JP2002214180A - Humidity sensor and manufacturing method of humidity sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the precision for the liquid quantity of a moisture sensitive film solution or the thickness of a moisture sensitive film while miniaturizing a sensor to stabilize the humidity measurement characteristic. SOLUTION: In this humidity sensor, a pair of interdigital electrodes 14 having detecting electrode parts 14A having a plurality of comb-teeth at the tip sides, respectively, is provided on a ceramic substrate 12A. A pair of liquid repellent members 20 is arranged around the detecting electrode parts 14A on the ceramic substrate 12A. The surface part of the ceramic substrate 12A including the part having the detecting electrode parts 14A formed thereon between the liquid repellent members 20 is covered with the polymeric moisture sensitive film 16 absorbable of the moisture in the atmosphere.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a humidity sensor and a method of manufacturing a humidity sensor for stabilizing a liquid amount when applying a moisture-sensitive film solution to a detection electrode portion while achieving miniaturization. In particular, the present invention is suitable as a humidity sensor using an organic polymer film having an ionic dissociative group as a moisture-sensitive film and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A humidity sensor for measuring a humidity value by using a change in relative humidity in a gas as, for example, a change in electric resistance has conventionally been used. Further, as such a humidity sensor, a sensor having a structure in which a portion on a substrate on which a pair of electrodes are formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film made of a material such as an organic polymer material has been conventionally known.

Since the polymer type humidity sensor has a wide measuring range and can be produced relatively inexpensively, the range of use has been greatly expanded in recent years. The demands for humidity measurement on the low humidity side, which is not good at the target, and the demands for variations in the accuracy of humidity measurement have also become very strict.

Further, with the miniaturization of measuring instruments, there is a demand for miniaturization of the humidity sensor itself. As a result, it is required to reduce variations in the thickness and application area of the moisture-sensitive film in the humidity sensor. ing. For example, humidity sensors used in small portable temperature / humidity measuring instruments and storage for low-temperature and low-humidity management, as well as humidity sensors used in the food and medical fields, have been made even more compact and highly accurate. Is
Recently it has been sought.

[0005] In particular, in the case where the humidity measurement characteristic is to be suppressed to ± 5% or less with respect to the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film, a film having a thickness of sub-μm to several μm can be obtained with a high yield and a small variation. It is necessary to make the thickness variation high and within ± 10% with high accuracy. At the same time, in consideration of miniaturization of the humidity sensor, the distance between the detection electrode covered with the moisture-sensitive film and the external terminal used for soldering for mounting and drawing out should be minimized. Is desired.

That is, the distance between the detection electrode portion covered with the moisture-sensitive film and the external terminal of the conventional humidity sensor generally used at present is 2 mm to 3 mm. In addition, it is expected that it will not be possible to cope with higher precision. For example, it is considered that a request for a distance of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm or a request for a distance shorter than that may eventually occur.

[0007]

As for a humidity sensor using an organic polymer film having an ionic dissociative group as a moisture-sensitive film, the impedance is lowered to increase the response speed and the sensitivity in a low humidity region. In other words, there is a demand for a material which has a high concentration of dissociated ions and has excellent environmental resistance even with a small film thickness. On the other hand, a method is used in which a moisture-sensitive film solution having a relatively low concentration is applied to the detection electrode portion, and after drying, a uniform and thin film is formed. However, when the concentration of the moisture-sensitive film solution is lowered, there is a disadvantage that a film thickness required for environmental resistance cannot be secured after drying unless the amount of application on the detection electrode portion is increased.

Here, a conventional method of manufacturing a humidity sensor that can secure a sufficient film thickness after drying will be described with reference to FIG. This manufacturing method uses the detection electrode unit 1 as shown in FIG.
A dam 116 is formed around the periphery of the dam 14, and a fixed amount of a low-concentration moisture-sensitive film solution is applied to the inside of the dam 116 to form a moisture-sensitive film 118.
16 must be formed on the substrate 112. Accordingly, the formation of the dam 116 requires a large space around the detection electrode portion 114, so that the humidity sensor becomes large accordingly, which goes against the recent demand for miniaturization.

Next, another conventional method for manufacturing a humidity sensor which aims to increase the film thickness by using a moisture-sensitive film solution having an increased concentration will be described with reference to FIG. In this manufacturing method, as shown in FIG. 9, an aggregate substrate on which a large number of detection electrode portions are formed is divided, and external terminals 120 are connected to lead terminals 12.
After attaching 2, the substrate 112 is immersed in a moisture-sensitive film solution L whose liquid level is controlled to a certain height, and the substrate 112 is pulled up and dried.

