Semiconductor differential pressure measuring device

• US 5,959,213 A
• Filed: 07/10/1997
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Hideo, Yoshida, Takashi, Watanabe, Tetsuya, Ikeda, Kyoichi, Fukuhara, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLARK, ROBIN C
• Application Number:
  US08/891,105
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 73/702, 73/704, 73/717, 73/718, 73/719, 73/720, 73/721
• US Class Current: 73/720
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 13/025 using diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 15/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring two or more fluid pressure values simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0054 integral with a semiconducting diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/045 with electric temperature compensating means non electric temperature compensating means G01L19/04

Abstract

A semiconductor differential pressure measuring device comprising two measurement diaphragms and two detection sensors provided in a semiconductor substrate using micromachining techniques, and a computing circuit which computes the differences between the two sensor outputs, wherein a communicating hole is provided for applying pressure to each diaphragm so that the diaphragms operate in opposite phases by differential pressure, and two detecting sensors are provided on each diaphragm for detecting displacement or strain of each diaphragm caused by the differential pressure applied to the respective diaphragm, whereby detecting the differences in displacement or strain cancels the static pressure error and temperature error so that the invention has excellent temperature and static pressure characteristics, and whereby the computing circuit comprises a bridge using the two detecting sensors, which substantially reduces the cost of the device.

Claims

1. A semiconductor differential pressure measuring device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a first surface;

a first chamber provided in said semiconductor substrate near said first surface of said semiconductor substrate and having a first effective volume;

a first diaphragm provided to define one wall of said first chamber and being made as one body with said semiconductor substrate from the beginning and of the same material as said semiconductor substrate and having a first effective surface area;

a first concave portion provided on said first diaphragm and having a second effective volume which is the same as said first effective volume of said first chamber;

a second chamber provided in said semiconductor substrate near said first surface of said semiconductor substrate and having a third effective volume which is the same as said first effective volume of said first chamber;

a second diaphragm provided to define one wall of said second chamber and being made as one body with said semiconductor substrate from the beginning and of the same material as said semiconductor substrate;

wherein said second diaphragm has a second effective surface area which is the same as said first effective surface area of said first diaphragm, and which is formed at the same time said first diaphragm is formed;

a second concave portion provided on said second diaphragm and having a fourth effective volume which is the same as said first effective volume of said first chamber;

a support substrate having a surface in contact with said first surface of said semiconductor substrate, said support substrate and said first concave portion forming therebetween and in said semiconductor substrate a third chamber, and said support substrate and said second concave portion forming therebetween and in said semiconductor substrate a fourth chamber so that said first diaphragm is located between said first and third chambers and is movable by a first difference in pressures applied respectively thereto and so that said second diagram is located between said second and fourth chambers and is movable by a second difference in pressures applied respectively thereto;

a first communicating hole having a first and second end and provided in at least said support substrate with a first measurement pressure being applied to said first end of said first communicating hole and said second end of said first communicating hole being in communication with said third and second chambers;

a second communicating hole having a first and second end and provided in at least said support substrate with a second measurement pressure being applied to said first end of said second communicating hole and said second end of said second communicating hole being in communication with said fourth and first chambers;

first sensor means disposed in contact with said first diaphragm for detecting displacement or strain caused in said first diaphragm by said first difference between said first and second measurement pressures;

second sensor means disposed in contact with said second diagram for detecting displacement or strain caused in said second diaphragm by said second difference between said first and second measurement pressures; and

computing means connected to said first and second sensor means for computing a third difference between output signals from said first sensor means denoting said first difference of pressures and said second sensor means denoting said second difference of pressures, and using said third difference for generating a signal corresponding accurately to the measured difference between said first and second measurement pressures.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second sensor means comprise strain gages.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second sensor means comprise vibration strain sensors.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second sensor means comprise capacitance sensors.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said computing means comprises a bridge comprising said first and second sensor means arranged in adjacent arms of said bridge so as to obtain an output signal corresponding to said difference in pressures being measured.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising said third and fourth sensor means being provided symmetrically of each other and about said first and second diaphragms;

and

means for detecting differential pressure arranged to obtain an output signal corresponding to said difference in pressures being measured, by arranging said first and second sensor means in two arms of said bridge with a connecting terminal between said two arms of said bridge forming a power supply terminal, and by further providing third and fourth sensor means in another two arms of said bridge with a connecting terminal between said two other arms forming another power supply terminal of said bridge.

7. The device of claim 5, further comprising means for detecting differential pressure arranged to obtain an output signal corresponding to said difference in pressures being measured by arranging said first and second sensor means in two arms of said bridge with a connecting terminal therebetween forming a power supply terminal of said bridge, and by further providing two resistor elements in another two arms of said bridge with a connecting terminal therebetween forming another power supply terminal of said bridge.