Pressure sensor with improved vibrating microassembly and optical detection system
US7334481B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 26, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01L9/002
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A pressure sensor made of a wafer with a pair of parallel silicon layers and a silicon oxide layer there between, comprises a vibrating microassembly formed as a silicon beam, which is arranged in a plane perpendicular to the silicon layers and fastened to a supporting base. A control devise is formed from a portion of one of the silicon layers and is driven by a signal of a predetermined frequency component, which under absolute vacuum conditions makes the microassembly to freely oscillate at a known frequency and amplitude relative to the supporting base within a cavity formed by removing the silicon oxide layer. An optical detection system detects deviations of the frequency and/or amplitude of oscillation of the microassembly from the known frequency and/or amplitude.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.