That is, in this manufacturing method, a method of forming a moisture-sensitive film by a dipping method in which a detection electrode portion is immersed in a moisture-sensitive film solution L which is a solution for forming a moisture-sensitive film is generally used. However, in this method, it is difficult to control the amount of liquid, and the liquid thickness is less than a desired film thickness, or the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution L is too large to be dripped as shown in FIG. There were drawbacks.

As described above, when the concentration of the moisture-sensitive film solution L is increased by this manufacturing method, the initial viscosity of the moisture-sensitive film solution L increases,
Along with this, variation in film thickness between lots and in-plane increases, and as a result, initial characteristics of the humidity sensor such as humidity measurement characteristics greatly vary. Further, in the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 9, in order to take into consideration that the amount of adhesion of the moisture-sensitive film solution L varies or dripping, the dimension S between the liquid surface and the external terminal 120 is considered.
Are required, the detection electrode unit and the external terminals 120 are required.
It is necessary to provide a large space between them, which is against the demand for miniaturization.

In view of the above facts, the present invention provides a humidity sensor and a method of manufacturing a humidity sensor capable of stabilizing the humidity measurement characteristics by increasing the accuracy of the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution and the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film while miniaturizing the device. The purpose is to provide.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a humidity sensor manufacturing method for manufacturing a humidity sensor in which a surface portion of a substrate on which a detection electrode is formed is covered with a moisture sensitive film. Then, after covering the detection electrode portion with a masking material, at least the periphery of the masking material is covered with a liquid-repellent member that repels a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component forming the moisture-sensitive film, and then the masking material is covered. And then applying a moisture-sensitive film solution to the part where the masking material has been peeled off and drying to form the moisture-sensitive film.

The operation of the method for manufacturing a humidity sensor according to claim 1 will be described below. In the present invention, at least the periphery of the masking material is covered with a liquid repellent member while the detection electrode portion formed on the surface of the substrate is covered with the masking material and once protected. Therefore, when the masking material is peeled off, the liquid-repellent member on the masking material is peeled off together with the masking material, so that only the application region of the moisture-sensitive film solution is exposed and no residue is generated.

Accordingly, when the moisture-sensitive film solution is applied, a liquid-repellent member that repels the moisture-sensitive film solution is disposed around the detection electrode portion. Even if the solution is repelled to form a boundary of the moisture-sensitive film solution and the required amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution is applied, the moisture-repellent member is repelled by the liquid-repellent member and does not flow out to an unnecessary portion. It will not vary.

That is, the liquid-repellent member left after the masking material is peeled off substantially forms a dam, and a predetermined amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution can be held in the coating area on the substrate. Can be applied in large amounts. Therefore, by adjusting the height of the liquid-repellent member, the concentration of the initial moisture-sensitive film solution can be reduced while controlling the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film with high accuracy. A wet film can be formed uniformly.

As described above, since the dam is formed by the liquid-repellent member that repels the moisture-sensitive film solution, the dam can be made smaller.
A large space is not required between the detection electrode unit and the external terminal, and the size of the humidity sensor can be reduced. Further, since the liquid-repellent member dams the moisture-sensitive film solution, the accuracy of the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution and the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film can be increased, and the humidity measurement characteristics of the humidity sensor can be stabilized.

Further, by employing a masking material, a liquid-repellent member or a moisture-sensitive film solution can be applied on the collective substrate, and accordingly, a dispenser or spray can be used without using a bath of the moisture-sensitive film solution. The moisture sensitive film solution can be applied. For this reason, it is not necessary to perform the concentration control and the liquid level control of the moisture-sensitive film solution, which are the conventional causes of variation and important control items, and it is possible to greatly reduce the manufacturing cost.

The operation of the method for manufacturing a humidity sensor according to claim 2 will be described below. The present invention has the same configuration as that of the first aspect and operates in the same manner. However, in the present invention, the masking material is in a liquid state when covering the detection electrode portion and is in a solid state when peeling off. It is configured to be formed of a material to be formed. In other words, the masking material, which is solid when peeled, is liquid at the time of forming the layer, and therefore can firmly follow the unevenness of the substrate and the unevenness of the detection electrode portion. Therefore, when the substrate is immersed in the solution of the lyophobic member, the masking material can also prevent a slight intrusion of the lyophobic member into the detection electrode portion. Workability is improved even when an aggregate substrate is used.

