PRECONCENTRATOR FOR ABSORBING/DESORBING AT LEAST ONE COMPONENT OF GAS

Abstract

The disclosure pertains to a microstructure for adsorbing/desorbing at least one gas component of a gas supplied to the microstructure. The microstructure includes a semiconductor substrate having a bottom and a top. The microstructure also includes a plurality of micro-channels, extending from the bottom to the top of the semiconductor substrate. A top surface of micro-channel is configured to adsorb and/or desorb the at least one gas component when the gas is passed through the micro-channels.

Claims

1. A microstructure for adsorbing, desorbing, or adsorbing and desorbing at least one gas component of a gas supplied to the microstructure, the microstructure comprising: a semiconductor substrate with an underside and a top side; a plurality of micro-channels, wherein each micro-channel extends from the underside to the top side of the semiconductor substrate; and a surface of the respective micro-channels configured to absorb, desorb, or absorb and desorb the at least one gas component when the gas flows through the respective micro-channels.

2. The microstructure of claim 1, wherein the surface of the respective micro-channels is formed by a surface structure of the respective micro-channels on an internal wall thereof.

3. The microstructure of claim 1, wherein the surface of the respective micro-channels is formed by a coating that is applied to an internal wall of the respective micro-channels.

4. The microstructure of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature control element configured to control a temperature of the semiconductor substrate.

5. The microstructure of claim 4, wherein the temperature control element is arranged on the top side of the semiconductor substrate.

6. The microstructure of claim 4, wherein the temperature control element has a plurality of through-openings corresponding to the micro-channels, and wherein the through-openings are arranged in line with the respective micro-channels.

7. The microstructure of claim 1, further comprising: at least one thermally conductive element extending from the top side to the underside of the semiconductor substrate.

8. The microstructure of claim 7, wherein the micro-channels are arranged in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and the at least one thermally conductive element is arranged in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second region is a different region from the first region.

9. The microstructure of claim 7, wherein the at least one thermally conductive element is thermally coupled to a temperature control element of the microstructure, wherein the temperature control element is configured to control a temperature of the semiconductor substrate.

10. The microstructure of claim 1, wherein each micro-channel of the plurality of micro-channels has a length of greater than 100 micrometers, a diameter of less than 20 micrometers, or both a length of greater than 100 micrometers and diameter of less than 20 micrometers.

11. A method for producing a microstructure comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate having an underside and a top side; and introducing a plurality of micro-channels into the semiconductor substrate by an electrochemical etching method, wherein each micro-channel extends from the underside to the top side of the semiconductor substrate, and wherein a surface of the respective micro-channels configured to absorb, desorb, or absorb and desorb the at least one gas component when the gas flows through the respective micro-channels.

12. An apparatus configured to detect at least one gas component, the apparatus comprising: a microstructure having: a semiconductor substrate with an underside and a top side; a plurality of micro-channels, wherein each micro-channel extends from the underside to the top side of the semiconductor substrate; and a surface of the respective micro-channels configured to absorb, desorb, or absorb and desorb the at least one gas component when gas flows through the respective micro-channels; and a gas sensor having a sensor surface configured to measure a concentration of the at least one gas component, wherein the sensor surface of the gas sensor is oriented toward the underside of the microstructure.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a micro-pump arranged relative to the microstructure such that the micro-pump is oriented toward the top side of the microstructure so as to establish a flow of the gas through the micro-channels from the top side to the underside of the microstructure.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a device configured to provide thermal energy, wherein the device is thermally coupled to at least one thermally conductive element.

15. A method for operating an apparatus comprising: providing an apparatus comprising: (1) a microstructure having a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of micro-channels, and (2) a gas sensor having a sensor surface, introducing a gas into the micro-channels of the microstructure for adsorption of at least one gas component contained in the gas on a surface of the micro-channels; and heating the microstructure for desorption of the at least one gas component and for supplying the at least one desorbed gas component to the gas sensor for measuring the concentration of the at least one gas component in the supplied gas.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the apparatus having a microstructure, a gas sensor, and a temperature control element.

