Abstract: The drain voltage of an IGFET having a channel responsive to the change in physical quantity to be measured is negatively fed back to the gate terminal of the IGFET. The negative feedback loop includes series connection of a first amplifier having an amplification factor larger than unity and a second amplifier having an amplification factor smaller than unity. The interconnection point between the first and the second amplifiers is connected to the output terminal. There is provided a stable, highly sensitive and highly reliable semiconductor sensor.

Abstract: A semiconductor-type pressure transducer is disclosed in which the pressure change is detected as a resistance change by use of a bridge circuit including at least a gauge resistor changing with an external force. Each gauge resistor is made of a PN junction of a semiconductor. The pressure transducer further comprises an amplification factor compensator for cancelling the effect of the temperature change of the gauge resistors making up the bridge circuit on the amplification factor of the amplification circuit for amplifying the output of the bridge circuit.

Abstract: A current source device controls a rate of change of current flowing through a load so that the change rate of the current is equal to a change rate of a fluctuating supply voltage. A first transistor is fed with the supply voltage via a first resistor connected to its collector and a second resistor connected to its emitter. A second transistor has a base connected to a base of the first transistor, an emitter connected to a third resistor and a collector connected to a load. A current to the load is fed from the supply voltage via the load, the collector and emitter of the second transistor and the third resistor. The collector and base of the first transistor are respectively connected to a base and an emitter of a third transistor having a collector fed with the supply voltage.

Abstract: A pressure transducer comprises a pressure sensor including a bridge connection of gauging resistors formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a power supply connected to the pressure sensor for driving it and basically acting as a constant current source. The power supply includes at least two transistors formed on the semiconductor substrate. One of the transistors provides a collector current which is less in temperature-dependency relative to that of the other transistor, and the other transistor has a collector circuit connected to the pressure sensor and provides a collector current corresponding to a sum of a substantially temperature-dependent current and a substantially temperature-independent current.

Abstract: A pressure transducer is disclosed comprising a pressure sensor portion having gage resistors in bridge formed on a thin diaphragm of a semiconductor substrate, and a power supply connected to the pressure sensor portion for driving the pressure sensor. The power supply includes a first current source for supplying a temperature-dependent current equivalent to the sum of a current almost proportional to the absolute temperature and a current independent of temperature, and a second current source for sinking the current almost proportional to the temperature characteristic of the gage resistors from the current of the first current source.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure sensor of semiconductor type, having a semiconductor diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm comprises at least one of thin wall parts and at least one of thick wall parts, and defines therein recesses formed in the lower surface of the diaphragm below the thin wall parts, piezoresistance elements are laid on the upper surface of the diaphragm near the thin wall parts, and a supporting member is sealingly jointed to the thick wall parts at the lower surface of the diaphragm, so that the recesses are sealed and confined so as to prevent high pressure fluid from blowing off when the thin wall part is broken.

Abstract: A magnetoelectric conversion element comprises a magnetoresistive effect material having a closed domain structure, a pair of contacts for supply of current flowing through the magnetoresistive effect material, and a bias electrode disposed between the contacts for biasing the direction of the current flow. The bias electrode is disposed so that the respective angles of intersection between the directions of current flow through different magnetic domains of the magnetoresistive effect material biased by the bias electrode and the directions of spontaneous magnetization biased by an external magnetic field are both increased or decreased.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic rotary encoder used in combination with a rotary body having plural pieces of magnetic information recorded on at least one circumferentially running track. The rotary encoder comprises a substrate having a surface disposed opposite to the rotary body and at least one magnetoresistive element formed on the surface of the substrate. The magnetoresistive element is formed on the substrate surface as an integral pattern including at least two portions extending substantially in the radial direction of the rotary body in a relation opposite to the magnetic information recorded portion of the rotary body, two lead connection terminal portions formed at the outer ends of the radially extending portions respectively, and a circumferentially extending portion interconnecting the radially extending portions at their ends, so as to form a single electrical signal path which passes both of the radially extending portions and terminates in the two lead connection terminal portions.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure detector apparatus has a strain--electric signal conversion bridge which is composed of four semiconductor strain gauges, and an amplifier which serves to hold at a predetermined value the sum of currents flowing through the bridge. The midpoints of two arms constituting the bridge are respectively connected to the noninverting inputs of two negative feedback amplifiers. Outputs from the two negative feedback amplifiers are applied to a differential amplifier, and an output proportional to the difference of the outputs of the former amplifiers appears at an output terminal of the latter amplifier.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor having plural pressure sensitive diaphragms and capable of producing electric signals of at least two pressures.A semiconductor pressure sensor has a semiconductor single crystal chip (1) on which two diaphragms (12a, 12b) are shaped, pairs of strain gauges (13a and 14a, and 13b and 14b), each of which pairs are constructed on each pressure sensitive diaphragm, electrodes (15a and 16a, and 15b and 16b) which are provided for electrical connections of these strain gauges on the semiconductor single crystal, and an insulating substrate of borosilicate glass, the thermal expansion coefficient is substantially equal tol that of said semiconductor single-crystal chip, wherein the semiconductor single-crystal chip (1) and the glass substrate (2) are bonded to each other by an Anodic Bonding method, thereby being able to obtain a semiconductor pressure sensor which scarcely producing errors outputs.