A humidity sensor according to a third aspect of the present invention is a humidity sensor in which a surface portion of a substrate on which a detection electrode portion is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film, and has an external terminal connected to the detection electrode portion. A liquid repellent member for repelling a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component forming a wet film is provided at least around the external terminal.

The operation of the humidity sensor according to claim 3 will be described below. The humidity sensor according to the present invention has a structure in which a surface portion of the substrate on which the detection electrode portion is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film, and has an external terminal connected to the detection electrode portion. A liquid-repellent member that repels a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component that forms a moisture-sensitive film is provided at least around the external terminals.

Therefore, in the process of manufacturing the humidity sensor, the liquid-repellent member serving as a dam repels the moisture-sensitive film solution, so that the dam can be made smaller than usual, so that the dam between the detection electrode and the external terminal is reduced. The humidity sensor can be reduced in size without requiring a large space. Furthermore, this liquid-repellent member can dampen the moisture-sensitive film solution during the manufacture of the humidity sensor, so that the accuracy of the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution and the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film is improved, and the humidity measurement characteristics of the humidity sensor are stabilized. can do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a humidity sensor in which the surface of the substrate on which the detection electrode is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film, wherein the moisture-sensitive film solution contains a component for forming the moisture-sensitive film. A liquid repellent member that repels the surface portion of the substrate and the surface portion of the external terminal, which are located on both sides of the detection electrode portion.

The operation of the humidity sensor according to claim 4 will be described below. The humidity sensor according to the present invention has a structure in which the surface portion of the substrate on which the detection electrode portion is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film. Further, the surface portion of the substrate and the surface portion of the external terminal, which are located on both sides of the detection electrode portion, are respectively covered with a liquid-repellent member which repels a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component for forming a moisture-sensitive film.

That is, in the process of manufacturing the humidity sensor, a liquid-repellent member serving as a dam is provided on at least two sides of the substrate with the detection electrode portion interposed therebetween, and the liquid-repellent member repels the moisture-sensitive film solution. As this dam can be made smaller, the humidity sensor can be downsized.

Accordingly, as in the case of the third aspect, the liquid-repellent member can dampen the moisture-sensitive film solution during the manufacture of the humidity sensor.
Even if a required amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution is applied, the liquid-repellent member repels the moisture-sensitive film solution, so that the moisture-sensitive film solution does not flow to an unnecessary portion, and the applied amount does not vary. As a result, the accuracy of the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution and the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film can be improved, and the humidity measurement characteristics of the humidity sensor can be stabilized.

A humidity sensor according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is a humidity sensor wherein a surface portion of a substrate on which a detection electrode portion is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film, wherein the moisture-sensitive film solution contains a component forming the moisture-sensitive film. A liquid-repellent member for repelling is disposed around the detection electrode section.

The operation of the humidity sensor according to claim 5 will be described below. The humidity sensor according to the present invention has a structure in which the surface portion of the substrate on which the detection electrode portion is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film. A liquid-repellent member that repels a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component that forms a moisture-sensitive film is disposed around the detection electrode unit. Therefore, during the manufacturing process of this humidity sensor,
Since the liquid-repellent member serving as the dam repels the moisture-sensitive film solution, the size of the humidity sensor can be reduced as the dam can be made smaller than usual. Further, as in the case of the third and fourth aspects, the liquid-repellent member can dampen the moisture-sensitive film solution during the manufacture of the humidity sensor, so that the accuracy of the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution and the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film can be reduced. It is possible to stabilize the humidity measurement characteristics of the humidity sensor.

[0029]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be clarified by describing one embodiment of a humidity sensor and a method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a humidity sensor 10 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a pair of comb-shaped electrodes 14 each having a detection electrode portion 14A having a plurality of comb teeth formed on the tip side is provided on a ceramic substrate 12A.

The pair of comb-shaped electrodes 14 is made of an electrode material such as ruthenium oxide, and has a detection electrode portion 14.
A has a plurality of comb-shaped electrodes at equal intervals, and the pair of comb-shaped electrodes 14 face each other such that the comb-shaped teeth of one comb-shaped electrode and the comb-shaped teeth of the other comb-shaped electrode are interposed therebetween. It is arranged. Further, a rectangular external terminal pad 14B, which is an external terminal, is provided at each end of the pair of comb-shaped electrodes 14, and lead terminals (not shown) are respectively soldered and fixed to these external terminal pads 14B. It has become so.

