Semiconductor Gas Sensor Filtration Layout for Noise Gas Rejection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas sensors face challenges in improving gas sensitivity characteristics, durability, ease of gas flow, and removal of noise gases, particularly in miniaturized semiconductor type sensors.

Innovation Solution

A semiconductor type gas sensor design featuring a substrate with porous anodized aluminum oxide, electrodes with winding patterns for heat generation, a sensing layer responsive to target gases, and a protective layer to filter noise gases, enhancing sensitivity and durability while allowing easy gas flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a non-selective substrate is used for culturing endothelial cells, then cell culture is simpler and faster, but cells adhere non-specifically to plastic surfaces reducing measurement accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell culture speedVSAvoidadhesion measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is segmented into two distinct layers: a non-selective plastic substrate layer for rapid cell culture and a selective protein-coated layer for specific endothelial cell adhesion. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve fast cell culture growth and accurate adhesion measurements by separating the two functions into different layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A protein coating layer serves as an intermediary between the non-selective plastic substrate and the endothelial cells. This intermediary layer enables specific cell adhesion while allowing the underlying plastic substrate to provide rapid cell culture support, thus resolving the contradiction between culture speed and measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If a selective protein-coated substrate is used for culturing endothelial cells, then cell adhesion is specific and accurate, but cell culture is slower and more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion measurement accuracyVSAvoidcell culture speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is segmented into two distinct layers: a non-selective plastic substrate layer for rapid cell culture and a selective protein-coated layer for specific endothelial cell adhesion. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve fast cell culture growth and accurate adhesion measurements by separating the two functions into different layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dual-layer substrate performs multiple functions simultaneously: the plastic substrate layer provides rapid cell culture support while the protein-coated layer provides specific adhesion properties. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by enabling both fast culture and accurate measurement in a single substrate system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If cells are cultured in a multi-well plate format, then high-throughput screening is enabled, but edge effects and evaporation occur at plate perimeters

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreening throughputVSAvoidmeasurement consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The plate is designed with different properties at different locations: the perimeter wells are configured to minimize evaporation and edge effects, while the interior wells maintain standard characteristics for high-throughput screening. This local differentiation ensures measurement consistency across all wells while preserving screening throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The design acknowledges that perimeter wells naturally experience edge effects and evaporation, and converts this potential harm into a benefit by specifically optimizing perimeter well configuration to compensate for these effects, thereby ensuring consistent measurements across the entire plate including high-throughput screening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The sensor improves gas sensitivity, maintains durability, and effectively filters noise gases, ensuring efficient gas flow and enhanced performance in detecting harmful and beneficial gases.

Implementation Method 1

the sensor comprises a quartz crystal resonator or an acoustic resonator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectQuartz crystal resonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

the sensor comprises a quartz crystal resonator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 3

a magnetic bead with a magnetic core and a polymer shell is coupled to the cell

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic force: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 4

By measuring the force required to pull away the cell from the sensor surface using a magnetic bead

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetophoresis: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP3524970B1sensor
Publication Date: 2026.05.20 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3524970B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3524970B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3524970B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A sensor is disclosed. The sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a substrate; a first electrode pattern disposed on one side of the substrate to form a layer; a second electrode pattern disposed on the one side of the substrate to form a layer and separated from the first electrode pattern; a sensing layer located on the one side of the substrate and covering the first electrode pattern and the second electrode pattern and containing a semiconductor; a protective layer located on the one side of the substrate and covering at least a part of the sensing layer, and containing a material different from that of the sensing layer; a first electrode pad disposed on the one side of the substrate to form a layer and electrically connected to the first electrode pattern; a second electrode pad disposed on the one side of the substrate and electrically connected to the second electrode pattern; and a housing accommodating the substrate and including a filter spaced apart from the substrate, wherein the substrate includes an opening formed adjacent to an outer boundary of the first and second electrode patterns.