Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090294740 | Method and apparatus for preventing catastrophic contact failure in ultra high temperature piezoresistive sensors and transducers - A method to prevent the catastrophic failure of electrical contacts of silicon piezoresistive transducers located on a silicon wafer at temperatures above 600° C. comprising the steps of using a lead-free glass frit to surround the contacts and bonding the sensor wafer to a glass wafer employing a lead-free glass and utilizing a modified electrostatic bonding technique to join the silicon wafer to the lead-free glass wafer to form a high temperature SOI device. | 12-03-2009 |
20100107773 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING CATASTROPHIC CONTACT FAILURE IN ULTRA HIGH TEMPERATURE PIEZORESISTIVE SENSORS AND TRANSDUCERS - A piezoresistive sensor device and a method for making a piezoresistive device are disclosed. The sensor device comprises a silicon wafer having piezoresistive elements and contacts in electrical communication with the elements. The sensor device further comprises a contact glass coupled to the silicon wafer and having apertures aligned with the contacts. The sensor device also comprises a non-conductive frit for mounting the contact glass to a header glass, and a conductive non-lead glass frit disposed in the apertures and in electrical communication with the contacts. The method for making a piezoresistive sensor device, comprises bonding a contact glass to a silicon wafer such that apertures in the glass line up with contacts on the wafer, and filling the apertures with a non-lead glass frit such that the frit is in electrical communication with the contacts. The use of a lead free glass frit prevents catastrophic failure of the piezoresistive sensor and associated transducer in ultra high temperature applications. | 05-06-2010 |
20100122581 | Flexible transducer structures - A novel flexible transducer structure is suitable for attaching to curved surface such as the leading edge of an aircraft wing. The structure comprises a thin flexible sheet of an insulating material with a leadless transducer secured to the sheet. The sheet is then placed over the curved surface and assumes the curvature of the surface. The transducer secured to the sheet provides an output of pressure according the pressure exerted on the sheet. The sheet basically is fabricated from a thin material such as Kapton and is flexible so as to assume the curvature of the surface with the transducer being exposed to pressure applied to the curved surface. The sensor in conjunction with the flexible sheet allows pressure to be measured without disturbing the air flow patterns of the measuring surfaces and because of its construction, is moisture resistant over a large variety of atmospheric conditions. | 05-20-2010 |
20100185403 | High temperature,high bandwidth pressure acquisition system - A system for measuring a multiplicity of pressures as those experienced by a model in a wind tunnel is depicted. The system includes individual sensor devices which are connected to an Acquisition and Compensation electronics module. The individual sensor or transducer devices are semiconductor piezoresistive devices and are connected to the Acquisition and Compensation electronics module by means of a cable in a first embodiment. In an alternate embodiment the system uses connectors which connect each of the individual sensor devices to the Acquisition and Compensation electronics module via a mating connector located therein. The connectors may also include a memory which stores compensation coefficients associated with each of the various sensor devices. In this manner as described, the transducers which are small devices are connected via electrical lines or cables to the central Acquisition and Compensation electronics modules. This module houses electronics which digitally converts the data from the sensors and then compensates the data for temperature effects. The advantage of the system is that each individual sensor does not have any compensation and it can be made very small to operate at very high temperatures without any loss of accuracy. Thus, a large number of sensors can be utilized in a very small volume, even under extreme environmental conditions. It is noted that the Acquisition and Compensation electronics module can be located remotely in a safe environment outside of the wind tunnel and therefore respond extremely accurately to the pressure and temperatures subjected by the model in the wind tunnel. | 07-22-2010 |
20100193908 | FUSION BONDING PROCESS AND STRUCTURE FOR FABRICATING SILICON-ON-INSULATION (SOI) SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - A method of fabricating a semiconductor-on-insulator device including: providing a first semiconductor wafer having an about 500 angstrom thick oxide layer thereover; etching the first semiconductor wafer to raise a pattern therein; doping the raised pattern of the first semiconductor wafer through the about 500 angstrom thick oxide layer; providing a second semiconductor wafer having an oxide thereover; and, bonding the first semiconductor wafer oxide to the second semiconductor wafer oxide at an elevated temperature. | 08-05-2010 |
