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Napa, Calif, — Merit Sensor Systems, Inc. has launched its TR Series of temperature-compensated pressure sensors that features the company’s “back-side entry” packaging, delivering performance over temperature in harsh media environments. The proprietary packaging keeps the media isolated from the electronic circuitry of the silicon pressure sensing element. This means the sensing media cannot contact the active, top side of the pressure sensing die. This packaging approach delivers a reliable solution while minimizing size and costs associated with more expensive packaging approaches, according to the company.
The TR Series features an extended temperature range of -40 to +150 degrees C, making it suitable for applications in the industrial (HVAC, automation, and refrigeration) and automotive (transmission pressure, oil pressure, fuel rail, EGR/Exhaust) sectors. It also can be used in medical and aerospace markets.
“The introduction of our TR Series provides users with a high performance, robust and cost effective solution to harsh environment applications. We believe that the TR’s unique eutectic bonding and miniaturized packaging can go head-to-head with competitive parts that require larger and more costly packaging to sustain continuous usage in tough applications,” said Rick Russell, president of Merit Sensor, in a statement. “TR’s sensing technology has earned its stripes in several harsh media applications, including automotive transmission oil pressure…and we are all familiar with the rigorous lifetime specs of 120,000 miles and 10 years imposed on these automotive parts.”
The fully temperature-compensated TR Series sensors can measure absolute or gage pressure up to 300 psi with a total error band (combined linearity, hysteresis and repeatability) of +/- 2.5 % Full Scale Output (FSO) over the extended temperature range. It operates from a single supply voltage of 4.5 to 5.5 VDC and a supply current of 10 mA and requires no external components for proper operation.
The building block of the TR Series packaged pressure sensor is the company’s HM Series MEMS sensing element (bare die), built using the company’s proprietary Sentium process. The TR Series is designed on ceramic to leverage the wide temperature range capabilities provided by the Sentium process. It uses a unique and proprietary packaging strategy to eutectically solder the internally manufactured silicon HM Series sensing element.
The pressure sensors are available in three standard packaging options: standard face seal, standard with a gel-filled polycarbonate pressure port, and standard with ferrule and pins. Custom packaging also is available.
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The TR Series also includes a signal conditioning ASIC in a 0.5- x 0.4- x 0.17-in. miniaturized sensing package for the standard part. Dimensions for the standard option with gel-filled pressure port are 0.50- x 0.40- x 0.31-in., and for the standard option with ferrule and pins the dimensions are 0.94- x 0.40- x 0.175-in. “This packaging approach provides extreme robustness in harsh media environments and increases the burst pressure to three- times the maximum rated pressure range up to 150 C degrees, which significantly extends its operability and reliability,” said Merit.
Availability: Standard options are available from stock.
Pricing: $11.75 each in quantities of 10,000
Technical information: datasheet
