Metal nitride material for thermistor, method for producing same, and film type thermistor sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10304597-B2
Application number	US-201414915399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2014
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A metal nitride material for a thermistor consists of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: Mx(Al1-vSiv)y(N1-wOw)z (where “M” represents at least one of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co, 0.0<v<0.3, 0.70≤y/(x+y)≤0.98, 0.45≤z≤0.55, 0<w≤0.35, and x+y+z=1), wherein the crystal structure thereof is a hexagonal wurtzite-type single phase. A method for producing the metal nitride material for a thermistor includes a deposition step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen and oxygen-containing atmosphere using an M-Al—Si alloy sputtering target (where “M” represents at least one of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermistor comprising a metal nitride material, consisting of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: M x (Al 1-v Si v ) y (N 1-w O w ) z where “M” represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co, 0.0<v<0.3, 0.70≤y/(x+y)≤0.98, 0.45≤z≤0.55, 0<w≤0.35, and x+y+z=1, wherein a crystal structure of the metal nitride material is a hexagonal wurtzite single phase, wherein the B constant of the metal nitride material calculated based on resistance values at temperatures of 25° C. and 50° C. is 1500 K or greater.

2. The thermistor according to claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and is a columnar crystal extending in a vertical direction with respect to a surface of the film.

3. The thermistor according to claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and the crystal structure of the metal nitride material is more strongly oriented along a hexagonal c-axis than a hexagonal a-axis in a vertical direction with respect to a surface of the film.

4. A thermistor sensor comprising:
an insulating film;
a thin film thermistor portion formed by the thermistor according to claim 1 formed on the insulating film; and
a pair of pattern electrodes formed at least on the top or the bottom of the thin film thermistor portion.

5. A method for producing the thermistor according to claim 1 , the method comprising a deposition step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering of an M-Al—Si alloy sputtering target where “M” represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co, in a nitrogen and oxygen-containing atmosphere.

6. The method for producing the thermistor according to claim 5 , wherein a sputtering gas pressure during the reactive sputtering is set to less than 0.67 Pa.

7. The thermistor according to claim 2 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and the crystal structure of the metal nitride material is more strongly oriented along a hexagonal c-axis than a hexagonal a-axis in a vertical direction with respect to a surface of the film.

8. A thermistor sensor comprising:
an insulating film;
a thin film thermistor portion formed by the thermistor according to claim 2 formed on the insulating film; and
a pair of pattern electrodes formed at least on the top or the bottom of the thin film thermistor portion.

9. A thermistor sensor comprising:
an insulating film;
a thin film thermistor portion formed by the thermistor according to claim 3 formed on the insulating film; and
a pair of pattern electrodes formed at least on the top or the bottom of the thin film thermistor portion.

10. A thermistor sensor comprising:
an insulating film;
a thin film thermistor portion formed by the thermistor according to claim 7 formed on the insulating film; and
a pair of pattern electrodes formed at least on the top or the bottom of the thin film thermistor portion.

11. A method for producing the thermistor according to claim 2 , the method comprising a deposition step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering of an M-Al—Si alloy sputtering target where “M” represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co, in a nitrogen and oxygen-containing atmosphere.

12. A method for producing the thermistor according to claim 3 , the method comprising a deposition step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering of an M-Al—Si alloy sputtering target where “M” represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co, in a nitrogen and oxygen-containing atmosphere.

13. A method for producing the thermistor according to claim 7 , the method comprising a deposition step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering of an M-Al—Si alloy sputtering target where “M” represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co, in a nitrogen and oxygen-containing atmosphere.

14. The method for producing the thermistor according to claim 11 , wherein a sputtering gas pressure during the reactive sputtering is set to less than 0.67 Pa.

15. The method for producing the thermistor according to claim 12 , wherein a sputtering gas pressure during the reactive sputtering is set to less than 0.67 Pa.

16. The method for producing the thermistor according to claim 13 , wherein a sputtering gas pressure during the reactive sputtering is set to less than 0.67 Pa.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Materials Corp

Inventors

• Fujita Toshiaki
• Tanaka Hiroshi
• Nagatomo Noriaki

Classifications

• H01C1/142

  the terminals or tapping points being coated on the resistive element · CPC title

• H01C7/008 Primary

  Thermistors (H01C7/02 - H01C7/06 take precedence) · CPC title

• C22C32/0047

  with carbides, nitrides, borides or silicides as the main non-metallic constituents · CPC title

• H01C7/042

  mainly consisting of inorganic non-metallic substances (H01C7/041 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C22C32/0005

  with at least one oxide and at least one of carbides, nitrides, borides or silicides as the main non-metallic constituents · CPC title