Abstract: A sensor element for the determination of the concentration of gas components in a gas mixture, particularly of the concentration of gas components in the exhaust of internal combustion engines, with two electrode, that together with a solid electrolyte constitute a pumping cell, whose outer pumping electrodes is exposed to the gas mixture by way of a porous protective layer, and with a reference electrode, which is disposed on the solid electrolyte and is exposed to a reference gas, and which with a solid electrolyte and a Nernst electrode constitutes a concentration or Nernst cell, is thereby characterized in that at least periodically the Nernst voltage between the outer pumping electrode and the Nernst electrode is tapped and analyzed.

Abstract: A gas sensor is described for detecting a physical property of a measuring gas, including detecting the oxygen concentration in the measuring gas. The gas sensor includes a sensor element having a diffusion barrier, which is arranged between a first solid electrolyte layer and a second solid electrolyte layer. The diffusion barrier has a necked-down portion, i.e., a concave profile, between the first and the second solid electrolyte layer. Accordingly, a first area, which the diffusion barrier occupies in a plane which lies between the side of the first solid electrolyte layer (facing the diffusion barrier) and the side of the second solid electrolyte layer (facing the diffusion barrier), is smaller than a second area on which the diffusion barrier covers the first or the second solid electrolyte.

Abstract: A layered sensor element used in a gas measuring sensor for measuring a physical property of a measuring gas, preferably for determining the temperature of the measuring gas or the concentration of a component of the measuring gas. The sensor element contains a wave-form heater, which is embedded in a porous heater insulation. At least one separating element having a lower porosity than the porous heater insulation is provided between two adjacent sections of the wave-form heater.

Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure for the voltage controlled output adjustment of a sensor heater in the exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine. In order that such a procedure, whereby the operating temperature of the sensor is achieved in the shortest amount of time, can be implemented without the sensor being damaged in the process, provision is made according to the invention, that the heating voltage in a beginning phase of the heat-up phase of the heater is brought to a high value either very quickly in respect to a subsequent phase or precipitously brought to that high value, preferably the operating voltage; and subsequently the heating voltage is continuously or virtually continuously reduced.

Abstract: A ceramic laminate is provided which has at least one solid electrolyte layer, an electrical resistor track embedded in an insulation, and especially running in a meandering shape, and two electrical lead tracks to the resistor track. To reduce the danger of crack formation in the insulation, the resistor track is made up of a material having a greater specific Ohmic resistance compared to the material of the lead tracks and has as great a track width as possible at a low track thickness.

Abstract: A sensor element for a sensor for determining the concentration of a gas component in a gas mixture, in particular the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines, has two electrodes which, together with a solid electrolyte, form a pump cell, and one of these electrodes is exposed to the gas mixture via a porous protective layer. The sensor element also has a reference electrode which is situated on the solid electrolyte and is exposed to a reference gas. One of the two electrodes, with a reference electrode and the solid electrolyte, forms a concentration cell or a Nernst cell. To make the measured values produced by the sensor element insensitive to pressure fluctuations in the gas mixture, the electrode surface of the second electrode facing away from the solid electrolyte is coated with a finely porous diffusion layer, which is directly exposed to the gas mixture, and the second electrode is used as the reference electrode of the Nernst cell.

Abstract: In a procedure to recognize the gas composition of a gas mixture, which consists of at least two gases of preferably different diffusion properties, delivered to a wideband lambda sensor, especially a gas mixture of an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, whereby the lambda sensor has a pumping cell with at least one gas measurement chamber, provision is made for the recognition of the gas composition of the gas mixture to result by means of modulation of the gas in the gas measurement chamber. Preferably the air number in the gas measurement chamber of the pumping cell is periodically altered, whereby the sensitivity of the lambda sensor to the gases, of which there are at least two, likewise periodically changes.

Abstract: A sensor element having a layer-type construction is used to determine a physical quantity of a measurement gas, in particular to determine the concentration of a gas component of the measurement gas. The sensor element includes at least one heater and at least one measurement element. The heater is surrounded by a heater insulation. Between the heater and the heater insulation there is provided, at least in some areas, a hollow element.

Abstract: In a method and a control device for operating a broadband lambda sensor, the oxygen concentration of an exhaust gas is determined based on a comparison of a Nernst voltage with a reference voltage having a nominal value; a pump current is injected into a cavity of a pump cell if a deviation is present, an electric voltage present at the pump cell being regulated in such a manner that lambda=1 prevails in the cavity, the pump current being a measure for the value of lambda in the exhaust gas; and, in order to avoid control interference in the start phase of the engine or in the cold phase of the sensor, the Nernst voltage is maintained close to the reference voltage, using a pilot control, until the Nernst voltage is an actual measure for the oxygen concentration in the cavity of the pump cell.

