Frequency shifted, vacuum pressure sensor
| DWPI Title: Pressure sensing device, comprises varactor including aperture having gas, where inductor is coupled to varactor to form resonant circuit, and resonant circuit is configured to resonate at resonant frequency |
| Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus that includes a varactor and an inductor to form a resonant circuit that oscillates at a resonant frequency. The resonant frequency is a function of a pressure of a gas within an aperture of the varactor. In some embodiment, the varactor includes a first layer of p-type material, a first layer of n-type material, and a first np junction formed between the layer of p-type material and the layer of n-type material. The aperture extends at least partially through the layer of p-type material, at least partially through the layer of n-type material, and entirely through the np junction. |
| Use: Pressure sensing device. |
| Advantage: A specific gas pressure sensor application may use a different semiconductor material, thus enhancing sensor accuracy and efficiency. The varactor causes a photon, and charge particle, producing micro-discharge within the aperture to influence and determine a capacitance of the varactor. |
| Novelty: The pressure sensing device (100) device comprises a varactor (102) including an aperture (308) having a gas. An inductor is coupled to the varactor to form a resonant circuit. The resonant circuit is configured to resonate at a resonant frequency. The resonant frequency is a function of a pressure of the gas. A switch (108) is configured to pass a voltage to the resonant circuit when closed and not pass the voltage to the resonant circuit when opened. The varactor includes a first layer of p-type material (302) and first layer of n-type material (304). A first junction is formed between the layer of p-type material and the layer of n-type material. The aperture extends through the layer of p-type material partially through the layer of n-type material. |
| Filed: 9/30/2016 |
| Application Number: US15281909A |
| Tech ID: SD 13646.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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