Temperature sensor and device equipped with temperature sensor

Abstract

Provided are a temperature sensor that has a planar heat-sensitive part and makes it possible to improve heat resistance and high-speed responsiveness, and a device equipped with the temperature sensor.　The present invention is characterized by being provided with a substrate 2 formed from a glass material that does not cause phase transition within a use temperature range, at least a pair of thermistor electrode layers 3 formed on the substrate 2 and at least a pair of lead connection electrode layers 33 connected to the thermistor electrode layers, a thin-film resistance film 4 electrically connected to the at least one pair of thermistor electrode layers 3 formed on the substrate 2, a cover part that is composed of a glass material and covers the thin-film resistance film 4, and at least a pair of lead parts 8 electrically connected to the at least one pair of lead connection electrode layers 33. A planar first flat surface part 60 serving as a heat-sensitive part is formed on the substrate side, and a planar second flat surface part 50 serving as a heat-sensitive part is formed on the cover-part side.

Description

Temperature sensor and device equipped with temperature sensor

[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature sensor having a planar heat-sensitive portion and capable of achieving heat resistance and high-speed response, and to an apparatus equipped with the temperature sensor.

[0002] Temperature sensors made up of thermistor elements are used to detect the temperatures of motor coils and secondary batteries in consumer devices and in-vehicle devices such as automobiles, etc. In these cases, the parts to be measured are often flat (see Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0003] Therefore, if the heat-sensitive part of the temperature sensor is flat, it can be brought into contact with the part to be measured over a wide contact area, allowing heat from the part to be measured to be transferred to the temperature sensor efficiently, resulting in fast thermal response and improved measurement accuracy.

[0004] Patent No. 3819081 Patent No. 4963311 Patent No. 5707081

[0005] However, although there have been prior art disclosures of a temperature sensor having a flat heat-sensitive portion, there have been no disclosures of a temperature sensor that can improve heat resistance and high-speed response.

[0006] The embodiments of the present invention have been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aim to provide a temperature sensor and an apparatus equipped with a temperature sensor that have a planar heat-sensing portion and can improve heat resistance and high-speed response.

[0007] A temperature sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a substrate made of a glass material that does not undergo a phase transition within an operating temperature range, at least one thermistor electrode layer formed on the substrate and at least one lead connection electrode layer connected to the thermistor electrode layer, a thin-film resistive film electrically connected to the at least one thermistor electrode layer formed on the substrate, a cover made of a glass material that covers the thin-film resistive film, and at least one lead portion electrically connected to the at least one lead connection electrode layer, wherein a first planar surface portion that serves as a heat-sensing portion is formed on the substrate side, and a second planar surface portion that serves as a heat-sensing portion is formed on the cover side. The cover can be a protective film or a lid-shaped cover member that covers the thin-film resistive film.

[0008] A device equipped with a temperature sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by being equipped with a temperature sensor according to an embodiment.

[0009] The temperature sensor can be applied to various devices configured with a thermistor of a thin-film resistive film to detect the temperature of, for example, consumer equipment, motor coils of on-board equipment such as automobiles, secondary batteries, etc. However, there is no particular limitation on the devices to which the temperature sensor can be applied.

[0010] It is possible to provide a temperature sensor having a planar heat-sensitive portion and capable of improving heat resistance and high-speed response, and an apparatus equipped with the temperature sensor.

[0011] 8 is a perspective view showing a temperature sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the same temperature sensor. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a temperature sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the same temperature sensor. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a temperature sensor according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a temperature sensor according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 8. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the same temperature sensor. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a temperature sensor according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the same temperature sensor. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a temperature sensor according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the same temperature sensor.

[0012] The temperature sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In order to make each component in each drawing large enough to be easily recognized, the scale of each component has been appropriately changed for the purpose of explanation. Furthermore, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0013] The temperature sensor of this embodiment has a substrate and a cover made of glass material, and is provided with a first flat surface portion and a second flat surface portion as a heat-sensing portion.

[0014] <First embodiment> A first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a temperature sensor, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a plan view showing the temperature sensor.

[0015] The temperature sensor 1 includes a substrate 2, a pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b, a thin-film resistive film 4, and a protective film 5. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 1 is a thermal resistance element, specifically a thin-film thermistor. The temperature sensor 1 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, with a horizontal dimension of 6.0 mm and a vertical dimension of 2.0 mm. The shape and dimensions are not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the application.

[0016] The substrate 2 is an insulating glass substrate having a substantially rectangular shape and a thickness of 100 μm to 200 μm, and is made of a glass material. The glass substrate of this embodiment is made of silicon oxide (SiO ２ ) is contained at 40 to 80%.