Abstract: A sensor element which is used for determining a property of a measuring gas, e.g., for determining the concentration of a gas component in the measuring gas, has at least one electrode applied to one solid electrolyte, the electrode being in contact with the measuring gas via a diffusion path in which a diffusion barrier is situated. A means is provided in the region of the side of the diffusion barrier facing away from the electrode, the means reducing the diffusion cross section in the region of the side of the diffusion barrier facing away from the electrode.

Abstract: The reference air channel of a gas sensor or a lambda probe having a laminate body produced by printing technology is provided. The laminate body is produced by printing a suitably structured layer onto a neighboring layer, for example, by screen printing.

Abstract: A sensor element for determining the concentration of a gas component in a gas mixture, in particular for determining the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, having a laminated body that is made up of a plurality of solid electrolyte layers and that has an upper and a lower layer that are each fashioned as a film, as well as an intermediate layer. In order to simplify the manufacture and to reduce the manufacturing costs, the films of the upper and lower layer are fashioned with equal thicknesses, and the intermediate layer is applied as at least one printed layer of a film binder.

Abstract: A method for adjusting the electrical resistance of an electrical resistor run running in meandering windings and situated between two layers, to a specified value at which the resistor run is produced having a lower resistance with reference to the specified value and having burn-up segments bridging meandering windings, and the adjustment is undertaken by cutting open selected burn-up segments. To achieve a simple adjusting method, constant current pulses having a controlled pulse duration are sent through the burn-up segments to cut open the burn-up segment.

Abstract: A sensor element for determining the concentration of gas components in gas mixtures, e.g., for determining the oxygen concentration in exhaust gases of combustion engines, includes: at least one electrochemical measurement cell that encompasses a first and a second electrode in contact with a solid electrolyte material; a heating element for heating the sensor element to operating temperature; and a cavity integrated into the sensor element. The cavity exhibits, in at least one region close to the lateral delimiting surfaces of the cavity, a diameter that is greater than zero and smaller than the diameter in its central region.

Abstract: A sensor element for determining gas components in gas mixtures and a method for manufacturing the sensor element are provided, the sensor element having at least one pump cell which includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being situated in a measuring gas space of the sensor element, and the pump cell pumping oxygen into or out of the measuring gas space of the sensor element. The surface area of the second electrode is greater than that of the first electrode, and the second electrode has a diffusion barrier against the gas mixture diffusing to the second electrode, the diffusion resistance of the diffusion barrier being determined by its porosity and/or layer thickness being selected such that, given a predefined pump voltage applied to the first and second electrodes, essentially the same pump current flows between the electrodes as would flow if the diffusion barrier were not provided and both electrodes had the same surface areas exposed to the gas mixture.

Abstract: A circuit configuration for operating a gas sensor is described, including a reference gas space in which an electrode is situated which is supplied with a reference gas pump current to maintain the concentration of the reference gas. A diagnostic system determines a concentration change of the reference gas via a change in the reference pump current and a time-based evaluation of the sensor signal of the gas sensor.

Abstract: A heating device for a sensor element of a gas sensor, in particular for use in exhaust gas analysis of internal combustion engines, has a heating element, which has an electrical resistor layer. The heating element is electrically insulated from at least one solid electrolyte layer by a layer containing barium and/or strontium and/or calcium. For this purpose, the heating element is embedded in a first insulator, which is adjoined by a second insulator. The first insulator has a higher barium and/or strontium and/or calcium content (expressed in weight percentage) than the second insulator.

Abstract: A gas sensor is used for detecting a physical property of a measuring gas, preferably for determining the oxygen concentration of an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine. The gas sensor includes a layered sensor element which has a measuring gas space, in which an electrode on a solid electrolyte is situated. The sensor element includes a first diffusion barrier and a second diffusion barrier and a cavity, situated between the first and the second diffusion barriers, the measuring gas space being connected to the measuring gas outside the sensor element via the first diffusion barrier, the cavity, and the second diffusion barrier.

Abstract: A layered sensor element used in particular for detecting a physical variable of a measuring gas, preferably for detecting the temperature of the measuring gas or the concentration of a gas component of the measuring gas. The sensor element contains a heater printed conductor situated in a layer plane of the sensor element, the heater printed conductor including a heater and a heater lead and being embedded in an insulation. In the layer plane of the heater printed conductor, the insulation is surrounded by a sealing frame at least in some areas. The extension of the sealing frame in the direction parallel to a layer plane of the sensor element and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sensor element at least in some areas amounts to at least 25 percent, preferably 30 percent to 80 percent, of the extension of the sensor element in this direction.

Abstract: A method for operating a broadband lambda sensor for determining the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine operated with a fuel-air mixture is provided. In this method, a pump voltage (UP) is applied to the pump cell of the sensor, this voltage-being set dependent on a Nernst voltage (UN) tapped at the Nernst cell, and, dependent on the oxygen content of the exhaust gas, driving a cathodic or anodic pump current IP via the pump cell.