Pressure sensor and method for operating a pressure sensor

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

• a housing;
• a pressure sensor element arranged in the housing, the pressure sensor element including a semiconductor material and a measuring membrane having at least one integrated resistance element, wherein the housing is configured to enable a first pressure to be applied to a first side of the measuring membrane and a second pressure to be applied to a second side of the measuring membrane, such that the measuring membrane experiences a pressure-dependent deflection;
• a light source arranged in the housing and adapted to provide an optical excitation of the pressure sensor element;
• and
• a control/evaluation unit configured to ascertain, using the integrated resistance element, an electrical signal for determining a pressure measurement variable, to determine a static pressure value from the first pressure and/or second pressure based on a change of the electrical signal caused by the optical excitation, and to perform a correcting, or compensating, of the pressure measurement variable using the static pressure value.

A method for operating a pressure sensor, the method comprising:

• optically exciting a pressure sensor element of a pressure sensor using a light source, the pressure sensor further including:
• a housing, wherein the light source and the pressure sensor element are arranged in the housing, wherein the pressure sensor element includes a semiconductor material and a measuring membrane having at least one integrated resistance element, and wherein the housing is configured to enable a first pressure to be applied to a first side of the measuring membrane and a second pressure to be applied to a second side of the measuring membrane, such that the measuring membrane experiences a pressure-dependent deflection;
• and
• a control/evaluation unit configured to execute the method;
• determining a pressure measurement variable using the pressure sensor;
• using the control/evaluation unit, registering a change of an electrical signal from the at least one integrated resistance element caused by optically exciting the pressure sensor element;
• determining a static pressure value based on the change of the electrical signal using the control/evaluation unit;
• and
• correcting or compensating the pressure measurement variable of the pressure sensor based on the static pressure value using the control/evaluation unit.