A MEMS and/or NEMS pressure sensor including, in a substrate: a stationary portion and a portion movable relative to the stationary portion, the movable portion including a sensitive element configured to move in the plane of the sensor under effect of a pressure variation; a stress gauge detecting movement of the sensitive element in the plane of the sensor due to the pressure variation; electrodes actuating the sensitive element, the actuating electrodes being borne partially by the stationary portion and partially by the movable portion, the actuating electrodes being commanded to automatically control positionwise the movement of the sensitive element; a mechanism commanding the actuating electrodes, which are configured, on the basis of signals emitted by the gauge, to bias the actuating electrodes to automatically control positionwise the movement of the sensitive element.

A sensor device includes an electrically conductive base substrate defining a first electrode kept at a reference potential, a membrane defining a second electrode that changes a position thereof in response to a change of surrounding pressure and faces the base substrate, a casing that is kept at the reference potential and is outside the membrane, a capacitance detection circuit to amplify a signal from the membrane and detect an electrostatic capacitance between electrodes at a predetermined sampling cycle, and a signal processing circuit to measure a difference ΔC of electrostatic capacitance values before and after a sampling, compare the difference AC with a predetermined threshold value Cta, and when ΔC≥Cta, determine that a foreign object is attached to the casing. Thus, the attachment of a foreign object can be reliably detected.

A process fluid pressure measurement probe includes a pressure sensor formed of a single-crystal material and mounted to a first metallic process fluid barrier and disposed for direct contact with a process fluid. The pressure sensor has an electrical characteristic that varies with process fluid pressure. A feedthrough is formed of a single-crystal material and has a plurality of conductors extending from a first end to a second end. The feedthrough is mounted to a second metallic process fluid barrier and is spaced from, but electrically coupled to, the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor and the feedthrough are mounted such that the secondary metallic process fluid barrier is isolated from process fluid by the first metallic process fluid barrier.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and a processing unit configured for sensing electrical activity with improved temporal and spatial electrode configuration. The apparatus includes a first layer configured to collect pressure data and a second layer comprising a plurality of electrodes configured to sense electrical activity. The processing unit is communicatively coupled to the apparatus to select a subset of the plurality of electrodes of the second layer from which electrical activity is measured based on an orientation of a user determined by received pressure data from the first layer. In an example, a body map of an individual can be produced from pressure distribution information received from the apparatus. This body map can then be used to select specific electrodes to measure the individual's electrical activity based on the body map pressure distribution information.

A sensor arrangement includes a substrate having a through opening between a first and a second main surface region, a sound transducing portion at the first main surface region of the substrate and spanning the through opening in the substrate, and a pressure sensing portion at the first main surface region of the substrate and fluidically coupled to the through opening in the substrate. The sound transducing portion includes a deflectable membrane structure, and a counter electrode. The pressure sensing portion includes a first and second rigid electrode and a deflectable membrane structure. The deflectable membrane structure of the pressure sensing portion opposes the plane of the first main surface region of the substrate. The first and second rigid electrodes of the pressure sensor form a reference capacitor of the pressure sensor, and the second rigid electrode and the membrane structure form a sense capacitor of the pressure sensor.

A multi-layer electrode for a capacitive pressure sensor is manufactured according to a method including co-extruding a conductive polymer layer and a dielectric foam layer and forming coextruded layers of the capacitive pressure sensor and pressure rolling an XY layer and the coextruded layers together and forming the multi-layer electrode.

Methods for fabricating crack resistant Microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices are provided, as are MEMS devices produced pursuant to such methods. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a sacrificial body over a substrate, producing a multi-layer membrane structure on the substrate, and removing at least a portion of the sacrificial body to form an inner cavity within the multi-layer membrane structure. The multi-layer membrane structure is produced by first forming a base membrane layer over and around the sacrificial body such that the base membrane layer has a non-planar upper surface. A predetermined thickness of the base membrane layer is then removed to impart the base membrane layer with a planar upper surface. A cap membrane layer is formed over the planar upper surface of the base membrane layer. The cap membrane layer is composed of a material having a substantially parallel grain orientation.

Pressure transducer for determining a pressure variable, comprising at least a pressure sensor with a measuring membrane and resistance elements integrated in the measuring membrane, wherein the pressure sensor is arranged between a first and a second counter body, such that a pressure chamber forms between the measuring membrane and the first counter body, which pressure chamber can be subjected to a first pressure; wherein the side of the measuring membrane facing towards the second counter body can be subjected to a second pressure, and a displacement of the measuring membrane dependent upon the first and second pressures set; wherein the pressure-dependent displacement of the measuring membrane can be detected by the resistance elements and, via a bridge voltage of a bridge circuit formed with the resistance elements, a pressure variable can be determined; wherein the measuring membrane has a membrane electrode and the second counter body has at least one counter body electrode on the side facing towards the measuring membrane, such that the membrane electrode and the counter body electrode form a capacitance, wherein, on the basis of the capacitance, at least one additional piece of information can be determined and/or at least one additional function of the pressure transducer can be performed.

A microelectromechanical pressure sensor structure that comprises a planar base, a side wall layer and a diaphragm plate. The side wall layer forms side walls that extend away from the planar base into contact with the diaphragm plate. The side wall layer is formed of at least three layers, a first layer and a second layer of insulating material and a third layer of conductive material, wherein the third layer is between the first layer and the second layer. The conducting layer provides a shield electrode within the isolating side wall layer. This shield electrode is adapted to reduce undesired effects to the capacitive measurement results.

A resonant pressure sensor with improved linearity includes: a substrate including a substrate-separated portion separated from a housing-fixed portion; a first resonator that: is disposed in the substrate-separated portion; and detects a change of a first resonance frequency based on a strain in the substrate caused by static pressure applied by a pressure-receiving fluid; a second resonator that: is disposed in the substrate; detects a change of a second resonance frequency based on the strain in the substrate; and has a pressure sensitivity of the second resonance frequency; and a processor that: measures the static pressure based on the detected change of the first resonance frequency; and corrects the static pressure according to internal temperature of the pressure sensor based on a difference between the second resonance frequency and the first resonance frequency.