Hermetically sealed absolute and differential pressure transducer

• US 6,272,928 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Original Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Inventors: Kurtz, Anthony D.
• Primary Examiner(s): OEN, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/490,083
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 737/15, 737/16, 737/17, 737/19, 737/20, 737/21, 737/23, 737/25, 737/26, 737/27, 737/54, 361/283.4, 29/254.1, 29/254.2
• US Class Current: 73/721
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 13/025 using diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0055 bonded on a diaphragm

Abstract

A single chip dielectrically isolated leadless pressure sensor adapted to substantially simultaneously measure a first pressure and a differential between the first pressure and a second pressure including: a wafer including first and second recessed portions respectively defining first and second deflectable diaphragms and at least one rim portion formed between the first and second recessed portions for isolating the first deflectable diaphragm from the second deflectable diaphragm; a first circuit mounted on the first deflectable diaphragm and being responsive to the first pressure; and a second circuit mounted on the second deflectable diaphragm and being responsive to the second pressure; wherein, the first and second circuits are adapted to be electrically coupled to one another so as to cooperatively provide a common output indicative of a differential pressure associated with the first and second pressures, while simultaneously partially providing an output indicative of the first or second pressures.

Claims

1. A dielectrically isolated single chip pressure sensor adapted to substantially simultaneously measure a first absolute pressure and a differential between said first pressure and a second absolute pressure comprising:

a semiconductor wafer including first and second recessed portions and at least one rim portion formed between said first and second recessed portions, said first and second recessed portions defining first and second deflectable diaphragms and said rim portion isolating said first deflectable diaphragm from said second deflectable diaphragm;

a first open four arm Wheatstone Bridge circuit mounted on said first deflectable diaphragm so as to be dielectrically isolated therefrom and responsive to said first pressure; and

,

a second open four arm Wheatstone Bridge circuit mounted on said second deflectable diaphragm so as to be dielectrically isolated therefrom and being responsive to said second pressure;

wherein, said first and second circuits are adapted to be electrically coupled to one another so as to cooperatively provide a common output indicative of a differential pressure associated with said first and second pressures while simultaneously partially providing an output indicative of said first or second pressures.

2. The transducer of claim 1, wherein said first circuit includes a first plurality of piezoresistors.

3. The transducer of claim 2, wherein said first plurality of piezoresistors are coupled in a first Wheatstone bridge configuration.

4. The transducer of claim 3, wherein said first Wheatstone bridge configuration includes first and second circuit portions, and each of said first and second circuit portions respectively includes two of said plurality of piezoresistors being coupled in series.

5. The transducer of claim 4, wherein said first circuit portion further includes a first input node electrically coupled to a first of said two piezoresistors, a second input node electrically coupled to a second of said two piezoresistors and a first output node electrically coupled between said first and second piezoresistors.

6. The transducer of claim 5, wherein said second circuit includes third and fourth piezoresistors coupled in series, a third input node electrically coupled to said third piezoresistor, a fourth input node electrically coupled to said fourth piezoresistor and a second output node electrically coupled between said third and fourth piezoresistors.

7. The transducer of claim 6, wherein said electrical coupling to provide a common output indicative of said differential pressure associated with said first and second pressures includes electrically coupling said first input node to said third input node and said second input node to said fourth input node, and measuring an output across said first and second output nodes.

8. The transducer of claim 1, further comprising a third circuit, wherein said second circuit is further adapted to be coupled to said third circuit to cooperatively therewith provide a second output indicative of said second pressure.

9. The transducer of claim 8, wherein said first circuit includes a first Wheatstone bridge structure including first and second circuit portions, said second circuit includes a second Wheatstone bridge structure including third and fourth circuit portions, and said first and third circuit portions are adapted to cooperatively provide said output indicative of said differential and said fourth circuit portion and third circuit are adapted to cooperatively provide said second output.

10. The transducer of claim 9, wherein said first circuit portion and since third circuits are further adapted to cooperatively provide a third output indicative of said first pressure.

11. The transducer of claim 10, wherein:

in a first mode, said transducer is adapted to provide said output indicative of said differential and said second output simultaneously; and

,

in a second mode, said transducer is adapted to provide said second and third outputs simultaneously.

12. A pressure sensing assembly comprising:

a wafer including first and second recessed portions respectively forming first and second deflectable diaphragms, at least one rim isolating said first diaphragm from said second diaphragm, and first and second circuits each respectively formed on an associated one of said first and second diaphragms, said first and second circuits each being dielectrically isolated from its respectively associated diaphragm and adapted to provide an output indicative of an amount of deflection of said associated diaphragm; and

,

a member including first and second ports respectively opening to a first aperture passing there through to said first diaphragm and a second aperture passing through to said second diaphragm, whereby when said first port is exposed to a first pressure to be measured said first diaphragm is exposed to a said first pressure through said first aperture, and when said second port is exposed to a second pressure to measured said second diaphragm is exposed to said second pressure through said second aperture;

wherein, said first and second circuits are adapted to be electrically coupled together to cooperatively provide a first output indicative of a differential between said first and second pressures to be measured, and said second circuit is further adapted to be simultaneously coupled to another circuit to cooperative therewith provide a second output indicative of said second pressure to be measured.

13. The assembly of claim 12, where in said other circuit comprises first and second resistors coupled in series.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said first circuit comprises a first Wheatstone bridge stricture including a first plurality of piezoresistors.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said second circuit comprises a second Wheatstone bridge circuit structure including a second plurality of piezoresistors.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein a first set of said first plurality of piezoresistors is electrically coupled to a first set of said second plurality of piezoresistors to cooperatively provide said first output.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein a second set of said second plurality of piezoresistors is electrically coupled with said third circuit to cooperatively therewith provide said second output substantially simultaneously with said first output.

18. The device of claim 12, further comprising a flatpack including a plurality of electrical contacts, wherein said first circuit includes at least a first input node and a first output node, said second circuit includes at least a second input node and a second output node, and each of said electrical contacts is respectively electrically coupled to a corresponding one of said input or output nodes.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a connection layer interposed between said wafer and said flatpack, said connection layer including a conductive layer sandwiched between two other layers, wherein at least one of said other layers includes a plurality of apertures adapted to enable said conductive layer to be electrically coupled to said first and second circuits.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said connection layer further includes a plurality of pins extending around a periphery of said conductive layer for electrically coupling said conductive layer of said electrical contacts of said flatpack.