Pressure sensing and flow control in diffusion-bonded planar devices for fluid chromatography

摘要

Flow through pressure sensors for use in fluid chromatography systems include a planar device formed from diffusion bonding of a plurality of metallic sheets and at least one sensing element. The planar device has a top surface, a bottom surface and a flow through channel. A diaphragm formed from a portion of one of the top or bottom surfaces is located adjacent to a sensing region of the flow through channel and is attached to the sensing element. The diaphragm is sized to deflect a distance in response to fluid pressure in the sensing region, which has an internal volume of less than about 25 microliters. The diaphragm and attached sensing element form a pressure sensor that measures strain or deflection of the diaphragm to calculate a pressure within the sensing region.