Metal oxide gas sensor array devices, systems, and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10330624-B2
Application number	US-201615201437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2016
Priority date	Jul 2, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for detecting an analyte are disclosed and described. In one embodiment, a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) sensor pixel with a MOS active material is exposed to the analyte in the gas environment. The MOS sensor pixel is heated to a sequence of different predetermined temperatures via a heating element wherein the heating occurs for a period of time for each of the different predetermined temperatures. Response signals are detected, via an electrode, generated by the MOS sensor at each of the different predetermined temperatures. The response signals are assembled into sample data with data features for machine learning. The sample data is compared with data in a standards database. A composition of the analyte is identified based on the data features.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of identifying an analyte in a gas environment, comprising:
exposing a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) sensor pixel with a MOS active material to the analyte in the gas environment;
heating the MOS sensor pixel to a sequence of different predetermined temperatures via a heating element wherein the heating occurs for a period of time for each of the different predetermined temperatures;
detecting response signals, via an electrode, generated by the MOS sensor pixel at each of the different predetermined temperatures;
assembling the response signals into sample data with data features for machine learning, wherein the sample data forms a spectrum with at least one peak, and the spectrum is a function of the different predetermined temperatures;
comparing the sample data with reference data in a standards database, wherein reference data represents sample data with data features for a plurality of analytes with a known composition; and
identifying a composition of the analyte based on the comparison of the data features of the analyte with the data features of the sample data in the standards database, wherein the at least one peak included in the spectrum formed by the sample data is employed to identify the composition of the analyte.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein an array of MOS sensor pixels are employed for detecting the response signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein each MOS sensor pixel in the array of MOS sensor pixels are heated to different predetermined temperatures simultaneously for the detecting the response signal.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the array of MOS sensor pixels comprises a plurality of individual MOS sensor pixels having different MOS active materials.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the array of MOS sensor pixels comprises at least two individual MOS sensor pixels having different MOS active materials.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the array of MOS sensor pixels comprises from two to ten individual MOS sensor pixels having different MOS active materials.

7. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein each individual MOS sensor pixel has a different MOS active material.

8. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the array of MOS sensor pixels comprises four individual MOS sensor pixels having different MOS active materials.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the MOS active material is a member selected from the group consisting of: SnO 2 , V 2 O 5 , WO 3 , ZnO, TeO 2 , TiO 2 , CuO, CeO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , V 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , Mo 2 O 3 , Nd 2 O 3 , La 2 O 3 , Nb 2 O 5 , Ta 2 O 5 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , ITO, or combinations thereof.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the MOS active material is a member selected from the group consisting of: In 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , ZnO, WO 3 , or combinations thereof.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the identifying the analyte also identifies a concentration of the analyte based on the comparison of the sample data with the data in the standards database.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sequence of different temperatures falls within a range of temperatures between 200 degrees Celsius (C) to 400 degrees C.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sequence of different predetermined temperatures is split among multiple identical MOS sensor pixels.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the sample data is assembled from the multiple identical MOS sensor pixels.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sequence of different predetermined temperatures are separated by increments of 5 degrees C. or less.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sequence of different predetermined temperatures are separated by increments of 20 degrees C. or less.

17. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the period of time is a range of time between 0.2 to 20 second, or between 1 to 10 seconds, or two to five seconds.

18. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the analyte is a volatile organic compound (VOC),vapors, or vaporized solids.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the analyte comprises a plurality of analytes and the identifying identifies each of the plurality of analytes.

20. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the standards database comprises signal data generated by exposing a known analyte to a specific type of MOS sensor pixel, under known conditions.

21. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the database is stored local to the MOS sensor pixel.

22. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the database is stored remote to the MOS sensor pixel.

23. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the database is updated with sample data with data features for additional analytes with a known composition.

24. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
heating the MOS sensor pixel to a predetermined temperature after the detecting the response signal to clean any remaining analyte from the MOS sensor pixel.

25. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sample data forms a plurality of peaks and the plurality of peaks are employed to identify more than one analyte.

26. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the MOS sensor pixel is doped with a dopant to increase sensitivity and selectivity wherein the dopant is selected from the group of dopants consisting of: Pt, Pd, Si, Ti, or a combination thereof.

27. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a power consumption of the MOS sensor pixel is less than one watt.

28. A transducer array operable to detect an analyte, comprising:
a support substrate;
a plurality of Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) sensor pixels coupled to the substrate, each MOS sensor pixel further comprising a MOS active material configured to be exposed to the analyte;
a plurality of heating elements thermally coupled to the MOS active materials of the plurality of MOS sensor pixels in a position and orientation that facilitates heating of the MOS active materials to a plurality of predetermined different temperatures;
an electrode functionally coupled to the MOS active material and operable to detect response signals from the MOS active material at each of the plurality of predetermined different temperatures;
a temperature controller having circuitry with logic configured to heat the plurality of heating elements to a sequence of predetermined different temperatures for a predetermined period of time for each of the predetermined different temperatures,
wherein the sequence of predetermined different temperatures are separated by increments of 20 degrees C. or less,
and a processor configured to assemble the response signals into sample data that forms a spectrum with at least one peak and to identify a composition of the analyte using the at least one peak included in the spectrum, wherein the spectrum is a function of the predetermined different temperatures.

29. The transducer array as recited in claim 28 , wherein the plurality of MOS sensor pixels comprises MOS active materials composed of different oxides.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Tayebi Noureddine
• Su Xing

Classifications

• G01N27/124 Primary

  varying the temperature, e.g. in a cyclic manner · CPC title

• G01N33/0047

  Organic compounds · CPC title

• G01N27/123

  for controlling the temperature (temperature control per se G05D23/00) · CPC title

• G01N27/125

  Composition of the body, e.g. the composition of its sensitive layer · CPC title

• G01N33/0006

  Calibrating gas analysers · CPC title