Sensor device

• US 8,220,988 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vishay Bccomponents Beyschlag GMBH (Vishay Intertechnology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Vishay Bccomponents Beyschlag GMBH (Vishay Intertechnology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Werner, Wolfgang, Aurich, Joachim, Werth, Sascha
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Application Number:
  US12/514,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20100054299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 374 16- 20, 374/27, 374/28, 374/100, 374/109, 374 10- 13, 298/46, 298/47, 298/31, 295/94, 73/73, 733/350.4, 733/350.5, 361/286
• US Class Current: 374/28
• 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: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A sensor device is provided for detecting thawing on surfaces with interdigital electrodes formed in a resistance layer which is formed on a substrate. In order to develop the sensor device further so that the measuring speed of the sensor device is further increased, the disclosure proposes that the interdigital electrodes and recesses between the interdigital electrodes have a moisture-sensitive hydrophilic surface through condensation cores applied to it.

Claims

1. A sensor device for detecting thawing on surfaces comprising:

a substrate;

a resistance layer formed on the substrate;

interdigital electrodes formed in the resistance layer, with recesses provided between the interdigital electrodes;

condensation cores formed on the sensor, wherein the condensation cores are sintered onto a surface of the interdigital electrodes and the recesses,

wherein the condensation cores form a moisture-sensitive hydrophilic surface.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the resistance layer is formed from a metal oxide layer which is formed on the substrate.

3. The sensor device according to claim 2, wherein the metal oxide layer comprises ruthenium oxides, ruthenates or iridium oxides.

4. The sensor device according to claim 2, wherein the metal oxide layer is a metal oxide paste.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the condensation cores comprise parts of the metal oxide layer and parts of the substrate.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is one of aluminium oxide, circuit board material, glass or glass ceramic.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein two terminal contacts are applied to the substrate, the contacts are connected to interdigital electrodes.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein if any condensation cores are not sintered onto the surface, the non sintered-on condensation cores are removed.

9. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein recesses are provided between teeth of the interdigital electrodes, the recesses are produced by laser beams, wherein the density of the condensation cores on the interdigital electrodes increases in the direction of the recesses.

10. A method for producing a sensor device for detecting thawing comprising:

forming a resistance layer on a substrate;

forming interdigital electrodes in the resistance layer, the interdigital electrodes separated by recesses;

forming condensation cores on a surface of the sensor; and

sintering the condensation cores onto the surface of the interdigital electrodes and onto the recesses.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises an aluminium oxide ceramic.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the interdigital electrodes are formed as a metal oxide layer comprising one of ruthenium oxide, ruthenates or iridium oxides.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein the interdigital electrodes are formed by laser radiation.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein, after the step of sintering the condensation cores onto the surface of the interdigital electrodes and onto the recesses the sensor device is subjected to galvanization, and wherein the condensation cores not sintered on are removed with a galvanic protection layer after galvanization.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method is not carried out in a vacuum.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein a reaction zone, in which the heating, melting and evaporation of the substrate and the resistance layer takes place, is formed by the laser radiation.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the interdigital electrodes are formed by heating, melting and evaporating parts of the substrate and resistance layer by laser radiation.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the condensation cores are formed by applying laser radiation to heat and evaporate parts of the substrate and parts of the resistance layer.

19. The method according to claim 10, wherein the condensation cores are formed on the interdigital electrodes and on the recesses.

20. The method according to claim 10, further comprising sintering the condensation cores onto the recesses.

21. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of removing non-sintered condensation cores.