CONTROL DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

A control device for an internal combustion engine, equipped with: an exhaust purification catalyst (20) provided in the exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine and capable of absorbing oxygen; a downstream air-fuel ratio sensor (41) provided downstream from the exhaust purification catalyst in the direction of the exhaust flow; and an engine control device that controls the internal combustion engine in response to the output from the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor. The downstream air-fuel ratio sensor is configured such that the applied voltage for which the output current is zero changes in response to the exhaust air-fuel ratio, and such that when the exhaust air-fuel ratio equals the theoretical air-fuel ratio and the applied voltage in the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor is increased, the output current increases in conjunction therewith. When the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is detected by the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor, the applied voltage in the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor is fixed at a constant voltage, with this constant voltage being a voltage for which the output current is zero when the exhaust air-fuel ratio is a predetermined air-fuel ratio that is leaner than the theoretical air-fuel ratio.