In many countries, current regulations require sensors for measuring the soot particle concentration in the exhaust gas for vehicles operated with gasoline or diesel fuel. The detection principle of conventional sensors for measuring the soot particle concentration may be based on an accumulation of conductive soot particles on an electrode structure. This accumulation of the electrically conductive particles may be reflected by a drop in the electrical resistance over time, or by an increasing current flow between the electrodes in question. A measuring cycle may start with an unloaded or free sensor, which in the exhaust gas is exposed to the conductive particles. A time period during which the electrical resistance drops below a certain threshold value may be used as a measure for the soot particle concentration in the exhaust gas. To be able to reuse the sensor after a continued accumulation of electrically conductive particles, the sensor may be heated to burn off the accumulated soot, after which another measuring cycle may begin.
For example, the sensor may be heated to the required burnoff temperature by using high voltages and currents in an ohmic heating element. In particular, providing the high voltage requires a high level of electrical engineering effort. In this regard, it is important to note that thick sensors require particularly high voltages, but thin sensors have only limited mechanical stability.