Sensor device for sensing a gas, method for operating a sensor device for sensing a gas and production method for a sensor device for sensing a gas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9465004-B2
Application number	US-201414217561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2014
Priority date	Mar 19, 2013
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A sensor device for sensing a gas includes a sensing region, and a readout region that is electrically and mechanically connected to the sensing region by way of a connecting web. The readout region, the sensing region, and the connecting web are formed from a substrate, and are isolated from the substrate by a clearance cutout. The sensing region has an ion-conducting region configured to provide a measuring signal dependent on the gas. The readout region (is configured to read out the measuring signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor device for sensing a gas, comprising:
a sensing region that includes an ion-conducting region configured to provide a measuring signal based at least in part upon the gas; and
a readout region electrically and mechanically connected to the sensing region via a connecting web, and configured to read out the measuring signal;
wherein the sensing region, the readout region, and the connecting web are formed from a substrate; and
wherein the sensing region, the readout region, and the connecting web are isolated by a clearance.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein a thermal conductivity of the sensing region is greater than a thermal conductivity of at least one of the connecting web and the readout region.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the readout region includes a circuit that is integrated into the substrate and configured to evaluate the measuring signal.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the readout region includes at least one terminal configured to pass the measuring signal to an evaluation circuit; and
the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate the measuring signal.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1 , further configured as a microsystems technology element.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting web includes at least one electrical line configured to electrically couple the sensing region to the readout region.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sensing region includes a further ion-conducting region configured to provide a further measuring signal based at least in part upon the gas
the further ion-conducting region has different ion-conducting materials than ion conducting materials of the ion-conducting region; and
the readout region is further configured to read out the further measuring signal.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a further connecting web, wherein:
the connecting web connects a side face of the sensing region that is facing the readout region to a side face of the readout region that forms the clearance; and
the further connecting web connects a further side face of the sensing region that is facing the readout region and is opposite from the side face of the sensing region to a further side face of the readout region that forms the clearance and is opposite to the side face of the readout region.

9. A method of using a sensor device, comprising:
heating a sensing region of the sensor device that includes an ion-conducting region configured to provide a measuring signal based at least in part upon a gas; and
reading out a measured value representative of a measuring signal from a readout region of the sensor device that is electrically and mechanically connected to the sensing region via a connecting web, and configured to read out the measuring signal;
wherein the sensing region, the readout region, and the connecting web are formed from a substrate; and
wherein the sensing region, the readout region, and the connecting web are isolated by a clearance.

10. The method of using a sensor device according to claim 9 , wherein the heating is performed within an operating time of the sensor device.

11. The method of using a sensor device according to claim 9 , wherein:
heating the sensing region includes successively heating the sensing region to a first temperature and to a second temperature; and
reading out the measured value includes:
reading out the measured value during a first period when the sensing region is heated to the first temperature; and
reading out the measured value during a second period when the sensing region is heated to the second temperature.

12. A method of producing a sensor device for sensing a gas, comprising:
forming, using a substrate:
a sensing region configured to carry an ion-conducting region that provides a measuring signal based at least in part upon the gas;
a readout region configured to read out the measuring signal; and
a connecting web that electrically and mechanically connects the sensing region to the readout region; and
producing a clearance from the substrate that isolates the sensing region and the connecting web from the substrate.

13. The method of producing a sensor device according to claim 12 , wherein producing the clearance includes an etching process.

14. The method of producing a sensor device according to claim 12 , further comprising applying the ion-conducting region to the sensing region after producing the clearance.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Fix Richard
• Kunz Denis
• Krauss Andreas
• Sahner Kathy
• Nolte Philipp

Classifications

• G01N27/407 Primary

  for investigating or analysing gases {(G01N27/411 takes precedence)} · CPC title