[0017] Glass substrates can be made thinner than ceramic substrates because they are less susceptible to cracking during substrate fabrication. Glass substrates also have a low thermal capacity, low infrared transmittance, and the ability to efficiently absorb infrared rays.

[0018] Furthermore, some thin insulating substrates undergo deformation when left in the operating temperature range. For example, it has been confirmed that zirconia substrates deform, become brittle, and deteriorate after being left in a 150°C temperature environment for 1,000 hours, or in a 200°C temperature environment for 200 hours. This substrate deformation is thought to be due to dimensional changes caused by low-temperature thermal degradation resulting from changes in the zirconia crystal structure. Therefore, thin glass substrates used as temperature sensors should be designed to prevent such dimensional changes from occurring within the operating temperature range.

[0019] The glass substrate of this embodiment is made of a material selected to suppress deformation due to phase transitions that cause changes in the chain polymer structure of the glass within the operating temperature range, thereby reducing the reduction in strength. In other words, the glass substrate does not have a phase transition point that would cause deformation within the operating temperature range. The operating temperature range is the temperature range in which the temperature sensor 1 is used in various situations, and is assumed to be between -40°C and 250°C.

[0020] The linear expansion coefficient of the substrate 2 is 3×10 －６ / ℃ ~18×10 －６ / °C, and preferably 5 x 10 －６ / ℃ ~12 × 10 －６ / °C. By setting the linear expansion coefficient within this range, damage to the thin-film resistive film 4 due to dimensional changes caused by temperature changes when forming the thin-film resistive film 4 or when using the temperature sensor 1 can be suppressed.

[0021] Furthermore, a substrate removal section 40 is formed on one end side of the substrate 2. The substrate removal section 40 is a section on the mounting surface side (front surface side) of one end side of the substrate 2 that reduces the dimension of the substrate 2 in the thickness direction. In other words, it is a cut-like section, and the difference in thickness between the substrate 2 and the substrate removal section 40 is 50 μm to 100 μm. The back side of the substrate 2 is flat, and forms a first flat section 60 that becomes the heat-sensing section of the temperature sensor 1.

[0022] The pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are formed on the substrate 2 and the substrate removal portion 40, and are electrically connected to the thin-film resistive film 4. They are arranged parallel to each other with a predetermined gap between them. Specifically, the pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are formed by depositing a metal thin film by sputtering, and the material of the metal thin film is a noble metal such as platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), palladium (Pd), ruthenium (Ru), or an alloy thereof, such as an Ag-Pd alloy. In this embodiment, the thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are formed below the thin-film resistive film 4, but they may also be formed on or within the thin-film resistive film 4.

[0023] The thin-film resistive film 4 is a heat-sensitive thin film, which is a thermistor thin film made of an oxide semiconductor having a negative temperature coefficient. The thin-film resistive film 4 is formed by sputtering on the thermistor electrode layers 3 a and 3 b on the substrate 2 so as to straddle the thermistor electrode layers 3 a and 3 b, and is electrically connected to the thermistor electrode layers 3 a and 3 b.

[0024] The thin-film resistive film 4 is made of a thermistor material containing, as its main component, a composite metal oxide having a spinel structure, composed of two or more elements selected from transition metal elements such as manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and iron (Fe). Subcomponents may also be included to improve characteristics. The composition and content of the main and subcomponents can be determined appropriately depending on the desired characteristics. The thickness of the thin-film resistive film 4 is 0.3 μm to 3 μm, which provides a small heat capacity.

[0025] A barrier layer 6 is formed on the substrate 2. The barrier layer 6 is interposed between the substrate 2 and the thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b and the thin-film resistive film 4 to prevent diffusion due to heat between the substrate 2 and the thin-film resistive film 4. The barrier layer 6 is made of silicon dioxide (SiO ２ ), silicon nitride (Si ３ N ４ ) or the like can be formed by sputtering.

[0026] Next, a protective film 5 is formed as a coating agent as a cover portion that covers the thin-film resistive film 4. The protective film 5 covers the area where the thin-film resistive film 4 is formed, and also covers the portions of the thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b formed on the substrate 2. Therefore, the protective film 5 is formed so as not to cover the substrate removal portion 40. This protective film 5 is planar, and forms a second planar portion 50 that faces the first planar portion 60 on the protective film 5 side and becomes the heat-sensitive portion of the temperature sensor 1.

