Disclosed herein are embodiments of a mass flow control apparatus, systems incorporating the same, and methods using the same. In one embodiment, a mass flow control apparatus comprises a flow modulating valve configured to modulate gas flow in a gas flow channel, a sensor device, such as a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) device, configured to generate a signal responsive to a condition of the gas flow, and a processing device operatively coupled to the flow modulating valve and the sensor device to control the flow modulating valve based on a signal received from the sensor device.

A MEMS sensor includes a through hole to allow communication with an external environment, such as to send or receive acoustic signals or to be exposed to the ambient environment. In addition to the information that is being measured, light energy may also enter the environment of the sensor via the through hole, causing short-term or long-term effects on measurements or system components. A light mitigating structure is formed on or attached to a lid of the MEMS die to absorb or selectively reflect the received light in a manner that limits effects on the measurements or interest and system components.

A MEMS gas sensor (A) and array (B) thereof, a gas detection and preparation method. The gas sensor (A) comprises a first substrate (A2) with a cavity (A1) provided in a first surface, and a gas detection assembly (A3) arranged at an opening of the cavity The gas detection assembly comprises: a supporting suspension bridge (A31) erected on the opening of the cavity, and a gas detection part (A32) arranged on the supporting suspension bridge. The gas detection part comprises a strip-shaped heating electrode part (A321), an insulating layer (A322), a strip-shaped detection electrode part (A323) and a gas-sensitive material part (A324), which are sequentially stacked. The strip-shaped detection electrode part comprises a first detection electrode part (A323-1) and a second detection electrode part (A323-2), with a first opening (A325) provided between the A323-1 and A323-2; the gas-sensitive material part is arranged at the position of the first opening.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sensor assembly including a substrate having an outer region, an inner region, and a middle region between the outer region and the inner region. The substrate further includes electrical contact pads on at least the inner region. The sensor assembly further includes a housing coupled to the substrate at the middle region or the outer region to provide a hermetic seal. The sensor assembly further includes a sensor die bonded to the substrate at the inner region. A metal bond bonds electrodes of the sensor die to the electrical contact pads. The metal bond includes platinum, and/or one or more metals selected from tin, indium, copper, aluminum, and/or nickel.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sensor assembly including a housing having a first channel configured to flow a gas in a first direction and a second channel configured to flow the gas in a second direction. The housing is configured to couple to a gas flow assembly. A substrate is disposed within the housing. The substrate has an outer region, an inner region within the first channel, and a middle region between the outer region and the inner region. The substrate further includes electrical contact pads on at least the inner region. A sensor die is coupled to the inner region of the substrate, having an electrical connection to the electrical contact pads. The sensor die is disposed within a gas flow path of the first channel.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sensor assembly including a substrate, a housing, and a sensor die. In certain embodiments, the substrate includes an outer region, an inner region, and a middle region between the outer region and the inner region. In certain embodiments, the substrate includes electrical contact pads on at least the inner region. In certain embodiments, the housing is coupled to the substrate at the middle region or the outer region to provide a hermetic seal. In certain embodiments, the sensor die is coupled to the substrate at the inner region via the electrical contact pads. The sensor die is aligned to the substrate via aligning features that align the sensor die relative to the substrate in at least one of a first plane or a second plane.

A passive micromechanical counter for counting and storing a number of mechanical pulses includes at least one memory cell, the memory cell having a cell input, a latching mechanism and an electromechanical coding unit, the cell input being designed to mechanically transmit the mechanical pulse to the latching mechanism, and the latching mechanism being designed to store the number of mechanical pulses transmitted by means of its discrete latching position. It is provided that an electrical digital signal can be generated by applying an electrical voltage to the electromechanical coding unit, the electrical digital signal representing the discrete latching position of the latching mechanism.

There is provided a micro electrical mechanical systems device package comprising: a first vacuum enclosure comprising a first enclosure wall; a micro electrical mechanical systems device being positioned within the first vacuum enclosure on a first side of the first enclosure wall; and a second vacuum enclosure, the second side of the first enclosure wall being within the second vacuum enclosure. Advantageously, the first vacuum enclosure is entirely within the second vacuum enclosure.

A bonding pad layer system is deposited on a semiconductor chip as a base, for example, a micromechanical semiconductor chip, in which at least one self-supporting dielectric membrane made up of dielectric layers, a platinum conductor track and a heater made of platinum is integrated. In the process, the deposition of a tantalum layer takes place first, upon that the deposition of a first platinum layer, upon that the deposition of a tantalum nitride layer, upon that the deposition of a second platinum layer and upon that the deposition of a gold layer, at least one bonding pad for connecting with a bonding wire being formed in the gold layer. The bonding pad is situated in the area of the contact hole on the semiconductor chip, in which a platinum conductor track leading to the heater is connected using a ring contact and/or is connected outside this area.

A microelectromechanical heating device includes a substrate, a thermal insulator, and a heater. The thermal insulator includes a plurality of supporting structures and at least one thermal insulation layer. The supporting structures are disposed on the substrate. The thermal insulation layer is located above the substrate and connected to the plurality of supporting structures. The thermal insulation layer is spaced apart from the substrate by a distance. The heater is disposed on the at least one thermal insulation layer.