HEATING APPARATUS FOR A MEMS SENSOR

• US 20170129768A1
• Filed: 11/08/2016
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Rusanov, Radoslav
• Granted Patent: US 10,370,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0214 Biosensors; Chemical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0127 Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0021 Transducers for transforming electrical into mechanical energy or vice versa dynamo-electric machines H02K99/00; electrostatic machines H02N1/00; piezoelectric devices H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0087 On-device systems and sensors for controlling, regulating or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/10 Heating elements characterised by the composition or nature of the materials or by the arrangement of the conductor

Abstract

A heating apparatus for a MEMS sensor, comprising a metallic supply lead element for electric current; a metallic return lead element for electric current; and a defined number of metallic heating elements configured between the supply lead element and the return lead element, a substantially constant electrical current density being configurable in the supply lead element, in the return lead element, and in the heating elements.

Claims

1. A heating apparatus for a MEMS sensor, comprising:

a metallic supply lead element for electric current;

a metallic return lead element for electric current; and

a defined number of metallic heating elements configured between the supply lead element and the return lead element, a constant electrical current density being configurable in the supply lead element, in the return lead element, and in the heating elements.

2. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the supply lead element has a definedly decreasing width proceeding over a heating region, and the return lead element has a definedly increasing width proceeding over the heating region.

3. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the supply lead element and the return lead element are each, in the heating region, as wide as a total width of the heating elements disposed in a current flow direction.

4. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein profiles of the widths of the supply lead element and of the return lead element are configured linearly, and the heating elements are configured to be of uniform width and to have a substantially identical spacing from one another.

5. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein a homogeneous temperature distribution is configurable with the heating elements in the heating region.

6. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein at least one electrically unconnected homogenization element having a definedly higher thermal conductivity than a diaphragm material is configured in the heating region for homogenization of a temperature distribution, the homogenization element being configured between two heating elements.

7. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the homogenization element is configured in angular or definedly rounded fashion.

8. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the heating elements are straight or definedly curved.

9. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein material of the heating apparatus is at least one of the following:

platinum, ruthenium, platinum-ruthenium alloy, titanium, titanium oxide, platinum-titanium alloy, iridium, platinum-titanium-palladium alloy, platinum-zirconium oxide alloy.

10. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the supply lead element, the return lead element, and the heating elements are configured from the same material or are configured from different materials.

11. The heating apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the heating apparatus is configured in one piece.

12. A MEMS sensor having a heating apparatus disposed on a diaphragm, the heating apparatus including a metallic supply lead element for electric current, a metallic return lead element for electric current, and a defined number of metallic heating elements configured between the supply lead element and the return lead element, a constant electrical current density being configurable in the supply lead element, in the return lead element, and in the heating elements.

13. A method for manufacturing a heating apparatus for a MEMS sensor, comprising:

furnishing a metallic supply lead element for electric current;

furnishing a metallic return lead element for electric current; and

disposing metallic heating elements between the supply lead element and the return lead element, the supply lead element, such that the return lead element, and the heating elements are configured in such a way that a substantially constant electrical current density is configurable in all the elements.

14. A method of using a heating apparatus, comprising:

providing a heating apparatus, the heating apparatus including a metallic supply lead element for electric current, a metallic return lead element for electric current, and a defined number of metallic heating elements configured between the supply lead element and the return lead element, a constant electrical current density being configurable in the supply lead element, in the return lead element, and in the heating elements; and

using the heating apparatus in a MEMS gas sensor.