On the other hand, a pair of liquid-repellent members 20 are arranged around the detection electrode portion 14A on the ceramic substrate 12A so as to sandwich the detection electrode portion 14A of the comb-shaped electrode 14 formed on the ceramic substrate 12A. . In other words, the lyophobic member 20 is connected to the surface portion of the ceramic substrate 12A located across the detection electrode portion 14A and the external terminal pad 14B.
, So that the liquid repellent member 20 is provided at least around the external terminal pad 14B connected to the detection electrode portion 14A.

The liquid repellent member 20 is formed of the polymer moisture-sensitive film 1.
6 is a material that repels the moisture-sensitive film solution L containing the component that forms 6, and is formed of a material that can be removed by external heat, ultrasonic vibration, or a mechanical or chemical method. As described above, the detection electrode portion 14 between the pair of lyophobic members 20
The surface portion of the ceramic substrate 12A including the portion where A is formed is covered with a polymer moisture-sensitive film 16 which is a moisture-sensitive film capable of absorbing moisture in the atmosphere, as shown in FIG.

Next, the humidity sensor 10 according to the present embodiment
Will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S1, a large number of external terminal pads 1 having the same pattern are placed on the collective substrate 12 shown in FIGS.
The silver electrode material for 4B is printed, and then, in step S2, a large number of ruthenium oxide electrode materials for the detection electrode portions 14A having the same comb pattern are printed. Next, in step S3, these are baked on the collective substrate 12 at a temperature of, for example, 850 ° C. to form the external terminal pads 14B and the detection electrode portions 14A connected to the external terminal pads 14B on the collective substrate 12.

That is, the collective substrate 12 has the comb-shaped electrodes 14 formed by the external terminal pads 14B and the detection electrode portions 14A.
, A ceramic substrate 12A including
A hole 22 for dividing the ceramic substrate 12A is formed continuously between the ceramic substrates 12A.

Thereafter, a masking material 18 which is a liquid resin which is cured and peelable when dried in step S4 is printed on the detection electrode portion 14A as shown in FIG. 5, and in step S5 this masking material 18 is printed. Is dried and cured, the masking material 18 allows the detection electrode portion 14A
Is protected once. Masking material 1 of this resin material
8 and dried, the liquid repellent member 20 is applied to the entire surface of the collective substrate 12 by dipping the collective substrate 12 in a solution of the liquid repellent member 20 that repels the moisture-sensitive film solution L in step S6. In step S7, the liquid repellent member 20 is dried.

Thereafter, in step S8, the masking material 18
Then, the liquid-repellent member 20 on the masking material 18 is peeled off together with the masking material 18, and FIG.
The exposed area of the moisture-sensitive film solution L, which is the detection electrode portion 14A and its peripheral portion shown in FIG. Then, step S9
Then, a predetermined amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution L shown in FIG. 7 is applied to the detection electrode portion 14A of the collective substrate 12 by using a dispenser or a spray, and in step S10, the moisture-sensitive film solution L is dried or UV-coated.
The polymer moisture-sensitive film 16 is formed by curing with the method described above.

As a result, the collective substrate 1 of 100 mm × 100 mm
In the second example, for example, a total of 198 elements each serving as the humidity sensor 10 having a vertical dimension of 18 mm and a horizontal dimension of 11 mm and including a pair of comb electrodes 14 are formed. Further, in step S11, after the assembly substrate 12 is finely divided into the ceramic substrates 12A by dividing along the holes 22, in step S12, the external terminal pads are removed while removing the lyophobic member 20 by heat or flux of soldering. A lead terminal for drawing out is soldered to 14B to complete the humidity sensor 10 shown in FIG.

Next, the humidity sensor 10 according to the present embodiment
And the operation of the manufacturing method will be described. In the present embodiment, the liquid repellent member 20 covers the masking material 18 and its surroundings while the detection electrode portion 14A is once protected by the liquid masking material 18 which is cured and becomes peelable when dried. It has a shape. Therefore, when the masking material 18 is peeled off, the liquid-repellent member 20 on the masking material 18 is peeled off together with the masking material 18, so that only the application region of the moisture-sensitive film solution L is exposed and no residue is generated. .

