Sensor device for measuring a temperature difference in a computer chip system
A sensor system. The sensory system includes a substrate extending in a substrate plane, a closed cavity and a movable structure in the closed cavity, at least one portion of the movable structure being situated at a distance opposite a surface of the substrate extending in parallel to the main extension plane within the cavity, the distance varying when the movable structure is deflected, a temperature difference between the surface of the substrate and the movable structure being measurable by an action of force on the movable structure.
1. A sensor system, comprising:
a substrate extending in a main extension plane;
a closed cavity; and
a movable structure in the closed cavity, at least one portion of the movable structure being situated at a distance opposite a surface of the substrate within the cavity extending in parallel to the main extension plane, the distance varying when the movable structure is deflected, wherein a temperature difference between the surface of the substrate and the movable structure is measurable by an action of force on the movable structure,
wherein the movable structure is a two-sided rocker structure having an axis of rotation, the rocker structure including a first rocker element and a second rocker element, at least one portion of the first rocker element being situated at a distance opposite the surface of the substrate extending in parallel to the main extension plane within the cavity and at least one portion of the second rocker element being situated at a further distance opposite a further surface of the substrate extending in parallel to the main extension plane within the cavity, a distribution of mass of the rocker structure relative to the axis of rotation being balanced out with respect to accelerative forces acting perpendicularly to the main extension plane,
wherein in a geometric asymmetry of the rocker structure about the axis of rotation, a mass of the first rocker element and a mass of the second rocker element are chosen in such a way that the rocker structure is balanced out with respect to accelerative forces acting perpendicularly to the main extension plane,
wherein multiple rocker structures are situated in the sensor system within separate closed cavities, each cavity having a different gas pressure.
2. The sensor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein due to the action of force on the movable structure, the movable structure is deflected in a direction perpendicular to the main extension plane as a function of the temperature difference between the surface of the substrate and the movable structure.
3. The sensor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the movable structure is situated at the distance from the surface of the substrate, a gas pressure prevailing in the cavity being chosen in such a way that the distance is at its maximum 25 times and at its minimum one thousandth of a mean free path length of gas particles enclosed in the cavity.
4. The sensor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one electrode is situated opposite the movable structure in parallel to the main extension plane and the deflection of the movable structure perpendicular to the main extension plane is capacitively measurable.
5. The sensor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the distance and the further distance differ.
6. The sensor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein, in addition to the movable structure, at least one further movable structure is situated within the closed cavity.
7. A method for measuring a temperature difference between a surface of a substrate and a movable structure using a sensor system, the sensor system including a substrate extending in a main extension plane, a closed cavity, and a movable structure in the closed cavity, at least one portion of the movable structure being situated at a distance opposite a surface of the substrate within the cavity extending in parallel to the main extension plane, the distance varying when the movable structure is deflected, the method comprising:
measuring a temperature difference between the surface of the substrate and the movable structure by an action of force on the movable structure,
wherein the movable structure is a two-sided rocker structure having an axis of rotation, the rocker structure including a first rocker element and a second rocker element, at least one portion of the first rocker element being situated at a distance opposite the surface of the substrate extending in parallel to the main extension plane within the cavity and at least one portion of the second rocker element being situated at a further distance opposite a further surface of the substrate extending in parallel to the main extension plane within the cavity, a distribution of mass of the rocker structure relative to the axis of rotation being balanced out with respect to accelerative forces acting perpendicularly to the main extension plane,
wherein in a geometric asymmetry of the rocker structure about the axis of rotation, a mass of the first rocker element and a mass of the second rocker element are chosen in such a way that the rocker structure is balanced out with respect to accelerative forces acting perpendicularly to the main extension plane,
wherein multiple rocker structures are situated in the sensor system within separate closed cavities, each cavity having a different gas pressure.