Abstract: A semiconductor absolute pressure transducer assembly has a silicon diaphragm assembly and a covering member. The silicon diaphragm assembly has a circular pressure sensitive diaphragm, on the surface of which are diffused piezoresistors and conducting paths. The covering member composed of borosilicate glass has a circular well formed therein. On the surface of the silicon diaphragm assembly on which the piezoresistors and the conducting paths are diffused, a passivating layer of silicon dioxide is deposited. Further on the passivating layer, a conductive layer is formed by, for example, evaporating silicon. And the glass covering member is bonded on the silicon diaphragm assembly by anodic bonding. Namely, the silicon diaphragm assembly and the glass covering member are heated up to a certain high temperature and a relative high voltage applied across the conductive layer of the silicon diaphragm assembly and the glass covering members.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure transducer assembly comprising a silicon diaphragm assembly and a glass covering member. The silicon diaphragm assembly has a circular diaphragm portion of thin silicon which is formed using etching, and a thick supporting portion therearound. Piezoresistive elements of a piezoresistive bridge circuit and conducting paths for electrically connection thereof are formed on the silicon diaphragm assembly. On a surface of the silicon diaphragm assembly, a passivating layer of silicon dioxide are formed in uniform thickness, and further on a surface of the passivating layer is formed a layer of polysilicon on the supporting portion of the silicon diaphragm assembly. In the passivating layer, a contacting window is formed, through which the polysilicon layer is electrically connected to the silicon diaphragm assembly.

Abstract: An electronic fuel feed system wherein pulses generated in synchronism with the revolutions of an engine are multiplied by N, the suction air of the engine is measured by a swirl-type air flow meter, the pulses increased N times as fall within a pulse of the air flow meter are counted, and the quantity of fuel supply is calculated from the inverse number of the count value.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor is provided which has a conductive silicon diaphragm having a thick supporting portion at the periphery thereof and a thin inner deflecting portion which is reduced in thickness from the supporting portion by means of an etching process which makes possible a very accurate dimensioning of the hollow formed by the deflecting portion of the diaphragm. A substrate of borosilicate glass has a flat surface which is placed against the side of the diaphragm in contact with the supporting portion and the two elements are joined by a process of anodic bonding so that a pressure chamber is formed between the substrate and the thin deflecting portion of the diaphragm. Within the pressure chamber, a thin electrode is provided on the surface of the substrate thereby forming electrostatic capacity between the substrate and the diaphragm and a hole is provided through the substrate for supplying of fluid into the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A strain gauge pressure transducer apparatus having an impedance bridge of strain gauges formed on a thin wall semiconductor diaphragm to which a pressure to be detected is applied. Each of two arms of the impedance bridge includes two series-connected pressure transducer elements of the semiconductor strain gauges, and is electrically connected at one end thereof to each other. An operational amplifier of an excitation source supplies the impedance bridge with excitation current. That is, the output of the operational amplifier is connected to the junction of the two arms of the impedance bridge, and the inverting input thereof to the other end of one of the two arms. To the non-inverting input of the operational amplifier, a voltage signal varying in accordance with the changing of an ambient temperature is applied. Intermediate nodes of the two arms of the impedance bridge are connected to the inverting and non-inverting inputs of another operational amplifier, respectively.

Abstract: A nozzle head of an ink-jet printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an ink reservoir for storing the ink supplied from an ink tank, a pump chamber provided between said ink reservoir and a nozzle for injecting ink particles, and a fluid diode provided between said ink reservoir and said pump chamber, which are all formed in a same substrate, wherein said pump chamber is caused to change its volume responsive to electric signals so that the ink stored therein is injected from said nozzle, and the ink is prevented from reversely flowing from said pump chamber to said ink reservoir when the volume of the pump chamber is changed, thereby to improve the frequency response of ink particles injected from the nozzle.