Diaphragm-based-sensors
OwnerG. Benjamin Hocker, David W. Burns +7inventors
InventorsG. Benjamin Hocker, David W. Burns, Akintunde I. Akinwande, Robert D. Horning, Amir R. Mirza, Thomas G. Stratton, Deidrich J. Saathoff, James K. Carney, Scott A. McPherson
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Abstract
The formation of diaphragms by silicon wafer bonding provides for a structure having at least two such diaphragms with cavities in the wafers to which the diaphragm layer is bonded. Passageways through the wafers provide for communication of a fluid to the diaphragms. In some locations less than all of a plurality of diaphragms may be bonded to only one wafter having a cavity adjacent the diaphragm.
Claims4
A diaphragm transducer responsive to changes in a relevant fluid or fluids, comprising:
- a diaphragm layer bonded on one side by an A surface and bounded on the opposite side by a B surface, an area extending between the A and B surfaces constituting a flexible diaphragm;
- an A wafer bounded on one side by an inner surface and bounded on the opposite side by an outer surface, said inner surface bonded to the A surface of the diaphragm layer, said A wafer containing an A cavity, said A cavity being located adjacent and opening to the diaphragm;
- a B wafer bounded on one side by an inner surface and bounded on the opposite side by an outer surface, said inner surface bonded to the B surface of the diaphragm layer, said B wafer containing a B cavity, said B cavity being and located in the bonded structure adjacent and opening to the diaphragm, and on the opposite side thereof from said A cavity;
- and wherein an A access passage connects the A cavity to an outer surface of either wafer A or wafer B and a B access passageway connects the B cavity to the outer surface of either wafer A or wafer B, and wherein each access passageway is sufficiently large to allow for communication of a relevant fluid there through;
- and wherein said diaphragm layer contains a second diaphragm and wherein said A wafer further contains a second A cavity adjacent and opening to said second diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.