amplification material coupled to the sensing element, and having a target gas dependent thermal diffusivity; and a semiconductor substrate having a cavity, the sensing element being positioned within the cavity, wherein the sensing element measures the thermal diffusivity of the amplification material, wherein the amplification material is deposited on top of the sensing element and seals the top of the cavity without filling the cavity, and wherein the sensing element is a resistive transducer such that the sensing element has a first resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a reference gas and a second resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a target gas.
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13. A CMOS gas sensor, comprising:
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a sensing element; an amplification material coupled to the sensing element, and having a target gas dependent thermal diffusivity; and a semiconductor substrate having a cavity, the sensing element being positioned within the cavity, wherein the sensing element has a first resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a reference gas, and wherein the sensing element has a second resistance when the amplification material is exposed to a target gas; and a module converting a difference between the first resistance and the second resistance into a target gas concentration, wherein the amplification material is deposited on top of the sensing element and seals the top of the cavity without filling the cavity, and the sensing element is electrically connected to the module.
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Specification