Improvements in thin film sensors are disclosed. These can be used for aircraft applications. Dielectric isolation washers can be provided between a pressure sensor and an exterior metal housing of a sensor assembly. In this manner, high voltage inputs from a lightning strike or other source that reach the sensor housing are not transmitted to the sensor. Dielectric washers, insulators, and potting compounds can thus isolate a metal thin film pressure sensor from adjacent metal components (e.g., using non-conducting insulating materials like Torlon, zirconia and nylon). Besides their high dielectric strength, these materials exhibit compressive strength and resistance to wear, creep and corrosion. Desirable thicknesses for these components are provided. The described thin film pressure sensor embodiments can attain a dielectric rating of 1500 VAC.

According to one embodiment, a strain and pressure sensing device includes a semiconductor circuit unit and a sensing unit. The semiconductor circuit unit includes a semiconductor substrate and a transistor. The transistor is provided on a semiconductor substrate. The sensing unit is provided on the semiconductor circuit unit, and has space and non-space portions. The non-space portion is juxtaposed with the space portion. The sensing unit further includes a movable beam, a strain sensing element unit, and first and second buried interconnects. The movable beam has fixed and movable portions, and includes first and second interconnect layers. The fixed portion is fixed to the non-space portion. The movable portion is separated from the transistor and extends from the fixed portion into the space portion. The strain sensing element unit is fixed to the movable portion. The first and second buried interconnects are provided in the non-space portion.

A microfabricated fluid pump is formed in a multilayer substrate by etching a plurality of shallow and deep wells into the layers, and then joining these wells with voids formed by anisotropic etching. The voids define a flexible membrane over the substrate which deforms when a force is applied. The force may be provided by an embedded layer of piezoelectric material. Embedded strain gauges may allow self-sensing and convenient, precise operational control.

A wireless circuit includes a housing having at least one opening, and sensor connected to the housing at the opening. The sensor includes a first layer having a first dimension and a second layer having a second dimension shorter than the first dimension. The second layer may be positioned entirely within the housing and a surface of said first layer may be exposed to an exterior of the housing.

A sensor includes a detector including an element substrate, a membrane including an outer surface, an inner surface on an opposite side of the outer surface, and a diaphragm, a side wall provided on the element substrate and supporting a portion of the inner surface of the membrane outside the diaphragm, and a fixed electrode provided on the element substrate and surrounded by the side wall, facing the inner surface of the membrane with a space therebetween and having an electrostatic capacitance between the fixed electrode and the diaphragm. A first recess portion is provided in the outer surface of the membrane between the center of the diaphragm and the side wall in the thickness direction of the membrane.

A MEMS module includes: a MEMS element provided with a substrate in which a hollow portion is formed, and including a movable portion, which is a part of the substrate, around the hollow portion, the movable portion having a thickness whose shape is changeable by an air pressure difference between an air pressure inside the hollow portion and an air pressure outside the substrate; and an electronic component, to which an output signal of the MEMS element is inputted, formed on the substrate, wherein the electronic component and the MEMS element are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the movable portion.

A pressure sensing device includes a pressure signal receiver configured to receive an analog pressure signal from a pressure sensor, a converter configured to convert the analog pressure signal to a digital pressure signal, and a processor configured to convert a pressure value of the digital pressure signal to a bit value corresponding to the pressure value and output the bit value. The processor is configured to convert the pressure value to a first bit value by a first bit resolution in response to the pressure value being included in a first pressure interval, and convert the pressure value to a second bit value by a second bit resolution in response to the pressure value being included in a second pressure interval. The second pressure interval is a pressure interval greater than the first pressure interval, and the first bit resolution is greater than the second bit resolution.

Provided are a MEMS pressure sensor and a method for forming the same. The method includes: preparing a first substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; preparing a second substrate including a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to each other; bonding the first surface and the third surface with each other and forming a cavity between the first substrate and the pressure sensing region of the second substrate; thinning the second substrate from the fourth surface by partially removing the second base, to form a fifth surface opposite to the third surface; and forming a first conductive plug passing through the second substrate from the side of the fifth surface of the second substrate to the at least one conductive layer.

MEMS device formed in a semiconductor body which is monolithic and has a first and a second main surface. A buried cavity extends into the semiconductor body below and at a distance from the first main surface. A diaphragm extends between the buried cavity and the first main surface of the semiconductor body and has a buried face facing the buried cavity. A diaphragm insulating layer extends on the buried face of the diaphragm and a lateral insulating region extends into the semiconductor body along a closed line, between the first main surface and the diaphragm insulating layer, above the buried cavity. The lateral insulating region laterally delimits the diaphragm and forms, with the diaphragm insulating layer, a diaphragm insulating region which delimits the diaphragm and electrically insulates it from the rest of the wafer.

A method for manufacturing a MEMS device includes disposing at least one bonding portion having a smaller bonding area in a region where an airtight chamber will be formed, and disposing a metal getter on a bonding surface of the bonding portion. According to this structure, when substrates are bonded to define the airtight chamber, the metal getter is squeezed out of the bonding position due to the larger bonding pressure of the bonding portion with a smaller bonding area. Then, the metal getter is activated to absorb the moisture in the airtight chamber. According to the above process, no additional procedure is needed to remove the moisture in the airtight chamber. A MEMS device manufactured by the above manufacturing method is also disclosed.