MULTILAYER IONIC DEVICES FABRICATED BY THE PLASMA-SPRAY METHOD

Using the plasma spray method, ceramic films can be easily and quickly coated onto a substrate. Zirconia-based oxygen sensors, both potentiometric-mode and amperometric-mode, were fabricated by the plasma-spray method and their oxygen sensing ability was demonstrated. Stabilized zirconia films had sufficient ionic conductivity for use in oxygen sensors. The film permeability was controlled by changing spray conditions, providing flexibility in the design of amperometric-mode sensors. Combined with other thin- and thick-film techniques, and shadow mask technologies, the plasma spray method has great potential in the fabrication of multilayered ceramic devices, especially in batch processes.