Pressure sensors are used to measure the pressure of liquids and gases. Common types include MEMS silicon piezoresistive pressure sensors, MEMS silicon resonant pressure sensors, ceramic capacitive pressure sensors, metal capacitive pressure sensors, sputtered thin-film pressure sensors, and metal strain gauge pressure sensors. Their operating scenarios vary depending on the working principle.
MEMS Silicon Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor: This is the most widely used type of pressure sensor. Its main measurement range covers 15 kPa to 100 MPa, with typical accuracy ranging from 0.05% FS to 3% FS. The operating temperature range is typically -55°C to 180°C. Because it is compatible with large-scale semiconductor manufacturing processes, it is inexpensive. For liquid measurement, oil-filled isolation packaging is required.
MEMS Silicon Resonant Pressure Sensor: This sensor employs an ingenious design that converts pressure into a change in the resonant frequency of a micro-beam.Because the beam's frequency depends only on its structure and temperature, and benefits from filtering effects, this sensor achieves a high output accuracy of up to 0.01% FS. Its main pressure measurement range covers 100 kPa to 40 MPa, with an operating temperature range of -55°C to 85°C. Due to complex manufacturing and high cost, it is suitable for applications demanding extremely high precision, such as semiconductor processing and ocean depth measurement.
Ceramic Capacitive Pressure Sensor: Ceramic material offers excellent wear resistance, making this sensor suitable for measuring pressure in sand‑slurry mixtures. It also provides good corrosion resistance, enabling measurement of corrosive liquids like sulfuric acid. Additionally, ceramic‑based pressure sensors can withstand water freezing-a feature not achievable with MEMS sensors.
Metal Capacitive Pressure Sensor: This sensor uses a metal diaphragm as a pressure‑sensitive movable electrode, forming a capacitor with a fixed electrode. When pressure acts on the diaphragm, the capacitance between the electrodes changes, establishing a pressure‑capacitance relationship. Metal diaphragms can be made from corrosion‑resistant materials such as Inconel, and can measure very low pressures (0–1/10/100/1000 Torr). Consequently, it has wide applications in vacuum measurement and specialty gas measurement in the semiconductor industry.
Sputtered Thin-film Pressure Sensor & Metal Strain Gauge Pressure Sensor: Both sensors feature a force-sensitive material coated on a large metal surface, making the product robust and durable. They are suitable for high‑pressure ranges and applications requiring high reliability, such as yellow goods, diesel engines, and tunnel boring machines. These sensors are not easy to manufacture into an absolute pressure sensor and can typically cover maximum ranges up to 200 MPa or higher. The first image above shows a sputtered thin-film sensor core, while the second image shows a metal strain gauge core.
Selecting a pressure sensor must be based on actual operating conditions to fully leverage its performance. Mihui Technology specializes in pressure sensors based on various principles, offering complete design, production, and manufacturing capabilities to provide customers with the most suitable solutions. Welcome to contact us if you are interested: Phone Number: +8618066965135; Email: mihuitec@gmail.com
