Electrochemical sensor and electronics on a ceramic substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018266984-A1
Application number	US-201615781537-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2015
Publication date	Sep 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrochemical sensor includes a ceramic substrate, a capillary disposed through the ceramic substrate, a plurality of electrodes disposed on a first surface of the ceramic substrate, an electrolyte disposed over at least a portion of each electrode of the plurality of electrodes, a coating disposed over the plurality of electrodes and the electrolyte, and control and detection circuitry coupled to the substrate. The coating sealingly couples to the substrate over the plurality of electrodes and the electrolyte, and the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled to the control and detection circuitry.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . An electrochemical sensor comprising:
a ceramic substrate; a capillary disposed through the ceramic substrate; a plurality of electrodes disposed on a first surface of the ceramic substrate; an electrolyte disposed over at least a portion of each electrode of the plurality of electrodes; a coating disposed over the plurality of electrodes and the electrolyte, wherein the coating seal couples to the ceramic substrate over the plurality of electrodes and the electrolyte, wherein the coating is configured to provide a hydrophobic surface while maintaining a degree of porosity for gas diffusion of the target gas; and control and detection circuitry coupled to the same ceramic substrate as the plurality of electrodes, wherein the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled to the control and detection circuitry.

17 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 16 , wherein the coating comprises a water vapor diffusion barrier to seal the electrolyte from the external environment.

18 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled to the control and detection circuitry through one or more leads, and wherein the leads pass through the ceramic substrate.

19 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 16 , wherein, when the sensor is used to detect oxygen, the coating allows diffusion of oxygen to allow the oxygen to escape the sensor when generated at the counter electrode.

20 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemical sensor does not comprise a housing.

21 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of electrodes and the control and detection circuitry are disposed in a co-planar arrangement.

22 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 21 , wherein the coating is configured to enclose the plurality of electrodes and the electrolyte between the coating and the ceramic substrate.

23 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 16 , wherein the coating is a flexible coating to allow the electrolyte volume to change over time in response to a gain or loss of water in a hygroscopic electrolyte.

24 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 16 , wherein the coating comprises silicone rubber, an epoxy resin, a thermoset polymer, a thermal polymer, or any combination thereof.

25 . An electrochemical sensor comprising:
a ceramic substrate; one or more capillaries disposed through the ceramic substrate; a plurality of electrodes disposed on a first surface of the ceramic substrate; a solid electrolyte disposed over at least a portion of each electrode of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the one or more capillaries form the only opening between an external environment and the plurality of electrodes; and control and detection circuitry coupled to the same ceramic substrate as the plurality of electrodes, wherein the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled to the control and detection circuitry through one or more leads, and wherein the leads pass through the ceramic substrate.

26 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 25 , wherein the one or more capillaries extend through the ceramic substrate from the first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein the one or more capillaries are configured to provide a diffusion pathway for a target gas to pass from an exterior of the housing to one or more of the plurality of electrodes.

27 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 25 , wherein at least one capillary of the one or more capillaries comprises an opening on the first surface of the ceramic substrate, wherein the opening is surrounded by a sensing electrode of the plurality of electrodes, and wherein the sensing electrode form a ring around the opening of the at least one capillary on the first surface of the ceramic substrate.

28 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 27 , wherein a surface of the sensing electrode is hydrophobic.

29 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 25 , the lead passes through a via from a first surface to a second surface of the ceramic substrate before connecting to various components.

30 . The electrochemical sensor of claim 29 , wherein the lead passes through a second via, from the second surface to the first surface, to contact the control circuit, preventing the lead from being in direct contact with the electrolyte.

31 . A method of forming an electrochemical sensor on a substrate, the method comprising:
forming one or more capillaries through a ceramic substrate; forming a plurality of electrical connection tracks on the ceramic substrate; coupling control and detection circuitry to the ceramic substrate, wherein the control and detection circuitry is electrically coupled to the plurality of electrical connection tracks; forming a plurality of electrodes on a first surface of the ceramic substrate, wherein the plurality of electrodes are in electrical communication with the control and detection circuitry; disposing a solid electrolyte over at least a portion of each of the plurality of electrodes; encapsulating the solid electrolyte and the plurality of electrodes with a coating; and sealing the plurality of electrodes and the electrolyte from an external environment based on the encapsulating, wherein the one or more capillaries form the only opening between the external environment and the plurality of electrodes.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein forming the plurality of electrodes occurs after coupling the control and detection circuitry to the ceramic substrate.

33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein coupling the control and detection circuitry to the ceramic substrate comprises applying heat to solder bond one or more components to the ceramic substrate.

34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein disposing the solid electrolyte over at least the portion of each of the plurality of electrodes comprises screen printing the solid electrolyte.

35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein forming a plurality of electrical connection tracks on the ceramic substrate comprises forming one or more vias through the ceramic substrate, passing a lead through the via of the ceramic substrate

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Pratt Keith Francis Edwin
• Chapples John
• Scorfield Steve

Classifications

• G01N27/4071 Primary

  using sensor elements of laminated structure · CPC title

• G01N27/4035

  Combination of a single ion-sensing electrode and a single reference electrode (G01N27/406 and G01N27/413 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/4072

  characterized by the diffusion barrier · CPC title

• G01N27/4045 Primary

  for gases other than oxygen · CPC title