Sensor for capacitively measuring pressure in a gas

A sensor for capacitively measuring the pressure of a gas, the sensor comprising:

• two mutually adjacent measuring electrodes spaced apart so as to conjointly define an intermediate space therebetween for receiving a gas to be investigated;
• a plurality of electrically insulating spacers interposed between said electrodes for determining the electrode spacing therebetween and for maintaining said electrode spacing during the measurement;
• and,
• said spacers being etched from a silicon dioxide layer applied to one of said electrodes.

A composite sensor for capacitively measuring the pressure of a gas, the composite sensor comprising:

• a plurality of sensors, each of said sensors including:
• two mutually adjacent measuring electrodes arranged in the gas and being spaced apart so as to conjointly define an intermediate space therebetween for receiving the gas to be investigated therein;
• and, a plurality of electrically insulating spacers interposed between said electrodes for determining the electrode spacing therebetween and for maintaining said electrode spacing during the measurement while at the same time permitting the gas to reach every location between the electrodes not occupied by the spacers thereby preventing a pressure difference to form across the sensor;
• said sensors being stacked one atop the other;
• and,
• insulating means for separating each two mutually adjacent ones of said sensors from each other.