[0030] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the embodiment of the apparatus from FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic illustration of another embodiment of the apparatus having a microstructure, a gas sensor, and a temperature control element.

[0032] FIG. 4 depicts a schematic illustration of the operation of another embodiment of the apparatus having a structure, a gas sensor, a temperature control element, and a micro-pump.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In the context of the exemplary embodiment described herein, the components of the embodiment in each case represent individual features of the disclosure that are to be considered independently of one another and which in each case also refine the disclosure independently of one another, and are therefore to be considered individually or in a combination other than that shown, as a constituent part of the disclosure. Furthermore, the described embodiment may also be complemented by others of the already described features of the disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 1 depicts an apparatus 10 for detecting at least one gas component of a gas. The apparatus 10 includes a microstructure 12 and a gas sensor 24. The microstructure 12 serves as a so-called preconcentrator for adsorbing and/or desorbing the at least one gas component. The gas sensor 24 serves for measuring a concentration of the at least one gas component.

[0035] The microstructure 12 is made of a semiconductor substrate 14, for example, silicon. The microstructure 12 has an underside 16 and a top side 18. In addition, the microstructure 12 has, in a first region R1, a multiplicity, (e.g., an array), of parallel micro-channels 20, which are in particular arranged periodically. The micro-channels 20 extend from the underside 16 to the top side 18 of the microstructure 12. In that context, a gas may enter openings of the micro-channels 20 on the top side 18 of the microstructure 12, flow through the micro-channels 20 and exit at the underside 16 of the microstructure 12 via openings in the microstructure. The micro-channels 20 have a surface 22 onto which the at least one gas component of the through-flowing gas may be adsorbed. In that context, the surface 22 may be formed by the internal walls of the micro-channels 20 themselves, by a surface structure of the internal walls or by a coating of the internal walls. The coating may have an adsorption material and thus improve the adhesion properties of the surface 22 for the at least one gas component of the through-flowing gas.

[0036] In this case, the microstructure 12 is arranged above the gas sensor 24 in the vertical direction. The gas sensor 24, which has a sensor surface 26 and an electrical contact 28, is then attached to a support element 30. The microstructure 12 is arranged above the gas sensor 24 in the vertical direction such that the sensor surface 26 is oriented toward the underside 16 of the microstructure 12. The microstructure 12 is connected to the support element 30 by a connection element 32.

[0037] In this case, a temperature control element 34 is arranged on the top side 18 of the microstructure 12. The temperature control element 34 may be designed as a heating device or as a thermally conductive layer. The temperature control element 34 may be thermally coupled to the temperature control element 34 by a thermally conductive element 36. The thermally conductive element 36 extends from the top side 18 to the underside 16 in a second region R2 of the microstructure 12, wherein in this case the second region R2 is in the form of an outer rim of the microstructure 12. The thermally conductive element 36 is coupled to the connection element 32. Here, the connection element 32 is embodied as an electrical contact. The temperature control element 34 may be supplied with energy for heating and/or for cooling the microstructure 12 by the electrical contact, via the thermally conductive element 36.

[0038] FIG. 2 depicts the apparatus 10 from FIG. 1 in a perspective view. This shows that the temperature control element 34 has through-openings 38. These are coincident with the openings of the micro-channels 20 on the top side 18 of the microstructure 12. Thus, on the top side 18 of the microstructure 12, the openings are not covered and/or closed by the temperature control element 34. It is thus possible for each one of the micro-channels 20 to be traversed by the gas and used for adsorption and/or desorption of the at least one gas component. The through-openings 38 and the openings of the micro-channels 20 may have a round, oval, rectangular or square cross section.

