Improvement in the sensitiity of semiconductor CO2 sensors and their integration based on MEMS technology

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18049
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Electron device/Electronic equipment
• Research Institution: Toyohashi University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Iwata Tatsuya 豊橋技術科学大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (80735639)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 半導体ガスセンサ / CO2センサ / マイクロホットプレート

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For realizing intelligent sensors by integrating various kinds of sensors including gas sensors, this study addressed MEMS-based integrated CO2 semiconductor sensors. First, micro-hotplates (MHP), which include a suspended heating structure, supported by an SU-8 layer were proposed as a stress-tolerant structure. The MHP was successfully fabricated and demonstrated low-power operation comparable with those in the MHP in the previous studies. Concerning the sensor characteristics, it was suggested that the resistance near sensor electrodes significantly contributes to the CO2 sensitivity, and the sensitivity was significantly improved by shrinking the spacing of the electrodes. Finally, the CO2 sensor was fabricated on an MHP, and it exhibited the CO2 sensitivity of 2.9 for 1000-ppm CO2, whereas the power consumption was approximately 17 mW. Furthermore, the sensor detected down to 200-ppm CO2 with at least 200-ppm resolution.

Free Research Field

半導体工学