Pressure sensor and method for monitoring a pressure sensor

A pressure sensor for determining a pressure measurement variable, the pressure sensor comprising:

• a housing;
• a pressure sensor element arranged in the housing, the pressure sensor element including a semiconductor material and a measuring membrane, which includes at least one integrated resistance element in contact with the measuring membrane;
• a lighting source arranged in the housing;
• and
• a control/evaluation unit,
• wherein the measuring membrane is configured such that, when a first pressure is provided to a first side of the measuring membrane and a second pressure is provided to a second side of the measuring membrane, the measuring membrane experiences a pressure-dependent deflection, and the control/evaluation unit ascertains an electrical signal dependent upon the deflection using the at least one integrated resistance element for determining the pressure measurement variable,
• wherein the lighting source is configured to optically excite the pressure sensor element and/or the at least one integrated resistance element, and
• wherein the control/evaluation unit ascertains, based on a change of the electrical signal caused by the optical excitation, whether a malfunction of the pressure sensor is present.