Pressure level sensing device and a method for sensing pressure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018202884-A1
Application number	US-201615743678-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 12, 2016
Priority date	Jul 12, 2015
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pressure sensing device that includes a pressure sensing element that is of microscopic scale and has a pressure level dependent thermal parameter; a signal source that is configured to supply an input electrical signal to the pressure sensing element; and a monitor that is configured to (a) measure electrical output signals generated by the pressure sensing element as a result of the supply of the input electrical signal and (b) estimate a pressure level applied on the pressure sensing element based on the electrical output signals.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A pressure sensing device comprising:
a pressure sensing element that is of microscopic scale and has a pressure level dependent thermal parameter; a signal source that is configured to supply an input electrical signal to the pressure sensing element; and a monitor that is configured to (a) measure electrical output signals generated by the pressure sensing element as a result of the supply of the input electrical signal and (b) estimate a pressure level applied on the pressure sensing element based on the electrical output signals.

2 . The pressure sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the pressure sensing element is positioned within a chamber and wherein the pressure level applied on the pressure sensing element is a pressure level within the chamber.

3 . The pressure sensing device according to any of the previous claims wherein the pressure sensing element is used solely for sensing pressure.

4 . The pressure sensing device according to any claim of claims 1 - 2 wherein the pressure sensing element is not solely dedicated for sensing pressure.

5 . The pressure sensing device according to any of the previous claims wherein the pressure level dependent parameter is a thermal time constant of the pressure sensing element.

6 . The pressure sensing device according to claim 5 wherein monitor is configured to estimate the thermal time constant of the pressure sensing element based on a steady state electrical output signal and based on an initial rate of change of the electrical output signals.

7 . The pressure sensing device according to claim 5 wherein the input electrical signal comprises spaced apart pulses.

8 . The pressure sensing device according to any of the previous claims wherein the pressure sensing element is a Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) element or a Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) element.

9 . The pressure sensing device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure sensing element is a suspended transistor that is thermally isolated from a bulk of the pressure sensing device.

10 . The pressure sensing device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the pressure sensing device is manufactured by wafer level packaging technology.

11 . A method for sensing a pressure level applied on a pressure sensing element, the method comprising:
supplying an input electrical signal to the pressure sensing element; wherein the pressure sensing element is of microscopic scale and has a pressure level dependent thermal parameter; measuring electrical output signals generated by the pressure sensing element as a result of the supply of the input electrical signal; and estimating a pressure level applied on the pressure sensing element based on the electrical output signals.

12 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the pressure sensing element is positioned within a chamber and wherein the pressure level applied on the pressure sensing element is a pressure level within the chamber.

13 . The method according to any of the previous claims comprising utilizing the pressure sensing element only for sensing pressure.

14 . The method according to any claim of claims 11 - 12 comprising utilizing the pressure sensing element for operations that differ from sensing pressure.

15 . The method according to any of the previous claims wherein the pressure level dependent parameter is a thermal time constant of the pressure sensing element.

16 . The method according to claim 15 comprising estimating the thermal time constant of the pressure sensing element based on a steady state electrical output signal and based on an initial rate of change of the electrical output signals.

17 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the input electrical signal comprises spaced apart pulses.

18 . The method according to any claim of claims 11 - 17 wherein the pressure sensing element is a Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) element or a Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) element.

19 . The method according to any claim of claims 11 - 18 , wherein the pressure sensing element is a suspended transistor that is thermally isolated from a bulk of the pressure sensing device.

20 . The method according to any claim of claims 11 - 19 wherein the pressure sensing device is manufactured by wafer level packaging technology.

21 . A semiconductor device that comprises an enclosure and a semiconductor apparatus that is enclosed in the enclosure; wherein the semiconductor apparatus comprises:
a pressure sensing element that is of microscopic scale and has a pressure level dependent thermal parameter; a signal source that is configured to supply, at different points in time, input electrical signals to the pressure sensing element; and a monitor that is configured to (a) measure electrical output signals generated by the pressure sensing element as a result of the supply of the input electrical signals and (b) estimate a pressure level applied within the enclosure based on the electrical output signals.

22 . The semiconductor device according to claim 21 wherein the semiconductor apparatus is a semiconductor die.

23 . The semiconductor device according to any claim of claims 21 - 22 wherein the semiconductor apparatus is manufactured by wafer level packaging.

Assignees

• Todos Tech Ltd
• Technion Res & Development Found Ltd

Inventors

• Nemirovsky Yael

Classifications

• G01N27/4077

  Means for protecting the electrolyte or the electrodes · CPC title

• G01L11/002 Primary

  by thermal means, e.g. hypsometer · CPC title

• G01L21/12 Primary

  measuring changes in electric resistance of measuring members, e.g. of filaments; Vacuum gauges of the Pirani type · CPC title