Design of a low power SnO2 gas sensor integrated on silicon oxynitride membrane

Power consumption is one of the major challenges for SnO2 gas sensors. We p ropose a new solution using a silicon oxynitride membrane (SiOxNy), allowin g a low power consumption (65 mW) at the operating temperature (450 degrees C). Using electro-thermal simulation by finite element method (SESES(TM)), a new design was determined with optimized size of heater and membrane are a. The corresponding gas sensors were fabricated and their mechanical stren gth and thermal performances were correlated with FEM electro-thermal simul ations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.