Abstract: A pressure sensor comprising a housing, a diaphragm wafer, and an isolator configured to absorb lateral stress. The diaphragm wafer includes a fully exposed diaphragm, a fluid contact surface, a sensing element, and a support portion, where the support portion and the contact surface define a cavity. The isolator extends laterally from the support portion to the housing. The pressure sensor is easily drainable, eliminating the buildup of particulates, and the diaphragm can be directly wire-bonded to printed circuit boards, eliminating the need for extensive electrical feedthrough.

Abstract: A method for producing a silicon based MEMS pressure sensor includes forming a cavity in a first (100) surface of a silicon wafer with first and second parallel (100) surfaces wherein the angle between the walls of the first cavity and the first (100) surface where they intersect the first (100) surface are greater than 90 degrees and the remaining material between the bottom of the cavity and the second parallel (100) surface comprises a flexible diaphragm. The method also includes forming a backing wafer, having a through hole, and bonding the silicon wafer to the backing wafer such that the hole in the backing wafer matches up with the cavity in the second side of the (100) silicon wafer. A dielectric layer is formed on the second side of the (100) silicon wafer and a sensing element is formed on the dielectric layer to detect pressure induced deflection of the silicon diaphragm.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems die including a thermally conductive substrate including an outer surface, a plurality of low mass sensing structures disposed within the thermally conductive substrate to form a plurality of inter-structure spaces therebetween, each of the plurality of low mass sensing structures include a sensing structure proximal top surface, a sensing structure distal top surface, and a sensing structure width dimension.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems die including a thermally conductive substrate, at least one insulator film disposed on the thermally conductive substrate, a sensor material disposed on the at least one insulator film, and a heater circumferentially disposed around the sensor material.

Abstract: A sensor package includes a manifold and a MEMS die. The manifold includes a cylindrical body, a flange, and a mounting surface. The cylindrical body defines a first passage that extends longitudinally along a central axis from a first exterior end to an interior end of the cylindrical body. The flange extends from the cylindrical body and has an outer periphery that is configured to support a print circuit board. The mounting surface is disposed at the interior end of the first passage. The surface area of the mounting surface is less than the surface area of a MEMS die configured to mate with the mounting surface.

Abstract: A MEMS sensor includes a sensor die configured to generate a sensor signal and a pedestal layer disposed on the sensor die. The pedestal layer includes a channel defined therein about a pedestal of the pedestal layer. The pedestal is configured to be mounted to a housing. A method for manufacturing MEMS sensors can include disposing a pedestal layer on a sensor layer, wherein the sensor layer defines a plurality of sensor dies to be cut therefrom. The method further includes defining a respective channel in the pedestal layer for each sensor die, thereby creating a pedestal for each sensor die.

Abstract: A MEMS pressure sensor may be manufactured to include a backing substrate having a diaphragm backing portion and a pedestal portion. A diaphragm substrate may be manufactured to include a pedestal portion and a diaphragm that is mounted to the diaphragm backing portion of the backing substrate to form a stress isolated MEMS die. The pedestal portions of the backing and diaphragm substrates form a pedestal of the stress isolated MEMS die. The pedestal is configured for isolating the diaphragm from stresses including packaging and mounting stress imparted on the stress isolated MEMS die.

Abstract: A capacitor for use in sensors includes opposed first and second capacitor plates, wherein the second capacitor plate is mounted to the first capacitor plate by a flexible attachment. The flexible attachment is configured and adapted so that flexure of the attachment causes a change in the spacing between the first and second capacitor plates to cause a change in the capacitance thereacross.

Abstract: A capacitor for use in sensors includes opposed first and second capacitor plates, wherein the second capacitor plate is mounted to the first capacitor plate by a flexible attachment. The flexible attachment is configured and adapted so that flexure of the attachment causes a change in the spacing between the first and second capacitor plates to cause a change in the capacitance thereacross.

Abstract: A MEMS pressure sensor may be manufactured to include a backing substrate having a diaphragm backing portion and a pedestal portion. A diaphragm substrate may be manufactured to include a pedestal portion and a diaphragm that is mounted to the diaphragm backing portion of the backing substrate to form a stress isolated MEMS die. The pedestal portions of the backing and diaphragm substrates form a pedestal of the stress isolated MEMS die. The pedestal is configured for isolating the diaphragm from stresses including packaging and mounting stress imparted on the stress isolated MEMS die.

Abstract: Spring set configurations that include an advantageous combination of spring geometries are disclosed. Spring elements having curved and straight sections, orientation of spring element anchor points with respect to the common radius, orientation of spring element segments with respect to a specific axis, balance of the length of spring elements about the common radius, and mass balance about the common radius can be used to mitigate unwanted out of plane motion. The spring set provides planar motion while reducing undesired out of plane motion making MEMS devices substantially insensitive to the process-induced etch angle variations of the spring elements. The spring set can be used in a MEMS gyro device which maintains the desired resonant modes and consistently low quadrature error even with process variations in manufacturing causing undesirable etch angles.

Abstract: A harsh environment transducer including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface is in communication with the environment. The transducer includes a device layer sensor means located on the substrate for measuring a parameter associated with the environment. The sensor means including a single crystal semiconductor material having a thickness of less than about 0.5 microns. The transducer further includes an output contact located on the substrate and in electrical communication with the sensor means. The transducer includes a package having an internal package space and a port for communication with the environment. The package receives the substrate in the internal package space such that the first surface of the substrate is substantially isolated from the environment and the second surface of the substrate is substantially exposed to the environment through the port.

Abstract: A harsh environment transducer including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface is in communication with the environment. The transducer includes a device layer sensor means located on the substrate for measuring a parameter associated with the environment. The sensor means including a single crystal semiconductor material having a thickness of less than about 0.5 microns. The transducer further includes an output contact located on the substrate and in electrical communication with the sensor means. The transducer includes a package having an internal package space and a port for communication with the environment. The package receives the substrate in the internal package space such that the first surface of the substrate is substantially isolated from the environment and the second surface of the substrate is substantially exposed to the environment through the port.