[0027] The protective film 5 is made of silicon dioxide (SiO ２ ), silicon nitride (Si ３ N ４The protective film 5 may be formed by depositing a film of a glass material such as lead glass, borosilicate glass, or lead borosilicate glass by sputtering on the film or by applying the glass material by printing. Alternatively, the protective film 5 may be formed by directly depositing a glass material such as lead glass, borosilicate glass, or lead borosilicate glass.

[0028] The protective film 5 made of glass material has a maximum thickness of 15 μm and is formed by melting. Typically, due to the nature of glass, the surface tension of the molten glass acts to sphericalize the glass during the formation of the protective film. However, in this embodiment, the thin-film resistive film 4 and the pair of lead connection electrode layers 33 a, 33 b are disposed on the substrate 2 and the substrate removal section 40, respectively. By disposing them on surfaces with different heights (thicknesses), the protective film 5 disposed on the substrate 2 covering the thin-film resistive film 4 can be made thinner, allowing for a planar structure. In other words, even if the glass attempts to solidify in a spherical shape, the molten glass tends to flow toward the substrate removal section 40, which has a shorter height, avoiding sphericalization, thereby forming a planar protective film 5.

[0029] A pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b are connected to the pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b. The lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b are disposed on the substrate removal portion 40. Like the thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b, the lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b are formed by depositing a metal thin film by sputtering. The metal thin film may be made of a precious metal such as platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), palladium (Pd), or ruthenium (Ru), or an alloy thereof, such as an Ag-Pd alloy. In this embodiment, the pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b and the pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b may be integrally formed. That is, the portions of the pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b formed on the substrate removal portion 40 are considered to be the pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b, and can be directly electrically connected to the lead portions 8a, 8b, described below.

[0030] A pair of lead portions 8a, 8b are electrically connected to the lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b by a connection portion 7. This connection portion 7 can be formed by a method appropriately selected from conductive adhesive, soldering, welding, etc. At least one pair of lead portions 8a, 8b has a size equal to or smaller than the thickness dimension from the surface on which the at least one pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b are formed to the second flat portion 50.

[0031] As described above, according to this embodiment, a temperature sensor 1 having a planar heat-sensing portion is provided, and planar contact between the temperature sensor 1 and the portion to be measured is possible on either the first planar portion 60 or the second planar portion 50, thereby enabling efficient temperature measurement of the planar body and improving heat resistance and high-speed response.

[0032] Second Embodiment A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the temperature sensor 1, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the temperature sensor. This embodiment has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are arranged facing each other with a predetermined gap between them. Substrate removal portions 40a, 40b are formed on both ends of a glass substrate 2. The pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are connected to a pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b, which are formed in the substrate removal portions 40a, 40b. A pair of lead portions 8a, 8b are electrically connected to the lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b via connection portions 7a, 7b.

[0033] With this configuration, the first planar portion 60 and the second planar portion 50 are configured as planar heat-sensing portions.

[0034] <Third Embodiment> A third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature sensor 1. In this embodiment, an insulating coating agent 9 is disposed at the connection portion between the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and the pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b in the first or second embodiment. The insulating coating agent 9 is made of, for example, a glass material. The pair of lead portions 8a, 8b preferably have a thickness equal to or smaller than the thickness from the substrate removal portion 40 to the second flat portion 50. The insulating coating agent 9 is made of an inorganic material such as glass for the purposes of insulation and reinforcement. The thickness of the insulating coating agent 9 is preferably equal to or larger than the thickness of the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and equal to or smaller than the thickness from the substrate removal portion 40 to the second flat portion 50.

[0035] By specifying the thickness dimensions of the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and the insulating coating material 9 as described above, the second planar portion 50 can contact the measured portion without being interfered with by the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and the insulating coating material 9, making it possible to measure the temperature of the planar body more efficiently on the second planar portion 50 side.

[0036] <Fourth embodiment> A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8 to Fig. 11. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the temperature sensor 1. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in Fig. 8, and Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the temperature sensor 1.

[0037] In this embodiment, a lid-shaped cover member 10 is provided on the substrate 2 as a cover portion that covers the thin-film resistive film 4 .

[0038] The substrate 2 is an insulating, generally rectangular glass substrate with a thickness of 10 μm to 100 μm, made of a glass material. The material of the substrate 2 is selected so as to suppress deformation due to phase transition within the operating temperature range. In other words, the substrate 2 is made of an insulating glass material that does not undergo phase transition within the operating temperature range.

[0039] The pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are formed on the substrate 2 and are electrically connected to the thin-film resistive film 4. The pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are arranged parallel to each other with a predetermined gap between them. Furthermore, the pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are connected to a pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b.

[0040] 8 and 9, a pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b are arranged on one end side of the substrate 2. The back side of the substrate 2 is flat and forms a first flat portion 60 which becomes the heat-sensing portion of the temperature sensor 1.