20110239772 | DIFFERENTIAL TEMPERATURE AND ACCELERATION COMPENSATED PRESSURE TRANSDUCER - A dual diaphragm pressure transducer, or sensor, with compensation for non-pressure effects is disclosed. The pressure sensor can include two pressure transducers located on separate portions of a chip. The first pressure transducer can be a differential pressure transducer, which produces a signal proportional to one or more applied pressures and includes other non-pressure effects. The second pressure transducer can be sealed in a hermetic chamber and thus can produce a signal proportional only to non-pressure effects. The signals can be combined to produce a signal proportional to the applied pressures with no non-pressure effects. The first and second pressure transducers can be physically and/or electrically isolated to improve sealing between the two pressure transducers and prevent pressure leaks therebetween. | 10-06-2011 |
20110275192 | FUSION BONDING PROCESS AND STRUCTURE FOR FABRICATING SILICON-ON-INSULATION (SOI) SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - A method of fabricating a semiconductor-on-insulator device including: providing a first semiconductor wafer having an about 500 angstrom thick oxide layer thereover; etching the first semiconductor wafer to raise a pattern therein; doping the raised pattern of the first semiconductor wafer through the about 500 angstrom thick oxide layer; providing a second semiconductor wafer having an oxide thereover; and, bonding the first semiconductor wafer oxide to the second semiconductor wafer oxide at an elevated temperature. | 11-10-2011 |
20120011936 | COMBINATION STATIC AND DYNAMIC PRESSURE TRANSDUCER EMPLOYING A MICRO-FILTER - A pressure transducer assembly that uses static pressure compensation to capture low-level dynamic pressures in high temperature environments. The pressure transducer assembly combines a static-dynamic pressure transducer with a micro-filter element to achieve a compact system that can be used in extreme temperature applications where low-level, dynamic pressure measurements are required in a high pressure environment. | 01-19-2012 |
20120029847 | HIGH TEMPERATURE, HIGH BANDWIDTH PRESSURE ACQUISITION SYSTEM - A system for measuring a multiplicity of pressures as those experienced by a model in a wind tunnel is depicted. The system includes individual sensor devices which are connected to an electronics module. The sensors may be connected to the electronics module via a cable in a first embodiment. In an alternate embodiment, the sensors may be connected to the electronics module via a mating connector located therebetween. A memory component which stores compensation coefficients associated with each of the sensors may also be included in the system to correct errors associated with each sensor. The advantage of the various embodiments is that each sensor does not have any compensation stored thereon and thus, the sensors can be made very small to operate at very high temperatures without any loss of accuracy. | 02-02-2012 |
20120247219 | PRESSURE TRANSDUCER UTILIZING NON-LEAD CONTAINING FRIT - A piezoresistive sensor device and method for making the same are disclosed. The device comprises a silicon wafer having piezoresistive elements and contacts in electrical communication with the elements. The device further comprises a contact glass coupled to the silicon wafer and having apertures aligned with the contacts. The device also comprises a non-conductive frit for mounting the contact glass to a header glass, and a conductive non-lead glass frit disposed in the apertures and in electrical communication with the contacts. The method for making the device comprises bonding a contact glass to a silicon wafer such that apertures in the glass line up with contacts on the wafer, and filling the apertures with a non-lead glass frit such that the frit is in electrical communication with the contacts. The use of a lead free glass frit prevents catastrophic failure of the device in ultra high temperature applications. | 10-04-2012 |
20130112992 | HIGH TEMPERATURE TRANSDUCER USING SOI, SILICON CARBIDE OR GALLIUM NITRIDE ELECTRONICS - There is disclosed a high temperature pressure sensing system which includes a SOI, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride Wheatstone bridge including piezoresistors. The bridge provides an output which is applied to an analog to digital converter also fabricated using SOI, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride materials. The output of the analog to digital converter is applied to microprocessor, which microprocessor processes the data or output of the bridge to produce a digital output indicative of bridge value. The microprocessor also receives an output from another analog to digital converter indicative of the temperature of the bridge as monitored by a span resistor coupled to the bridge. The microprocessor has a separate memory coupled thereto which is also fabricated from SOI, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride materials and which memory stores various data indicative of the microprocessor also enabling the microprocessor test and system test to be performed. | 05-09-2013 |
