Pressure sensor

US5883779A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Ralf Catanescu · Bremen, DE
• Thomas Scheiter · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 22, 1997
• Grant date: Mar 16, 1999
• Expiry date: May 22, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01L9/0073
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Micromechanically producible capacitively operating pressure sensor, in which there is a diaphragm, formed by a diaphragm layer (5), on a silicon substrate (1) over a hollow (4) in an auxiliary layer (3), and in which there is, on the side of the diaphragm averted from the hollow (4) and at a distance therefrom, an electrode formed by an electrode layer (8) with recesses (9) therein as a counter-electrode to the electrically conductive diaphragm layer (5). Given a rise in the external pressure, it is possible by applying a voltage between the diaphragm layer (5) and the electrode layer (8) to prevent the diaphragm from deflecting in the direction of the substrate, and to determine the magnitude of the pressure from the voltage required therefor.