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 has a housing, an air lead-in hole, a pressure lead-in hole, an inner cavity, a sensor chip, a lead frame and a cover plate. One end of the air lead-in hole is in communication with the inner cavity of the housing, and the other end of the air lead-in hole is in communication with the air; the pressure lead-in hole is perpendicularly disposed at the center of the upper surface of the housing, two steps are disposed on the upper surface of the inner cavity, and a horizontal surface-mounted device surface is disposed on each of the steps. The center of the sensor chip is aligned with the centers of the pressure lead-in hole, and the lower end of the pressure lead-in holes are in communication with the cavity of the sensor chip.

A load lock pressure gauge comprises a housing configured to be coupled to a load lock vacuum chamber. The housing supports an absolute vacuum pressure sensor that provides instantaneous high vacuum pressure signal over a range of high vacuum pressures and a differential diaphragm pressure sensor that provides an instantaneous differential pressure signal between load lock pressure and ambient pressure. The housing further supports an absolute ambient pressure sensor. A low vacuum absolute pressure is computed from the instantaneous differential pressure signal and the instantaneous ambient pressure signal. A controller in the housing is able to recalibrate the differential diaphragm pressure sensor based on measured voltages of the sensor and a measured ambient pressure during normal operation of the pressure gauge with routine cycling of pressure in the load lock.

Embodiments relate to sensor and sensing devices, systems and methods. In an embodiment, a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device comprises at least one sensor element; a framing element disposed around the at least one sensor element; at least one port defined by the framing element, the at least one port configured to expose at least a portion of the at least one sensor element to an ambient environment; and a thin layer disposed in the at least one port.

Pressure sensor assemblies comprise a sensor body having a sensing membrane and wherein a fluid is placed in communication with the membrane to determine a fluid pressure. A support is connected with the body and includes an opening for receiving the fluid from an external source, wherein the opening is in fluid-flow communication with the membrane. The pressure sensor comprises one or more elements disposed therein configured to mitigate transmission of a fluid pressure spike to the sensing membrane. The body or the support may have a pressure mitigating element, e.g., an internal channel, for receiving the fluid from the opening and transferring it to the membrane, wherein the channel may itself be configured to provide the desired protection against fluid pressure spikes, or may be connected with another internal element to provide such protection.

To provide a pressure sensor element and a pressure sensor that have stable pressure sensitivity without the need for improving the accuracy of alignment between a diaphragm and a holding member, a pressure sensor element includes a thin plate diaphragm, a holding member that holds the diaphragm, and one or more strain resistance gauges that are provided on a first surface of the diaphragm and which change in resistance values according to deformation of the diaphragm, in which the holding member has recesses that, formed on an annular first end surface facing the first surface of the diaphragm, cut out parts of an inner circumference of the first end surface, and the strain resistance gauges are disposed near the regions corresponding to the recesses on the first surface of the diaphragm.

A semiconductor device includes a base, a detector on the base and including a first surface on which a detection portion is provided, and a resin package on the base and including an exposure hole to externally expose the detection portion of the detector. At least a portion of an outer peripheral edge of the first surface of the detector is exposed in the exposure hole. The resin package includes a depressed portion along the portion of the outer peripheral edge that is exposed in the exposure hole.

A pressure pulse wave sensor includes: a sensor chip including: a pressure-sensitive element row configured by a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements arranged in one direction; and a chip-side terminal portion placed in an end portion in the one direction of a pressure-sensitive surface on which the pressure-sensitive element row is formed, and electrically connected to the pressure-sensitive element row; and a substrate including a concave portion, the sensor chip fixed to a bottom surface of the concave portion, a substrate-side terminal portion for being electrically connected to the chip-side terminal portion is disposed on a surface of the substrate in which the concave portion is formed, and the pressure pulse wave sensor further includes: an electroconductive member connecting the chip-side terminal portion and the substrate-side terminal portion to each other; and a protective member covering the electroconductive member.

A pressure sensor device has: a pressure detection structure provided in a first die of semiconductor material; a package, configured to internally accommodate the pressure detection structure in an impermeable manner, the package having a base structure and a body structure, arranged on the base structure, with an access opening in contact with an external environment and internally defining a housing cavity, in which the first die is arranged covered with a coating material. A piezoelectric transduction structure, of a ultrasonic type, is accommodated in the housing cavity, in order to allow detection of foreign material above the coating material and within the package. In particular, the piezoelectric transduction structure is integrated in the first die, which comprises a first portion, wherein the pressure detection structure is integrated, and a second portion, separate and distinct from the first portion, wherein the piezoelectric transduction structure is integrated.

A silicon carbide-based micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) combined temperature-pressure sensor chip and a preparation thereof. The chip includes a peripheric pressure-measuring unit and a center temperature-measuring unit. The pressure-measuring unit includes a silicon carbide substrate with a raised island and a pressure sensitive diaphragm formed by etching the back of the substrate. The raised island and the pressure-sensitive diaphragm constitute a membrane-island structure. Four piezoresistive strips are arranged symmetrically along a circumferential direction of a root of the pressure-sensitive diaphragm and between the raised island and the pressure-sensitive diaphragm. The temperature-measuring unit includes the raised island and a thin-film thermocouple arranged thereon.