Method and apparatus for thermally actuated self testing of silicon structures
US5355712A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 1991 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 13, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P21/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for testing the operational capability of flexure area equipped sensors especially those made of micromachined silicon. A thermal actuator beam is provided to bridge the structures which are joined by the flexure area. During the test, the beam's temperature is changed relative to that of the flexure area so as to provide a differential expansion or contraction. The result is that the flexure area bends and conventional bending sensors for the flexure area can sense the amount of bend. By comparing the actual amount of bend sensed with the amount expected from the temperature change applied to the beam, the operational capability can be determined.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.