IP Library Granted Patent US 9,905,341
Granted Patent B2
US 9,905,341 · App. 14/380,997 · Granted Feb 27, 2018

Metal nitride material for thermistor, method for producing same, and film type thermistor sensor

Inventors: Toshiaki Fujita (Naka, JP); Hiroshi Tanaka (Naka, JP); Hitoshi Inaba (Nakia, JP); Kazutaka Fujiwara (Naka, JP); Noriaki Nagatomo (Naka, JP)
Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
H01C7/008C30B25/06C30B29/38G01K7/22H01C7/04H01C7/043H01C17/12H01C7/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,905,341
App. No.
14/380,997
Granted
Feb 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a metal nitride material for a thermistor, which exhibits high reliability and high heat resistance and can be directly deposited on a film or the like without firing, a method for producing the metal nitride material for a thermistor, and a film type thermistor sensor. The metal nitride material for a thermistor consists of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: Ti x Al y N z (where 0.70≦y/(x+y)≦0.95, 0.4≦z≦0.5, and x+y+z=1), and the crystal structure thereof is a hexagonal wurtzite-type single phase.

Claims (26)

1. A thermistor made of a metal nitride material, the metal nitride material consisting of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: TixAlyNz (where 0.70≦y/(x+y)≦0.95, 0.4≦z≦0.5, and x+y+z=1), wherein the crystal structure thereof is a hexagonal wurtzite-type single phase, wherein the rising rate of specific resistance at 25° C. after heat resistance test at 125° C. for 1,000 hours is less than 5%.

2. The thermistor according to claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and is a columnar crystal extending in a vertical direction to a surface of the film.

3. The thermistor according to claim 1 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and is strongly oriented along a c-axis more than an a-axis in a vertical direction to a surface of the film.

4. A film type thermistor sensor comprising:

an insulating film;

a thin film thermistor portion made of the metal nitride material according to claim 1 on the insulating film; and

a pair of pattern electrodes formed at least on the top or the bottom of the thin film thermistor portion.

5. A method for producing the thermistor according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

a depositing step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere using a Ti-Al alloy sputtering target.

6. The method for producing the thermistor according to claim 5 , wherein a sputtering gas pressure during the reactive sputtering is set to less than 0.67 Pa.

7. The method for producing the thermistor according to claim 5 , the method comprising:

a step of irradiating the formed film with nitrogen plasma after the depositing step.

8. A thermistor made of a metal nitride material, the metal nitride material consisting of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: TixAlyNz (where 0.70≦y/(x+y)≦0.95, 0.4≦z≦ 0 . 5 , and x+y+z=1), wherein the crystal structure thereof is a hexagonal wurtzite-type single phase, wherein the B constant thereof calculated based on resistance values at temperatures of 25° C. and 50° C. is 1500 K or greater.

9. The thermistor according to claim 8 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and is a columnar crystal extending in a vertical direction to a surface of the film.

10. The thermistor according to claim 8 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and is strongly oriented along a c-axis more than an a-axis in a vertical direction to a surface of the film.

11. A film type thermistor sensor comprising:

an insulating film;

a thin film thermistor portion made of the metal nitride material according to claim 8 on the insulating film; and

a pair of pattern electrodes formed at least on the top or the bottom of the thin film thermistor portion.

12. A thermistor made of a metal nitride material, the metal nitride material consisting of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: TixAlyNz (where 0.70≦y/(x+y)≦0.95, 0.4≦z≦0.5, and x+y+z=1), wherein the crystal structure thereof is a hexagonal wurtzite-type single phase, wherein the specific resistivity value thereof is 100 Ωcm or greater.

13. The thermistor according to claim 12 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and is a columnar crystal extending in a vertical direction to a surface of the film.

14. The thermistor according to claim 12 , wherein the metal nitride material is deposited as a film and is strongly oriented along a c-axis more than an a-axis in a vertical direction to a surface of the film.

15. A film type thermistor sensor comprising:

an insulating film;

a thin film thermistor portion made of the metal nitride material according to claim 12 on the insulating film; and

a pair of pattern electrodes formed at least on the top or the bottom of the thin film thermistor portion.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2014
From: FUJITA, TOSHIAKI; TANAKA, HIROSHI; INABA, HITOSHI; FUJIWARA, KAZUTAKA; NAGATOMO, NORIAKI
To: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034115/0166 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-041966 · Feb 28, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150036723A1 · Feb 5, 2015