Nanogap Pirani Sensor Operating in Constant Temperature Mode for Near Atmospheric Pressure Measurements

Abstract

This paper presents a high sensitive micro-sensor designed for pressure measurements in a wide range around atmospheric pressure, for application in aerodynamics. The sensor is a temperature-resistance transducer operating with the Pirani effect, which states that below a certain pressure limit, the thermal conductivity of a gas is pressure-dependent. The sensor presents a wide measurement range between 10 kPa and about 800 kPa, in both constant current and constant temperature mode. The last mode enables high-sensitive measurements with a maximum of sensitivity around atmospheric pressure, enabling the use of the sensor for applications in aerodynamics and fluid dynamics, such as active flow control.

Keywords

• MEMS sensors
• pressure sensors
• pirani sensors
• flow control