An improved performance poly Si Pirani vacuum gauge using heat distributing structural supports

A new micro-Pirani gauge has been designed and fabricated that employs a ladder-shape structure with two parallel bridges and cross-links in between. This design enhances the physical performance of the gauge by increasing structural rigidity, thus allowing for longer beams and a wider selection of materials and by allowing for better heat distribution across the sensor -therefore improving the full scale range of device functionality. Using a 4 /spl times/ 2 /spl times/ 1000 /spl mu/m polysilicon Pirani gauge with the ladder structure, pressures below 0.01 Torr were resolved. The measurement accuracy was the limiting factor in Pirani gauge performance and was roughly 5% of the measured pressure in the 10 to 0.1 Torr range.