Microelectromechanical pressure sensors

A pressure sensitive element comprising:

• an outer rim;
• a diaphragm spanning an interior of the rim and recessed from a top of the rim and a bottom of the rim;
• a pair of inner islands formed on a top of the diaphragm wherein the pair of inner islands are spaced to form a first gap in a center of the diaphragm between the pair of inner islands;
• a first freed gage spanning the first gap;
• at least one bridge to provide an electrical communication path between the rim and the first freed gage;
• a first outer island on the top side of the diaphragm wherein the first outer island and the rim are spaced to form a second gap;
• and
• a second freed gage spanning the second gap.

A process for producing a pressure sensitive element comprising:

• etching a gage side of a substrate to create a rim, a plurality of inner islands separated by a first gap, at least one bridge connecting one of the inner islands to the rim and an outer island separated from the rim by a second gap;
• bonding a highly conductive layer to the top of the gage surface;
• etching a back side of the substrate to form a diaphragm;
• and
• etching the highly conductive layer to form a first freed gage over the first gap electrically connected to the rim over a first bridge and a second freed gage over the second gap.