[0041] The thin-film resistive film 4 is covered with a protective film 5. The protective film 5 is made of a glass material and is formed by melting the glass material. In this case, the protective film 5 is arranged so that at least a portion of the pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b is exposed. The thickness and shape of the protective film 5 are not particularly specified, but since the heat capacity increases as the amount of inorganic material increases near the thin-film resistive film 4, it is preferable that the thickness be as thin as possible and that the shape be flat from the perspective of thermal responsiveness. In this embodiment, the protective film 5 is not necessarily required because a lid-shaped cover member 10 is provided as described below.

[0042] The lid-shaped cover member 10 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped lid, and has a recess 20 on the side facing the substrate 2 that matches the shapes of the thin-film resistive film 4 and the protective film 5, and houses and covers the thin-film resistive film 4 and the protective film 5. The cover member 10 has a thickness of 50 μm to 100 μm, and is made of an insulating glass material that does not undergo phase transition within the operating temperature range.

[0043] The cover member 10 is bonded to the substrate 2 so that at least a portion of the pair of lead connection electrode layers 33 a, 33 b is exposed. The method for bonding the cover member 10 to the substrate 2 can be appropriately selected from laser bonding, brazing, atomic diffusion bonding, etc. The thin-film resistive film 4 and the protective film 5 are sealed by bonding the peripheral edge of the lid-shaped cover member 10 to the substrate 2.

[0044] The upper surface of the cover member 10 is flat and forms the second flat portion 50. Therefore, the temperature sensor 1 and the object to be measured can be in flat contact on either the first flat portion 60 or the second flat portion 50, allowing the temperature of the flat body to be measured efficiently.

[0045] An insulating coating 9 is disposed at the connection between the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and the pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b. The pair of lead portions 8a, 8b preferably have a thickness equal to or less than the thickness from the substrate 2 to the second flat portion 50. The insulating coating 9 is made of an inorganic material such as glass for insulation and reinforcement. Furthermore, the insulating coating 9 also serves to fill any gaps that may be left unbonded between the substrate 2 and the cover member 10 near the lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b. The thickness of the insulating coating 9 is preferably equal to or greater than the thickness of the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and equal to or less than the thickness from the substrate 2 to the second flat portion 50. By specifying the thickness of the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and the insulating coating 9 as described above, the second flat portion 50 can contact the object to be measured without interference from the pair of lead portions 8a, 8b and the insulating coating 9, enabling more efficient temperature measurement of the flat body on the second flat portion 50 side.

[0046] Fifth Embodiment A fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the temperature sensor 1, and Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the temperature sensor 1.

[0047] This embodiment has the same basic configuration as the fourth embodiment. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, it includes a cover member 10. The cover member 10 is a lid-like member having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a recess 20 on the side facing the substrate 2 that matches the shapes of the thin-film resistive film 4 and the protective film 5, housing and covering the thin-film resistive film 4 and the protective film 5. A pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are disposed on both end sides of the substrate 2. The pair of thermistor electrode layers 3a, 3b are connected to a pair of lead connection electrode layers 33a, 33b, which are disposed on both end sides of the substrate 2, respectively.

[0048] Therefore, the temperature sensor 1 can be in flat contact with the object to be measured on either the first flat surface 60 or the second flat surface 50, and the temperature of the flat body can be measured efficiently.

[0049] Sixth Embodiment A sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. Figures 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views showing the temperature sensor 1.

[0050] In this embodiment, a support substrate 11 is disposed on the rear surface side of the substrate 2. The support substrate 11 is flat and forms a first flat portion 60 which becomes the heat-sensing portion of the temperature sensor 1.

[0051] The support substrate 11 is made of an insulating inorganic material that does not undergo a phase transition within the operating temperature range. Specifically, a ceramic material such as alumina or zirconia is preferred. Providing the support substrate 11 can improve the strength of the substrate 2. There is no particular specification for the thickness of the support substrate 11, but since the heat capacity increases as the amount of inorganic material increases near the thin-film resistive film 4, a thinner thickness is preferable from the perspective of thermal responsiveness. The method for joining the support substrate 11 and the substrate 2 can be appropriately selected from laser welding, brazing, atomic diffusion bonding, etc.

[0052] As described above, in each embodiment, the heat-sensing unit includes the planar first flat portion 60 and the planar second flat portion 50. In addition, in the first to fifth embodiments, the first flat portion 60 and the second flat portion 50 are made of a glass material. Specifically, the substrate 2, the protective film 5, and the cover member 10 are made of a glass material. In particular, the substrate 2 and the cover member 10 are made of a glass material that does not undergo a phase transition within the operating temperature range.

