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US 2003/0192383 A1Published application
Pressure sensor with two membranes forming a capacitor
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorChien-Hua Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure sensor may include a first membrane that flexes in response to pressure, a reference cavity covered by the first membrane where the reference cavity contains a vacuum and a second membrane, adjacent to the first membrane, the first and second membranes forming a capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of the first membrane and the pressure.
Claims56
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a first membrane that flexes in response to pressure;
- a reference cavity covered by said first membrane, said reference cavity containing a vacuum;
- and
- a second membrane adjacent to said first membrane and not within said reference cavity, said first and second membranes forming a capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of said first membrane and said pressure.
1 more element
A pressure system comprising:
- a pressure regulator for regulating pressure in a pressurized environment;
- and
- a pressure sensor disposed in or in communication with said pressurized environment so as to output an indication of said pressure in said pressurized environment, wherein said pressure regulator is configured to operate in response to said output from said pressure sensor;
- wherein said pressure sensor comprises
- a first membrane that flexes in response to pressure,
- a reference cavity covered by said first membrane, said reference cavity containing a vacuum, and
- a second membrane adjacent to said first membrane and not in said reference cavity, said first and second membranes forming a capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of said first membrane and said pressure.
4 more elements
A pressure sensor integrated with a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) comprising:
- a silicon substrate;
- a MEMS formed on or in said substrate;
- and
- a pressure sensor formed in said substrate, said pressure sensor comprising
- a first membrane that flexes in response to pressure;
- a reference cavity covered by said first membrane, said reference cavity containing a vacuum;
- and
- a second membrane adjacent to said first membrane and not in said reference cavity, said first and second membranes forming a capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of said first membrane and said pressure.
5 more elements
A pressure sensor integrated with an atomic resolution storage (ARS) device comprising:
- a first substrate;
- an ARS device formed partially in said first substrate;
- and
- a pressure sensor formed in said first substrate, said pressure sensor comprising
- a first membrane that flexes in response to pressure;
- a reference cavity covered by said first membrane, said reference cavity containing a vacuum;
- and
- a second membrane adjacent to said first membrane and not in said reference cavity, said first and second membranes forming a capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of said first membrane and said pressure;
- wherein said pressure sensor monitors a vacuum in which said ARS device is contained.
6 more elements
A method of fabricating a pressure sensor comprising etching a silicon substrate to form a reference cavity, a first membrane and a second membrane.
A method of fabricating a pressure sensor comprising:
- bonding a first substrate to a second substrate, said second substrate comprising electrical connections;
- etching said first substrate to form a first membrane, a second membrane adjacent and spaced from said first membrane and a reference cavity bounded by said first membrane, wherein said first and second membranes are placed in electrical connection with said connections on said second substrate;
- and
- bonding a third substrate to said first substrate to seal a vacuum in said reference cavity.
1 more element
A method of integrally fabricating a pressure sensor and an atomic resolution storage (ARS) device, said method comprising:
- bonding a first substrate to a second substrate, said second substrate comprising electrical connections;
- etching said first substrate to form a first membrane, a second membrane adjacent and spaced from said first membrane, a reference cavity bounded by said first membrane, and a flexture of said ARS device, wherein said first and second membranes are placed in electrical connection with said connections on said second substrate;
- and
- bonding a third substrate to said first substrate to seal a vacuum in said reference cavity and said ARS device, and providing a vacuum cavity for said ARS device.
1 more element
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a membrane integrally formed in a substrate by etching said substrate, wherein said first membrane flexes in response to pressure;
- a reference cavity covered by said first membrane, said reference cavity containing a vacuum;
- and
- an electrical connection to said first membrane for measuring a piezo-resistivity of said membrane, said piezo-resistivity varying in accordance with the flexing of said first membrane and said pressure.
1 more element
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a first means for flexing in response to pressure;
- a reference cavity covered by said first means, said reference cavity containing a vacuum;
- a second means for forming a capacitor with said first means, said capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of said first means and said pressure;
- and
- means for measuring said capacitance;
- wherein said second means is adjacent to said first means and not within said reference cavity.
3 more elements
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a first means for deforming in response to pressure;
- a reference cavity covered by said first means, said reference cavity containing a vacuum;
- and
- means for measuring a piezo-resistivity of said first means, said piezo-resistivity varying in accordance with the deformation of said first means and said pressure.
1 more element
A pressure sensor comprising:
- a first membrane that flexes in response to pressure;
- a reference cavity covered by said first membrane, said reference cavity containing a vacuum;
- and
- a second membrane adjacent to said first membrane, said first and second membranes forming a capacitor having a capacitance that varies in accordance with the flexing of said first membrane and said pressure;
- wherein one of said membranes is curved with respect to the other said membrane.
2 more elements
A method of fabricating a pressure sensor comprising:
- etching a silicon substrate to form a reference cavity;
- and
- etching said silicon substrate to form a first membrane having a curvature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.