Cryogenic, absolute, high pressure sensor

US6240785A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• John J. Chapman · Gloucester Courthouse, US
• Qamar A. Shams · Yorktown, US
• William T. Powers · Huntsville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 10, 1996
• Grant date: Jun 5, 2001
• Expiry date: Dec 10, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T29/49103
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A pressure sensor is provided for cryogenic, high pressure applications. A highly doped silicon piezoresistive pressure sensor is bonded to a silicon substrate in an absolute pressure sensing configuration. The absolute pressure sensor is bonded to an aluminum nitride substrate. Aluminum nitride has appropriate coefficient of thermal expansion for use with highly doped silicon at cryogenic temperatures. A group of sensors, either two sensors on two substrates or four sensors on a single substrate are packaged in a pressure vessel.