Accordingly, the liquid-repellent members 20 that repel the moisture-sensitive film solution L are disposed on two sides around the detection electrode portion 14A. L
To form a boundary of the moisture-sensitive film solution L.
Is applied by the liquid-repellent member 20, the moisture-sensitive film solution L does not flow to an unnecessary portion, and the applied amount does not vary. That is, the liquid-repellent member 20 left after the masking material 18 is peeled off substantially forms a dam, and a predetermined amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution L can be held in the application region on the ceramic substrate 12A. At the time of applying the film solution L, the application amount can be increased.

Therefore, by adjusting the height of the liquid-repellent member 20, the initial concentration of the moisture-sensitive film solution L can be reduced while controlling the thickness of the polymer moisture-sensitive film 16 with high accuracy. A film with good surface accuracy can be formed uniformly with the film solution L. Accordingly, the moisture-sensitive film solution L does not flow out to the external terminal pads 14B and does not affect the subsequent soldering.

As described above, since the dam is formed by the liquid repellent member 20 which repels the moisture-sensitive film solution L, the dam can be made smaller and a large space is required between the detection electrode portion 14A and the external terminal pad 14B. Instead, the size of the humidity sensor 10 can be reduced. Further, since the liquid repellent member 20 dams the moisture-sensitive film solution L, the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution L and the amount of the polymer moisture-sensitive film 1
The humidity measurement characteristics of the humidity sensor 10 can be stabilized by increasing the positional accuracy, shape, and thickness accuracy of 6. Accordingly, the humidity sensor 10 having a high response speed, high sensitivity in a low humidity region, and excellent reliability can be manufactured.

Further, since the masking material 18 which is solid at the time of peeling is liquid at the time of forming a layer, the unevenness of the ceramic substrate 12A and the detecting electrode portion 14A
Can firmly follow the irregularities of Therefore, when the substrate is immersed in the solution of the liquid-repellent member 20, the masking material 18 can also prevent the liquid-repellent member 20 from slightly entering the detection electrode portion 14A, and can be easily separated after curing. Thus, the workability is improved even when the collective substrate 12 is used.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the liquid repellent member 20 can be applied so as to cover the masking material 18 without paying attention to the position of the application area.
In the case of using a dipping method, the entire surface of the collective substrate 12 can be covered with the moisture-sensitive film solution L by a dipping method that can reduce the cost in a short time.

That is, by employing the masking material 18,
The liquid-repellent member 20 and the moisture-sensitive film solution L can be applied on the collective substrate 12, so that the moisture-sensitive film solution L is applied by a dispenser or a spray without using a bath of the moisture-sensitive film solution L. Now you can. For this reason, it is not necessary to perform the concentration control and the liquid level control of the moisture-sensitive film solution L, which are conventional dispersion factors and important control items, so that the manufacturing cost can be greatly reduced. 10 can be manufactured efficiently and inexpensively.

In addition, since the masking material 18 hardens after the formation of the layer, even if there is a foreign substance or contamination on the collective substrate 12,
When the resin is cured, these foreign substances and contamination move to the resin side,
It may have an effect of removing the dirt on the collective substrate 12 to clean the collective substrate 12, and can be applied with a very small contact angle during the subsequent application of the moisture-sensitive film solution L.
V cleaning is not required.

On the other hand, the thickness of the polymer moisture-sensitive film 16 is preferably 3 μm or more in consideration of environmental resistance. In this case, when the moisture-sensitive film solution L is applied, the thickness shown in FIG. D needs to be 60 μm or more. Further, in order to reduce the in-plane variation after coating, it is desirable to set the concentration to 20 wt% or less. However, in practice, it may be considered to be 5 wt%. On the other hand, with respect to the solvent of the moisture-sensitive film solution L, the effect of the liquid-repellent member 20 can be further enhanced by using a highly polar solvent such as water.

Further, regarding the material of the liquid repellent member 20,
When soldering the lead terminal to the external terminal pad 14B, it is desirable that the material be easily removable by heat or flux of the solder or ultrasonic vibration due to bonding. The same can be said for the film thickness of the liquid-repellent member 20, and the thickness is desirably 2 μm or less. However, actually, it is conceivable that the thickness is 1 μm or less. Therefore, the polymer moisture-sensitive film 16 and the liquid repellent member 20 come into direct contact with each other,
Moreover, if the liquid repellent member 20 is made of such a material and film thickness, the detection electrode portion 14A and the external terminal pad 14B
Can be further reduced, and the humidity sensor 10 can be further miniaturized.