[0053] If the heat-sensitive portion of the temperature sensor 1 is flat, it can be brought into contact with the part to be measured over a wide contact area, allowing heat from the part to be measured to be transferred well to the temperature sensor 1, resulting in fast thermal response and improved measurement accuracy. Furthermore, the substrate 2 constituting the first flat portion 60 and the cover member 10 constituting the second flat portion 50 are made of a glass material that does not undergo phase transition within the operating temperature range, improving heat resistance. Furthermore, the thickness of the substrate 2 can be reduced, and the thin-film resistive film is a thin film of a thermistor, enabling improved high-speed response.

[0054] The temperature sensor 1 can be applied to various devices configured with a thermistor having a thin-film resistive film for detecting the temperature of motor coils of consumer appliances, on-board devices such as automobiles, secondary batteries, etc. The devices to which the temperature sensor 1 can be applied are not particularly limited.

[0055] The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the inventions and their equivalents as set forth in the claims.

[0056] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Temperature sensor 2 Substrate 3, 3a, 3b Thermistor electrode layer 33, 33a, 33b Lead connection electrode layer 4 Thin film resistive film 5 Protective film (cover portion) 6 Barrier layer 7, 7a, 7b Connection portion 8, 8a, 8b Lead portion 9 Insulating coating agent 10 Lid-shaped cover member (cover portion) 11 Support substrate 20 Recess 40 Substrate removal portion 50 Second flat portion 60 First flat portion

Claims

1. A temperature sensor comprising: a substrate formed from a glass material that does not undergo a phase transition within the operating temperature range; at least a pair of thermistor electrode layers formed on the substrate and at least a pair of lead connection electrode layers connected to the thermistor electrode layers; a thin-film resistive film electrically connected to the at least a pair of thermistor electrode layers formed on the substrate; a cover made of a glass material which covers the thin-film resistive film; and at least a pair of lead portions electrically connected to the at least a pair of lead connection electrode layers, wherein a first planar surface portion which serves as a heat-sensing portion is formed on the substrate side, and a second planar surface portion which serves as a heat-sensing portion is formed on the cover side.

2. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein said at least one pair of thermistor electrode layers and said at least one pair of lead connection electrode layers are integrally formed.

3. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion covering said thin-film resistive film is a protective film or a lid-like cover member.

4. A temperature sensor as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the substrate has a substrate removal portion on one end side of the substrate that reduces the dimension of the substrate in the thickness direction, and the cover portion is a protective film formed by melting a glass material.

5. A temperature sensor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thickness of the substrate is 100 μm to 200 μm.

6. The temperature sensor according to claim 4, wherein the difference in thickness between the substrate and the substrate removal portion is 50 to 100 μm.

7. The temperature sensor according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of said protective film is 15 μm or less.

8. The temperature sensor according to claim 4, wherein the connection portions of said at least one pair of lead connection electrode layers and said at least one pair of lead portions are covered with an insulating coating agent.

9. The temperature sensor described in claim 3, characterized in that the cover portion is a lid-shaped cover member that covers the thin-film resistive film and is positioned so that at least a portion of the at least one pair of electrode layers for connecting leads is exposed, the substrate and the peripheral portions of the lid-shaped cover member are joined together to form a seal, and the connection portions of the at least one pair of electrode layers for connecting leads and the at least one pair of lead portions are covered with an insulating coating agent.

10. The temperature sensor according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of the substrate is 10 μm to 100 μm.

11. The temperature sensor according to claim 9, wherein the lid-shaped cover member has a thickness of 50 to 100 μm.

12. The temperature sensor according to claim 9, wherein the lid-shaped cover member has a recess for accommodating the thin-film resistive film.

13. The temperature sensor according to claim 9, wherein the thin-film resistive film is covered with a protective film formed by melting a glass material.

14. The temperature sensor according to claim 9, wherein the substrate and the lid-shaped cover member are joined by laser welding, brazing or atomic diffusion bonding.

15. A temperature sensor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one pair of lead portions is equal to or smaller than the thickness dimension from the surface on which the at least one pair of lead connection electrode layers are formed to the second flat portion.

16. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a barrier layer formed on said substrate.

17. The temperature sensor according to claim 8, wherein the insulating coating material is made of a glass material.

18. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a support substrate disposed on the rear surface side of said substrate.

19. The temperature sensor of claim 18, wherein the support substrate is a ceramic material.

20. A device equipped with a temperature sensor, characterized in that it is equipped with the temperature sensor according to claim 1.

Images