We have extended measurable pressure range of the thin film Pirani vacuum sensor that is still sensitive above 1 atmosphere (atm). In our thin film Pirani vacuum sensor, our proposed temperature difference sensor of the short circuit Seebeck-current detection type thermocouple is used in order to get extremely high sensitivity, especially in high vacuum range. A little temperature difference, which should be zero under very high vacuum, between the microheater and the thermally isolated heading

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... area from the microheater of the cantilever can be measured. We have achieved much wider measurable pressure range over 8 digits by use of our new simple thin film Pirani vacuum sensor than that of the traditional one. We could expand the pressure sensitivity beyond 1 atm. by adoption of the vibration of the sensing cantilever due to the sudden heating.