Pressure sensors having neutral plane positioned transducers

1. A pressure sensor structure comprising:

a substrate formed with a passage oriented orthogonally to said neutral plane;

a compliant member mounted on said substrate in a manner such that said compliant member spans said passage and has first and second opposing exposed surfaces, wherein said compliant member is positioned at least proximal to said structure's neutral plane; and

first and second strain transducers are associated with said compliant member so that their outputs respond oppositely to deflection of said compliant member resulting from differential pressure across said compliant member but respond similarly to deformation of the substrate;

wherein said first and second strain transducers are piezoresistors fabricated from a stable gauge material; and

wherein said structure has a sensitivity sufficient to measure pressure changes of about ±1 mmHg.

2. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said structure further comprises an integrated circuit.

3. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said passage is a well in said substrate and said first exposed surface of said compliant member bounds an enclosed space in said substrate defined by said well and said first exposed surface.

4. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said passage extends through said substrate.

5. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one strain transducer is separated from said surface of said compliant member by a spacer.

6. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said structure exhibits a drift of no more than about 1 mmHg/year.

7. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said structure exhibits little or no drift over a period of from about 1 to about 40 years.

8. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein said structure has a length along an edge of no more than about 500 μm and width of nor more than about 100 μm.

9. A system comprising:

a conductive member; and

a pressure sensor structure according to claim 1 operatively coupled to said conductive member.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said system comprises a plurality of said pressure sensor structures operatively coupled to said conductive member.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said system further comprises an energy source coupled to said conductive member.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said system further comprises a processing element for determining pressure changes in a volume in response to output signals from said transducer.

13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said system is configured to be implanted into a patient.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein said system is configured so that said pressure sensor structure is positioned on a heart wall upon implantation into a patient.

15. A method for fabricating a pressure-sensor structure, said method comprising:

positioning a layer of a compliant material on a surface of a first substrate;

producing at least one strain transducer on a first surface of said compliant material opposite said substrate to produce a pressure-sensor structure to produce a pressure sensor structure according to claim 1 .

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said method is a microfabrication method.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said method comprises a photolithographic method.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said method further comprises producing a second substrate layer on said first surface of said compliant member, such that said strain transducer layer is interposed between said compliant member layer and said second substrate layer.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein first and second substrates are configured such that said compliant member is positioned at least proximal to said structure's neutral plane.

20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said method further comprises producing a boss member on said first surface of said compliant layer.

21. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said method further comprises coupling said pressure sensor structure to a conductive member.

22. A method for detecting a pressure change in a volume, said method comprising:

contacting a pressure sensor structure according to claim 1 with said volume;

obtaining an output signal from said pressure sensor structure; and

using said output signal to detect a pressure change in said volume.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said volume is present in a subject.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein said subject is a human.

25. The method according to claim 24 , wherein said method comprises implanting said pressure sensor structure in said human.

26. The method according to claim 24 , wherein said method is a method of monitoring a condition in a subject.

27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein said method comprises monitoring said condition remotely.

28. The method according to claim 26 , wherein said condition is a cardiovascular condition.

29. The method according to claim 24 , wherein said method is employed in a method of one of:

a) treating a subject for heart failure;

b) performing cardiac resynchronization in a subject;

c) managing arrhythmia in a subject;

d) detecting ischemia in a subject;

e) treating a subject for coronary artery disease;

f) monitoring heart valve function in a subject; and

g) monitoring graft function in a subject.

30. The method according to claim 23 , wherein said volume is a cardiovascular volume.

31. The method according to claim 30 , wherein said cardiovascular volume is a heart chamber.

32. The method according to claim 30 , wherein said cardiovascular volume is in an artery.