An electronic part (air pressure detecting device) 1 includes a sensor element (air pressure sensor element) 2 that includes an ambient air contacting surface S including an ambient air contacting region Sa to be exposed to ambient air, and a supporting substrate 4, arranged to support the sensor element 2. The sensor element 2 is bonded to one surface 4a of the supporting substrate 4 in a state where its ambient air contacting surface S faces the one surface 4a of the supporting substrate 4 and a gap, through which the ambient air flows, is formed between the ambient air contacting surface S and the one surface 4a of the supporting substrate 4.

The present invention provides a pressure change measuring apparatus and a pressure change measuring method, which are capable of detecting a change in pressure to be measured with respect to a time axis with high accuracy. Specifically, a reference value setting unit (60) included in a pressure change measuring apparatus (1) is configured to generate a reference value signal based on an output signal of a differential pressure measuring cantilever (4) under a predetermined state, and to output the reference value signal. An arithmetic processing unit (30) is configured to calculate the pressure change in pressure to be measured based on the output signal, the reference value signal, a volume of a cavity (10), a flowing quantity of a pressure transmission medium flowing into and out of the cavity (10) for every unit of a predetermined time period, and the like.

Aspects of the disclosure provide a capacitive pressure sensor. The capacitive pressure sensor can include a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a movable plate at a bottom of a first cavity recessed into the substrate from the first surface, and a second substrate bonded to the first substrate over the first surface. A second cavity is formed between the movable plate and the second surface. The second substrate includes a fixed plate disposed over the movable plate to form a capacitor. The second substrate further includes a third cavity between a surface of the fixed plate opposite to the movable plate and a surface of the second substrate opposite to the first substrate.

Provided is a pressure sensor including a substrate having a cavity therein, a partition wall disposed in the substrate to surround the cavity, a substrate insulation layer disposed on the top surface of the substrate to cover the cavity, a sensing unit disposed on the substrate insulation layer, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the substrate insulation layer to cover the sensing unit. The cavity may extend from a top surface toward a bottom surface of the substrate, the partition wall may have an inner sidewall exposed by the cavity, and at least a portion of the sensing unit may overlap the cavity when viewed in a plan view.

A MEMS capacitive pressure sensor is provided. The MEMS capacitive pressure sensor includes a substrate having a first region and a second region, and a first dielectric layer formed on the substrate. The capacitive pressure sensor also includes a second dielectric layer having a step surface profile formed on the first dielectric layer, and a first electrode layer having a step surface profile formed on the second dielectric layer. Further, the MEMS capacitive pressure sensor includes an insulation layer formed on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer having a step surface profile with a portion formed on the insulation layer in the peripheral region and the rest suspended over the first electrode layer in the device region. Further, the MEMS capacitive pressure sensor also includes a chamber having a step surface profile formed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

A polymer layer system pressure sensor device includes a first polymer substrate having a first cavity and a first polymer membrane stretched over the first cavity. The first polymer membrane is configured to be deflected dependent on a pressure in the first cavity. The device further includes a first membrane metallization layer applied to the first polymer membrane above the first cavity. The first membrane metallization layer is configured to be deflected together with the first polymer membrane dependent on the pressure in the first cavity. The device further includes a second polymer substrate, arranged over the first polymer membrane, a second cavity, arranged over the first cavity, and a second polymer membrane, stretched over the second cavity. The device further includes a second membrane metallization layer applied to the second polymer membrane within the second cavity and includes a third polymer substrate arranged over the second polymer membrane.

A method for expanding the dynamic range of a capacitive pressure sensor and a capacitive pressure sensor having an expanded dynamic range are provided. The capacitive pressure sensor may comprise capacitive plates. At least one plate may be contoured to increase a surface area exposed to the other of the capacitive plates. The capacitive pressure sensor may comprise a diaphragm that is movably responsive to pressure. The diaphragm may have a hollowed volume within an interior of the diaphragm operative to increase a flexibility of the diaphragm in response to the pressure. The capacitive pressure sensor may be one of a plurality of capacitive pressure sensors in a pressure sensing device. The capacitive pressure sensors may have different capacitive responses and may each output a pressure measurement, whereby the device may select a pressure measurement to output based at least in part on the capacitive responses.

The voltages output from a low-pressure MEMS sensor are increased by increasing the sensitivity of the sensor. Sensitivity is increased by thinning the diaphragm of the low pressure sensor device. Nonlinearity increased by thinning the diaphragm is reduced by simultaneously creating a cross stiffener on the top side of the diaphragm. An over-etch of the top side further increases sensitivity.

A pressure sensor assembly includes a pressure sensor, a pedestal and an electrically conductive header having a header cavity. The pressure sensor includes, an electrically conductive sensing layer having a sensor diaphragm, an electrically conductive backing layer having a bottom surface that is bonded to the sensing layer, an electrically insulative layer having a bottom surface that is bonded to a top surface of the backing layer, and a sensor element having an electrical parameter that changes based on a deflection of the sensor diaphragm in response to a pressure difference. The pedestal is bonded to the electrically insulative layer and attached to the header within the header cavity.

Aspects of the disclosure provide a capacitive pressure sensor. The capacitive pressure sensor can include a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a movable plate at a bottom of a first cavity recessed into the substrate from the first surface, and a second substrate bonded to the first substrate over the first surface. A second cavity is formed between the movable plate and the second surface. The second substrate includes a fixed plate disposed over the movable plate to form a capacitor. The second substrate further includes a third cavity between a surface of the fixed plate opposite to the movable plate and a surface of the second substrate opposite to the first substrate.