[0039] FIG. 3 depicts another embodiment of the apparatus 10. The gas sensor 24 is attached to the support element 30. In this case, the microstructure 12 is arranged above the gas sensor 24 in the vertical direction. In addition, the microstructure 12 is connected to the support element 30 via a device 40 for the provision of thermal energy. Here, the microstructure 12 has, in the second region R2, multiple thermally conductive elements 36 extending from the underside 16 to the top side 18 of the microstructure 12. The temperature control element 34 is in this case designed as a thermally conductive layer. The temperature control element 34 is thermally coupled to the device 40 for the provision of thermal energy by the thermally conductive elements 36. The device 40 for the provision of thermal energy allows the temperature control element 34 to be supplied, via the thermally conductive elements 36, with thermal energy for heating and/or cooling the microstructure 12. The energy for heating may also be supplied by electromagnetic radiation. This may be heat radiation (e.g., infrared), visible light, microwave radiation, or inductive heating using alternating current. The device 40 may be designed as a Peltier heating and cooling system (in an exemplary embodiment not illustrated in its own right, which otherwise corresponds to the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the energy for heating may also be supplied by electromagnetic radiation: this electromagnetic radiation may be heat radiation (e.g., infrared), visible light, microwave radiation, or inductive heating using alternating current).

[0040] FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of the apparatus 10 in operation. The apparatus 10 includes the microstructure 12, the gas sensor 24, and a micro-pump 42. In this example, the gas sensor 24, the microstructure 12, and the micro-pump 42 are arranged one above the other in the vertical direction. In this case, the microstructure 12 is connected to the support element 30 via the device 40 for the provision of thermal energy. The sensor surface 26 of the gas sensor 24, which is arranged on the support element 30, is oriented toward the underside 16 of the microstructure 12. The micro-pump 42 is connected to the microstructure 12 via a connection element 32, such that the top side 18 of the microstructure 12 is oriented toward the micro-pump 42. The micro-pump 42 is designed to supply a gas, the flow direction of which is illustrated here by arrows 44, to the microstructure 12, in particular, to the micro-channels 20. The gas, which has at least one gas component that is to be measured, enters the micro-channels 20 via the openings of the micro-channels on the top side 18 of the microstructure 12, flows through the micro-channels 20 and exits the micro-channels 20 via the openings of the micro-channels 20 on the underside 16 of the microstructure 12.

[0041] As the gas flows through the micro-channels 20, the gas components contained in the gas, in particular molecules of the gas component, are adsorbed by the surface 22 of the micro-channels 20. The device 40 for the provision of thermal energy allows the temperature control element 34 for increasing the adsorption rate to be supplied with energy for cooling the microstructure 12. This raises the number of molecules adsorbed onto the surface 22. The gas may flow through the microstructure 12, for example, in a predetermined time. During this time, a certain number of molecules, that is to say a certain concentration of the at least one gas component, is adsorbed onto the surface 22 of the micro-channels 20.

[0042] For desorption, (e.g., in order to release the molecules located on the surface 22 of the micro-channels 20 of the at least one gas component), the microstructure 12 may be heated by the device 40 for the provision of thermal energy. In that context, the heating energy may be supplied to the temperature control element 34 by the device 40 via the thermally conductive elements 36. Here, the temperature control element 34 is embodied as a thermally conductive layer arranged on the semiconductor substrate 14, for example, silicon. By virtue of the high thermal conductivity of silicon, the heat also spreads within the semiconductor substrate 14, thus heating the semiconductor substrate 14. The heating process may be carried out within a short time, e.g., between 10 and 100 milliseconds. This rapid heating allows the stored gas, that is to say the molecules of the at least one gas component that adhere to the surface 22, to be suddenly released.

[0043] The gas components may then land on the sensor surface 26 of the gas sensor 24 that is arranged suitably close. The gas sensor 24 is designed to measure the concentration of the desorbed gas component.

[0044] Thus, the exemplary embodiment indicates more sensitive gas detection using a preconcentrator.

[0045] Although the disclosure is illustrated more closely and described in detail by way of the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is not restricted to the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the disclosure. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.

[0046] It is to be understood that the elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent, and that such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.