Assembly and Testing of Surface Micromachined, Piezoresistive Polysilicon Pressure Sensors

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd F. Miller ◽  
David J. Monk ◽  
Gary O’Brien ◽  
William P. Eaton ◽  
James H. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Microelectromechanical Systems ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
Surface Micromachining ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Crystal Silicon ◽  
Noise Characteristics ◽  
Testing Techniques ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors

Abstract Surface micromachining is becoming increasingly popular for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and a new application for this process technology is pressure sensors. Uncompensated surface micromachined piezoresistive pressure sensors were fabricated by Sandia National Labs (SNL). Motorola packaged and tested the sensors over pressure, temperature and in a typical circuit application for noise characteristics. A brief overview of surface micromachining related to pressure sensors is described in the report along with the packaging and testing techniques used. The electrical data found is presented in a comparative manner between the surface micromachined SNL piezoresistive polysilicon pressure sensor and a bulk micromachined Motorola piezoresistive single crystal silicon pressure sensor.

Design and Optimization of a Highly Sensitive and Linearity Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor Based on a Combination of Cross Beam-Peninsula-Membrane Structure

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tran Anh Vang ◽  
Xianmin Zhang ◽  
Benliang Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Crystal Silicon ◽  
Nonlinearity Error ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors

The sensitivity and linearity trade-off problem has become the hotly important issues in designing the piezoresistive pressure sensors. To solve these trade-off problems, this paper presents the design, optimization, fabrication, and experiment of a novel piezoresistive pressure sensor for micro pressure measurement based on a combined cross beam - membrane and peninsula (CBMP) structure diaphragm. Through using finite element method (FEM), the proposed sensor performances as well as comparisons with other sensor structures are simulated and analyzed. Compared with the cross beam-membrane (CBM) structure, the sensitivity of CBMP structure sensor is increased about 38.7 % and nonlinearity error is reduced nearly 8%. In comparison with the peninsula structure, the maximum non-linearity error of CBMP sensor is decreased about 40% and the maximum deflection is extremely reduced 73%. Besides, the proposed sensor fabrication is performed on the n-type single crystal silicon wafer. The experimental results of the fabricated sensor with CBMP membrane has a high sensitivity of 23.4 mV/kPa and a low non-linearity of −0.53% FSS in the pressure range 0–10 kPa at the room temperature. According to the excellent performance, the sensor can be applied to measure micro-pressure lower than 10 kPa.

scholarly journals A Resonant Pressure Sensor Based upon Electrostatically Comb Driven and Piezoresistively Sensed Lateral Resonators

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqing Shi ◽  
Sen Zhang ◽  
Deyong Chen ◽  
Junbo Wang ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
Open Loop ◽  
Quality Factors ◽  
Crystal Silicon ◽  
Pressure Sensitive ◽  
Lower Temperature ◽  
Silicon Based ◽  
Stress Variations

This study proposes a microfabricated resonant pressure sensor in which a pair of double-ended tuning forks were utilized as resonators where comb electrodes and single-crystal silicon-based piezoresistors were used for electrostatic excitation and piezoresistive detection, respectively. In operations, pressures under measurements deform the pressure-sensitive diaphragm to cause stress variations of two resonators distributed on the central and side positions of the pressure-sensitive diaphragm, where the corresponding changes of the intrinsic resonant frequencies are then captured piezoresistively. The developed resonant pressure sensors were fabricated based on MEMS with open-loop and closed-loop characterizations conducted. Key sensing parameters including quality factors, differential pressure/temperature sensitivities and fitting errors were quantified as higher than 17,000, 48.24 Hz/kPa, 0.15 Hz/°C and better than 0.01% F.S. (140 kpa), respectively. In comparison to previously reported resonant pressure sensors driven by parallel-plate electrodes, the developed sensor in this study is featured with a lower temperature sensitivity and a higher stability.

Modeling and Simulation of the Thermal Drift Characteristics of the Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 (HITEC) ◽  
pp. 000373-000378
Author(s):  
R. Otmani ◽  
N. Benmoussa ◽  
K. Ghaffour
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Behavior ◽  
Modeling And Simulation ◽  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Thermal Drift ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor ◽  
Output Characteristics ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors

Piezoresistive pressure sensors based on Silicon have a large thermal drift because of their high sensitivity to temperature (ten times more sensitive to temperature than metals). So the study of the thermal behavior of these sensors is essential to define the parameters that cause the drift of the output characteristics. In this study, we adopted the behavior of 2nd degree gauges depending on the temperature. Then we model the thermal behavior of the sensor and its characteristics.

