Novel Humidity Sensors Based on Nanoscale Hybrid Dielectric Materials

www.electrochem.org • www.ecsdl.org H umidity sensors are extensively used in industrial processing and environmental control.1,2 For manufacturing of highly sophisticated integrated circuits in the semiconductor industry, humidity or moisture levels are constantly monitored in wafer processing.3 There are many household applications for humidity sensors, such as intelligent control of the living environment in buildings and houses, cooking control for microwave ovens, and intelligent control of laundry.1 In the automobile industry, humidity sensors are used in rear-window defoggers and motor assembly lines. The lithium-ion batteries used in electrical automobiles are manufactured at low humidity levels, which are monitored and controlled by highly-sensitive humidity sensors, called dew point meters. In the medical field, humidity sensors are used in respiratory equipment, sterilizers, incubators, pharmaceutical processing, and biological products. In agriculture, humidity sensors are used for green-house air-conditioning, plantation protection (dew prevention), soil moisture monitoring, and cereal storage. In the general industrial framework, humidity sensors are used for humidity control in chemical gas purification, dryers, ovens, film desiccation, paper and textile production, and food processing.1