Modeling of a pressure sensor based on an array of wedge emitters

In the present work, we analyze the operation of a pressure sensor based on an array of wedge emitters. The device comprises a silicon membrane acting as the anode of the device put in front of the emitter array. When the ext ernal pressure bends the membrane, then is a change in the separation tip m embrane giving rise to a modification of the field emission current. An ana lytical solution has been used to calculate the deflection of the silicon d iaphragm under different pressure conditions and a computer code was develo ped to compute the emission current from the array. The device shows high s ensitivity allowing the determination of very small changes to the pressure at constant voltage working mode. Alternatively, broad ranges of pressure changes can be measured using a constant current mode. (C) 1999 Published b y Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.