Thermal Conductivity of Single-Crystal Silicon Microbridges Measured by Electrical Resistance Thermometry and Time-Domain Thermoreflectance

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy S. English ◽  
Leslie M. Phinney ◽  
Patrick E. Hopkins ◽  
Justin R. Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Single Crystal ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Electrical Resistance ◽  
Microelectromechanical Systems ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Crystal Silicon ◽  
Resistance Thermometry

Accurate thermal conductivity values are essential to the modeling, design, and thermal management of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and devices. However, the experimental technique best suited to measure thermal conductivity, as well as thermal conductivity itself, varies with the device materials, fabrication conditions, geometry, and operating conditions. In this study, the thermal conductivity of boron doped single-crystal silicon-on-insulator (SOI) microbridges is measured over the temperature range from 77 to 350 K. The microbridges are 4.6 mm long, 125 μm tall, and two widths, 50 or 85 μm. Measurements on the 85 μm wide microbridges are made using both steady-state electrical resistance thermometry and optical time-domain thermoreflectance. A thermal conductivity of ∼ 77 W/mK is measured for both microbridge widths at room temperature, where both experimental techniques agree. However, a discrepancy at lower temperatures is attributed to differences in the interaction volumes and in turn, material properties, probed by each technique. This finding is qualitatively explained through Boltzmann transport equation modeling under the relaxation time approximation.

scholarly journals The Effects of Cold Arm Width and Metal Deposition on the Performance of a U-Beam Electrothermal MEMS Microgripper for Biomedical Applications

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Cauchi ◽  
Ivan Grech ◽  
Bertram Mallia ◽  
Pierluigi Mollicone ◽  
Nicholas Sammut
Keyword(s):  
Microelectromechanical Systems ◽  
Coefficient Of Thermal Expansion ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
Silicon On Insulator ◽  
Adhesion Promoter ◽  
Crystal Silicon ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Human Red Blood Cells

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have established themselves within various fields dominated by high-precision micromanipulation, with the most distinguished sectors being the microassembly, micromanufacturing and biomedical ones. This paper presents a horizontal electrothermally actuated ‘hot and cold arm’ microgripper design to be used for the deformability study of human red blood cells (RBCs). In this study, the width and layer composition of the cold arm are varied to investigate the effects of dimensional and material variation of the cold arm on the resulting temperature distribution, and ultimately on the achieved lateral displacement at the microgripper arm tips. The cold arm widths investigated are 14 μ m, 30 μ m, 55 μ m, 70 μ m and 100 μ m. A gold layer with a thin chromium adhesion promoter layer is deposited on the top surface of each of these cold arms to study its effect on the performance of the microgripper. The resultant ten microgripper design variants are fabricated using a commercially available MEMS fabrication technology known as a silicon-on-insulator multi-user MEMS process (SOIMUMPs)™. This process results in an overhanging 25 μ m thick single crystal silicon microgripper structure having a low aspect ratio (width:thickness) value compared to surface micromachined structures where structural thicknesses are of the order of 2 μ m. Finite element analysis was used to numerically model the microgripper structures and coupled electrothermomechanical simulations were implemented in CoventorWare ® . The numerical simulations took into account the temperature dependency of the coefficient of thermal expansion, the thermal conductivity and the electrical conductivity properties in order to achieve more reliable results. The fabricated microgrippers were actuated under atmospheric pressure and the experimental results achieved through optical microscopy studies conformed with those predicted by the numerical models. The gap opening and the temperature rise at the cell gripping zone were also compared for the different microgripper structures in this work, with the aim of identifying an optimal microgripper design for the deformability characterisation of RBCs.

scholarly journals Efficient in-depth analysis and optimum design parameter estimation of MEMS capacitive pressure sensor utilizing analytical approach for square diaphragm

