Abstract: Selective encapsulation of a micro electro-mechanical pressure sensor provides for protection of the wire bands (140) through encapsulation while permitting the pressure sensor diaphragm (121) to be exposed to ambient pressure without encumbrance or obstruction. Selective encapsulation is made possible by the construction of a protective dam (150) around the outer perimeter of a pressure sensor diaphragm (121) to form a wire bond cavity region between the protective dam (150) and the device housing (105). The wire bond cavity may be encapsulated with an encapsulation gel (160) or by a vent cap (170). Alternatively, the protective dam (150) may be formed by a glass frit pattern (152) bonding a cap wafer (151) to a device wafer (125) and then dicing the two-wafer combination into individual dies with protective dams attached.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing sensors in a media includes a chamber portion (240) for holding the sensors, tanks (320, 340) for supplying the media to the chamber portion (240) and coupled in parallel to the chamber portion (240), a pressure generator (310) coupled to the tanks (320, 340), and a heat exchanger (323, 324) adjacent to the tanks (320, 340). The media is simultaneously heated to different temperatures and pressurized to different pressures in the tanks (320, 340). Then, the media is delivered from the tanks (320, 340) to the chamber portion (240), and the sensors detect the media at the different temperatures and pressures.

Abstract: A media compatible microsensor structure (11) for sensing an environmental condition in a harsh media includes an inorganic protective film (17) covering portions of the structure that will be exposed to the harsh media. In one embodiment, the microsensor structure (11) includes a microsensor package (12), a microsensor device (16) bonded to the microsensor package (12), a leadframe (13), a connective wire (14) connecting the microsensor device (16) to the leadframe (13), and an inorganic protective film (17) formed on all or portion of the exposed surfaces of the structure.

Abstract: A pressure sensor (32) having a transducer (34) disposed on a top surface of an active die (38). The transducer has a doped region (42), the active die is disposed on a mounting substrate (70), and an interconnect opening (48) is disposed at an edge (90) of the active die. A metal layer (50) is disposed in the interconnect opening and on the top surface of the active die to be in electrical contact with the doped region. A conductive bump (76) is disposed on the mounting substrate in electrical contact with the metal layer and a conductive trace (74) on the mounting substrate.