Planar mounting of silicon micromachined sensors for pressure and fluid-flow measurement

Claim 1

A method for mounting a silicon micromachined fluid flow pressure sensor in a substrate having a performed cavity for receiving the sensor in such manner that a sensing face of said sensor lies substantially flush with a corresponding face of the substrate to minimize or eliminate sensor and sensor interconnect interference with fluid flow over the substantially flush mounted substrate and sensor faces, the sensor carrying pressure sensitive electrical signal producing elements responsive to changes in fluid flow over said sensor and electrical interconnects for connecting said elements with electrical signal processing means, comprising the steps of: providing a surface conformal to the surfaces of the substrate and the sensor; locating the substrate on the conformal surface with said substrate face in opposition to said surface; locating said sensor on said conformal surface with said sensor face in opposition to said surface and with margins of said sensor spaced from the margins of said substrate defining said cavity; applying adhesive material into the spaces between said substrate and said sensor from the sides of said substrate and said sensor opposite their faces to secure said substrate and said sensor one to the other; removing the substrate and the sensor from the conformal surface; cleaning the adjoining surfaces of the sensor and substrate to remove any adhesive migrating onto the surfaces; and connecting said electrical interconnects with electrical signal processing means external of said sensor.

Claim 2

A method for mounting a silicon micromachined fluid flow pressure sensor in a substrate having a performed cavity for receiving the sensor in such manner that a sensing face of said sensor lies substantially flush with a corresponding face of the substrate to minimize or eliminate sensor and sensor interconnect interference with fluid flow over the substantially flush mounted substrate and sensor faces, the sensor carrying pressure sensitive electrical signal producing elements responsive to changes in fluid flow over said sensor and electrical interconnects for connecting said elements with electrical signal processing means, comprising the steps of: providing a surface conformal to the surfaces of the substrate and the sensor; locating the substrate on the conformal surface with said substrate face in opposition to said surface; locating said sensor on said conformal surface with said sensor face in opposition to said surface and with margins of said sensor spaced from the margins of said substrate defining said cavity; applying adhesive material into the spaces between said substrate and said sensor from the sides of said substrate and said sensor opposite their faces to secure said substrate and said sensor one to the other; removing the substrate and the sensor from the conformal surface; cleaning the adjoining surfaces of the sensor and substrate to remove any adhesive migrating onto the surfaces; and connecting said electrical interconnects with electrical signal processing means external of said sensor.