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUMIT KUMAR JINDAL ◽  
ISHAN PATEL ◽  
KRISH SETHI ◽  
SIMRIT KAUL ◽  
SREEKANTH P K ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Optimal Operation ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Capacitive Pressure Sensor ◽  
Computationally Efficient ◽  
Analytical Technique ◽  
Operating Modes ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors

Abstract Capacitive pressure sensors have become more popular as compared to piezoresistive pressure sensors as they yield superior sensitivity and lesser non-linearity. Efficient analysis for modelling capacitive pressure sensors is thus increasingly becoming more important due to their innumerable use cases. The higher sensitivity of square diaphragm for the same side length in comparison to circular diaphragm makes it ideal for sensor design. In this work, a complete formulation for analysis of capacitive pressure sensor with the square diaphragm in normal and touch mode operation has been presented as these two modes are established operating modes for these sensors. A comprehensive study of sensor parameters like capacitance, diaphragm deflection, capacitive and mechanical sensitivity has been formulated to aid the choice of sensor characteristics. This work also focuses on the method to determine core design parameters for optimal operation. Computationally complex methods have been used in the past for analysis of square diaphragms. In contrast to the finite element system, the analytical technique proposed in this study is less complex and computationally efficient (FEM). The results were computed and simulated using MATLAB.

scholarly journals Investigation of High Sensitivity Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors for -0.5…+0.5 kPa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikhail Basov ◽  
Denis Prigodskiy
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Thermal Hysteresis ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Differential Pressure ◽  
Sensor Chip ◽  
Burst Pressure ◽  
Average Sensitivity ◽  
Optimum Geometry ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors

Abstract The investigation of the pressure sensor chip’s design developed for operation in ultralow differential pressure ranges has been conducted. The optimum geometry of a membrane has been defined using available technological resources. The pressure sensor chip with an area of 6.15х6.15 mm has an average sensitivity S of 34.5 mV/кPa/V at nonlinearity 2KNL = 0.81 %FS and thermal hysteresis up to 0.6 %FS was created. Owing to the chip connection with stop elements, the burst pressure reaches 450 кPa.

scholarly journals Investigation of High Sensitivity Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors for -0.5…+0.5 kPa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikhail ◽  
Denis Prigodskiy
Keyword(s):  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Pressure Sensor ◽  
Thermal Hysteresis ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Burst Pressure ◽  
Average Sensitivity ◽  
Optimum Geometry ◽  
Developed Pressure ◽  
Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors

The investigation of the pressure sensor chip's design developed for operation in ultralow differential pressure ranges has been conducted. The optimum geometry of a diaphragm has been defined using available technological resources. The pressure sensor chip with an area of 6.15 × 6.15 mm has an average sensitivity S of 34.5 mV/ κPa/V at nonlinearity 2K NL = 0.81 %FS and thermal hysteresis up to 0.6 %FS was created. Owing to the chip connection with stop elements, the burst pressure reaches 450 κPa. The developed pressure sensor can be used in medicine, automotive industry and highly specialized scientific developments.

Microfabrication and Packaging Process for a Single-Chip Position, Navigation, and Timing System

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 000208-000214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjun Huan ◽  
Vamsy P. Chodavarapu ◽  
George Xereas ◽  
Charles Allan
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Sensors ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Autonomous Systems ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Single Crystal Silicon ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Leak Rate ◽  
Single Chip ◽  
Wafer Level ◽  
Crystal Silicon

Abstract The Global Positioning System (GPS) is the primary means of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) for most civilian and military systems and applications. The rapid growth in autonomous systems has created a widespread interest in self-contained Inertial Navigation System (INS) for precise navigation and guidance in the absence of GPS. The microscale PNT systems need both specialized and low cost fabrication technologies to cost effectively bring these technologies to market. We describe an ultra-clean (low leak rate) wafer-level vacuum encapsulation microfabrication process of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based sensors and devices. Using this process we have fabricated inertial sensors, frequency reference resonators, and pressure sensors. In addition to providing excellent resistance to shock and vibration, this combined microfabrication and packaging method would allow the use of high volume low cost plastic packaging at the device level. The microfabrication process is an 8” wafer process based on high aspect ratio bulk micromachining of a 30 μm thick single-crystal silicon device layer that is vacuum encapsulated at 10 mTorr between two silicon wafers with the demonstrated leak rate of only 6.5 × 10−18 atm cm3/s.

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