As for the method of applying the masking material 18, screen printing is considered to be the most suitable, but it may be applied by metal mask printing or a dispenser. Further, the liquid-repellent member 20 is formed of the moisture-sensitive film solution L of the above embodiment.
May have used water as a solvent, and it is conceivable to use a fluororesin-based resin. However, as long as the film repells the moisture-sensitive film solution L, not only the fluororesin but also a silicone-based resin may be used. A material that forms a large contact angle at the boundary with the wet film solution L may be used. In the above-described embodiment, the dipping method is employed when applying the moisture-sensitive film solution L.
The moisture-sensitive film solution L may be applied by another method such as printing, dispensing, brushing or spraying.

Further, in the above embodiment, a ceramic substrate made of ceramic is used as the substrate, but a substrate of another material may be used. Further, a pair of comb-shaped electrodes is formed of ruthenium oxide. It may be formed of an electrode material. On the other hand, the present invention can be applied not only to the above-described humidity sensor but also to other electronic components requiring a film member.

[0050]

According to the humidity sensor and the method of manufacturing the humidity sensor of the present invention, the liquid-repellent member is in contact with the moisture-sensitive film solution to stabilize the applied amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution. The amount of the moisture sensitive film applied per unit is more stable than that of Because of this,
The accuracy of the amount of the moisture-sensitive film solution and the accuracy of the thickness of the moisture-sensitive film were increased to stabilize the humidity measurement characteristics, whereby the yield of the humidity sensor could be improved by about 30%. In addition, since the moisture-sensitive film solution and the liquid-repellent member can be applied on the collective substrate, the working efficiency is increased and the manufacturing cost can be reduced by 20%.

On the other hand, since the space provided between the external terminal and the detection electrode portion can be reduced, the size of the humidity sensor can be reduced, and accordingly, the number of collective substrates to be taken can be increased. Was completed. Further, since the bath for the moisture-sensitive film solution is not used, it is not necessary to perform the concentration management and the liquid level management of the moisture-sensitive film solution, and the process can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a humidity sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of manufacturing the humidity sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a collective substrate applied to the manufacture of the humidity sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a main part perspective view showing the collective substrate in a state where a masking material is printed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an essential part showing the collective substrate in a state where an application region of the moisture-sensitive film solution is exposed.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a principal part showing the collective substrate in a state where a moisture-sensitive film solution is applied.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a humidity sensor related to a method for manufacturing a humidity sensor according to a first conventional technique.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a method of manufacturing a humidity sensor according to a second conventional technique.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a humidity sensor related to a method for manufacturing a humidity sensor according to a second conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Humidity sensor 12A Ceramic substrate 14 Comb-shaped electrode 14A Detection electrode part 14B External terminal pad 16 Polymer moisture sensitive film 18 Masking material 20 Liquid repellent member L Moisture sensitive film solution

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masashi Goto 1-13-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo FDC term in TDK Corporation (reference) 2G046 AA09 BA01 BA09 BB01 BB04 BC05 EA02 EA04 EA08 FA00 FB00 FB02 FE31 FE35 2G060 AA01 AB02 AG10 JA02

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A humidity sensor manufacturing method for manufacturing a humidity sensor in which a moisture-sensitive film covers a surface portion of a substrate on which a detection electrode portion is formed, wherein the detection electrode portion is covered with a masking material. A liquid-repellent member that repels a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component that forms the moisture-sensitive film, covers at least the periphery of the masking material, then peels off the masking material, and then removes the masking material. Forming a moisture-sensitive film by applying a moisture-sensitive film solution to the humidity sensor. 2. A method for manufacturing a humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein said masking material is formed of a material which is liquid when covering the detection electrode portion and solid when peeling. . 3. A humidity sensor in which a surface of a substrate on which a detection electrode is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film, wherein the component has an external terminal connected to the detection electrode, and forms the moisture-sensitive film. A humidity sensor characterized in that a liquid-repellent member for repelling a moisture-sensitive film solution is provided at least around the external terminal. 4. A humidity sensor in which a surface of a substrate on which a detection electrode portion is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film, wherein a liquid-repellent member that repels a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component forming the moisture-sensitive film is provided. A humidity sensor that covers a surface portion of the substrate and a surface portion of the external terminal, which are located with the detection electrode portion interposed therebetween. 5. A humidity sensor wherein a surface portion of a substrate on which a detection electrode portion is formed is covered with a moisture-sensitive film, wherein a liquid-repellent member for repelling a moisture-sensitive film solution containing a component forming the moisture-sensitive film is provided. And a humidity sensor disposed around the detection electrode section.