20130298700 | Pressure Transducer Utilizing Non-Lead Containing Frit - A piezoresistive sensor device and a method for making a piezoresistive device are disclosed. The sensor device comprises a silicon wafer having piezoresistive elements and contacts in electrical communication with the elements. The sensor device further comprises a contact glass coupled to the silicon wafer and having apertures aligned with the contacts. The sensor device also comprises a non-conductive frit for mounting the contact glass to a header glass, and a conductive non-lead glass frit disposed in the apertures and in electrical communication with the contacts. The method for making a piezoresistive sensor device, comprises bonding a contact glass to a silicon wafer such that apertures in the glass line up with contacts on the wafer, and filling the apertures with a non-lead glass frit such that the frit is in electrical communication with the contacts. The use of a lead free glass frit prevents catastrophic failure of the piezoresistive sensor and associated transducer in ultra high temperature applications. | 11-14-2013 |
20140060198 | Combination Static and Dynamic Pressure Transducer Employing a Micro-Filter - A pressure transducer assembly that uses static pressure compensation to capture low-level dynamic pressures in high temperature environments. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving, at a first tube, a pressure, wherein the pressure includes a static pressure component and a dynamic pressure component; receiving, at a micro-filter, the pressure; filtering, by the micro-filter, at least a portion of the dynamic pressure component of the pressure; outputting, from the micro-filter, a filtered pressure; receiving, at a first surface of a first sensing element, the pressure; receiving, at a second surface of the first sensing element, the filtered pressure; measuring, by the first sensing element, a difference between the pressure and the filtered pressure, wherein the difference is associated with the dynamic pressure component of the pressure; and outputting, from the first sensing element, a first pressure signal associated with the dynamic pressure component of the pressure. | 03-06-2014 |
20140067288 | High Temperature, High Bandwidth Pressure Acquisition System - A method, device and system are provided for measuring multiple pressures under severe conditions. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving, by a processor, from a first sensor, a first pressure signal; receiving, by the processor, from a second sensor, a second pressure signal; receiving, by the processor, from a first memory, a first correction coefficient for the first sensor; receiving, by the processor, from a second memory, a second correction coefficient for the second sensor; modifying, by the processor, the first pressure signal using the first correction coefficient to generate a first corrected pressure signal; modifying, by the processor, the second pressure signal using the second correction coefficient to generate a second corrected pressure signal; and outputting, by the processor, the first corrected pressure signal and the second corrected pressure signal. | 03-06-2014 |
20140123765 | Flat Covered Leadless Pressure Sensor Assemblies Suitable for Operation in Extreme Environments - This disclosure provides example methods, devices and systems associated with flat covered leadless pressure sensor assemblies suitable for operation in extreme environments. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side; a diaphragm disposed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate; a first cover coupled to the first side of the semiconductor substrate such that it overlays at least the diaphragm, wherein a pressure applied at the first cover is transferred to the diaphragm; and a sensing element disposed on the second side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the sensing element is used to measure the pressure. | 05-08-2014 |
20140123771 | PRESSURE TRANSDUCER UTILIZING NON-LEAD CONTAINING FRIT - A piezoresistive sensor device and a method for making a piezoresistive device are disclosed. In one example, a method may comprise receiving, by a sensor device having a contact, a pressure; measuring, by the sensor device, the pressure to generate a pressure signal; outputting, by the sensor device, to the contact, the pressure signal; and receiving, by a header pin, from the contact, the pressure signal, wherein the header pin and the contact are electrically coupled using a conductive, non-lead containing frit and are aligned using a contact cover that is coupled to the sensor device using a non-conductive, non-lead containing frit. | 05-08-2014 |
20140130611 | PRESSURE TRANSDUCER STRUCTURES SUITABLE FOR CURVED SURFACES - A flexible transducer structure suitable for attaching to a curved surface such as the leading edge of an aircraft wing is provided. In one example embodiment, a method may include receiving, at a sensor disposed on a flexible sheet, a pressure, wherein the sensor is electrically coupled to a conductive trace disposed on the flexible sheet; measuring, by the sensor, the pressure to generate a pressure signal; outputting, by the sensor, to the conductive trace, the pressure signal, wherein the conductive trace extends away from the sensor on the flexible sheet; and wherein the flexible sheet is adaptable to conform to a contour of a curved surface. | 05-15-2014 |
20140260645 | Differential Sensor Assembly With Both Pressures Applied From One Side - An example embodiment of the present invention provides a differential piezoresistive sensor assembly and method of manufacturing and using the same, such that a first and second pressure are applied from a single side there enabling easier installation in many pressure assemblies. | 09-18-2014 |