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The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Patent No.:

US 10274450 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Apr. 30, 2019

Filed:

Aug. 13, 2015

Capacitive sensor

Applicant:

Ams International Ag, Rapperswil, CH;

Inventors:

Hilco Suy, Rn Son en Breugel, NL;

Zoran Zivkovic, Mn Hertogenbosch, NL;

Franciscus Petrus Widdershoven, Hs Eindhoven, NL;

Nebojsa Nenadovic, We Wijchen, NL;

Assignee:

ams International AG, Rapperswil, CH;

Attorney:

Fish & Richardson P.C.

Primary Examiner:

Neel D Shah

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 27/04 (2006.01); G01N 27/22 (2006.01); G01N 27/26 (2006.01); H01L 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01); H01L 21/20 (2006.01); H01L 23/52 (2006.01); G01R 27/26 (2006.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01); H01L 49/02 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 27/223 (2013.01); G01N 27/227 (2013.01); G01N 33/0031 (2013.01); G01N 33/0059 (2013.01); H01L 28/00 (2013.01); H01L 28/40 (2013.01); G01N 33/004 (2013.01); G01N 33/0047 (2013.01);
Abstract

A capacitive environmental sensor and a method for determining the presence of a target substance (e.g. water) using differential capacitive measurements. The sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface. The sensor also includes a plurality of sensor electrodes located on the surface. The electrodes are laterally separated on the surface by intervening spaces. The sensor further includes a sensor layer covering the electrodes. The sensor layer has a permittivity that is sensitive to the presence of the target substance. The surface of the substrate, in a space separating at least one pair of electrodes, includes a recess. The surface of the substrate, in a space separating at least one pair of electrodes, does not include a recess. The sensor may be provided in a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The sensor may be provided in a smart building.

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