Multi-Region Sensor Module for Low-Power Gas Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas sensors consume high amounts of electric power, making them challenging to integrate into IoT and wearable devices, and there is a need for a sensor module that can reduce power consumption while maintaining reliability.
Innovation Solution
A sensor module is designed with a substrate having distinct regions for temperature, gas, and humidity sensors, utilizing a layered structure with MEMS technology to minimize heat loss and power consumption, and incorporating a gas sensor layer that is thicker than the temperature sensor layer and a humidity sensor layer that is thinner than the gas sensor layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a typical bulk-type gas sensor uses a metal thick film-based heater to heat the substrate to operation temperature, then the gas sensing function is achieved, but the power consumption increases to hundreds of mW
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is divided into multiple functional regions on a single substrate: a gas sensor region, a temperature sensor region, and a humidity sensor region. Each region has its own heater and sensor layers, allowing independent control and measurement. This segmentation enables the system to achieve accurate gas sensing while reducing overall power consumption by only heating the gas sensor region to operation temperature, rather than the entire substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate are assigned different functional properties: the gas sensor region has a thick gas sensor layer for accurate gas detection, the temperature sensor region has a thin temperature sensor layer for temperature measurement, and the humidity sensor region has a thin humidity sensor layer for humidity detection. This local differentiation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function while reducing overall power consumption.
2Reliability
If the gas sensor layer is made thicker to improve gas sensing accuracy, then the sensing reliability increases, but the heat loss increases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor structure is segmented into multiple regions with different layer thicknesses. The gas sensor region has a thick gas sensor layer (50-200 nm) for accurate gas detection, while the temperature and humidity sensor regions have thinner layers. This segmentation allows the gas sensor layer to be thick enough for accurate sensing without requiring the entire substrate to be heated, thereby reducing heat loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas sensor layer thickness is locally optimized to 50-200 nm in the gas sensor region, while the temperature and humidity sensor layers are made thinner. This local quality differentiation ensures that the gas sensing accuracy is maximized in the required region while minimizing heat loss across the entire sensor structure.
3Reliability
If multiple sensor layers are added to correct gas concentration errors using temperature and humidity information, then the gas sensing reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor and humidity sensor are merged with the gas sensor on a single substrate, forming an integrated sensor module. The temperature sensor layer and humidity sensor layer are positioned adjacent to the gas sensor layer, allowing simultaneous measurement of gas concentration, temperature, and humidity. This merging reduces device complexity compared to having separate sensor devices, while improving gas concentration measurement reliability through compensatory calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor module is designed with multi-functionality: the same substrate and heater structure support gas sensing, temperature sensing, and humidity sensing functions. The temperature and humidity sensors serve as compensatory elements that correct gas concentration measurement errors, making the system more versatile and reliable without requiring entirely separate sensor systems.
4Volume of moving object
If the sensor module is made ultra small using MEMS technology, then the size is reduced and power consumption is lowered, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gas sensor layer thickness is optimized to a specific parameter range (50-200 nm) to achieve the desired balance between sensing accuracy and heat loss. The temperature and humidity sensor layers are made thinner than the gas sensor layer. This parameter optimization allows the sensor module to be made ultra-small using MEMS technology while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through established thin-film deposition processes.
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 module achieves reduced power consumption while maintaining high reliability by correcting gas concentration errors using temperature and humidity information, enabling its use in low-power, compact devices.
Implementation Method 1
the major factor of a gas sensing principle is a chemical reaction such as electron exchange between the above-described deposited gas sensing material and a target gas
Implementation Method 2
heating is performed to the above-described operation temperature though a metal thick film-based heater behind a substrate
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor layer provided in the insulation layer of the first region
Implementation Method 4
a humidity sensor provided on the insulation layer of the third region adjacent to the gas sensor layer
Implementation Method 5
a sensor module capable of reducing the power consumption by 1/10 or less by applying partial heating, a heat loss minimization structure
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a sensor module and a manufacturing method of the same. The sensor module includes a substrate having a first region, a second region, and a third region, an insulation layer provided on the substrate, a temperature sensor layer provided in the insulation layer of the first region, a gas sensor layer provided in an upper portion of and inside the insulation layer of the second region adjacent to the temperature sensor layer, and being thicker than the temperature sensor layer, and a sensor module provided on the insulation layer of the third region adjacent to the gas sensor layer, and including a humidity sensor layer thinner than the gas sensor layer.