Microheater meander configurations for combustion catalysts in thermoelectric gas sensor

New microheater meanders of various configurations for thermoelectric gas sensors and asymmetric microheater meanders to achieve different catalyst temperatures for a double catalyst microsensor have been investigated. The power consumption of the new microheater meanders was 30-40 mW at a catalyst temperature of 100 °C, which is approximately 30% less than that of the previous one. For 1-vol% H₂ in air, the voltage signal of microsensors with new microheater meanders was 9.80 to 10.88 mV at a catalyst temperature of 100 °C. For the microsensor with an asymmetric microheater meander for a double catalyst, the Au/Co₃O₄ catalyst achieved temperatures as high as 200 °C for heater power used to maintain the Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst at 160 °C. The voltage signal of the sensor with the asymmetric microheater meander decreased gradually for Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst temperatures over 140 °C and with 1-vol% CO in air, but increased with the catalyst temperature for 1-vol% H ₂ in air. The CO-cancelling effect of the double catalyst sensor was maximized over 180 °C for the asymmetric microheater meander and its performance was improved by 10% compared with the identical microheater meander.