Astié S., Gué A.M., Scheid E., Guillemet J.P.
LAAS/CNRS, FR
Keywords: FEM thermal simulation, gas sensor, micro heater, silicon oxynitride membrane
The sensor’s operating principle consists in measuring the resistance variations of a thin semiconductive layer heated between 250 and 450?C as a function of the nature and quantity of the molecules adsorbed on its surface. The reduction of the power consumption due to the heating of the sensitive layer, is one of the challenge for SnO2 gas sensors. We propose a new solution using a silicon oxynitride membrane (SiOXNy) to reduce the electric power consumption, allowing a low power consumption (65 mW) at the operating temperature (450?C). Using a commercially available electrothermal simulation software (SESES – ) a new design has been determined. A new sensors generation has been successfully fabricated and its mechanical strength and thermal performances have been correlated with FEM electrothermal simulations.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: Technical Proceedings of the 1998 International Conference on Modeling and Simulation of Microsystems
Published: April 6, 1998
Pages: 453 - 456
Industry sector: Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: Chemical, Physical & Bio-Sensors
ISBN: 0-96661-35-0-3