Abstract-A fabrication process for the simultaneous shaping of arrays of glass shells on a wafer level is introduced in this paper. The process is based on etching cavities in silicon, followed by anodic bonding of a thin glass wafer to the etched silicon wafer. The bonded wafers are then heated inside a furnace at a temperature above the softening point of the glass, and due to the expansion of the trapped gas in the silicon cavities the glass is blown into threedimensional spherical shells. An analytical model which can be used to predict the shape of the glass shells is described and demonstrated to match the experimental data. The ability to blow glass on a wafer level may enable novel capabilities including mass-production of microscopic spherical gas confinement chambers, microlenses, and complex microfluidic networks.[

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Abstract. This paper presents a fabrication process in which all components of an in-plane piezoresistive accelerometer are fabricated simultaneously using a single mask. By dry-etching a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer that has a specific resistivity, piezoresistors are defined and isolated from each other and from the bulk silicon without the pn-junctions normally required in piezoresistive sensors. In addition to simplifying the fabrication, the temperature range is also extended when compared to conventional piezoresistive accelerometers, due to the absence of pn-junctions. Singleaxis accelerometers, designed for an acceleration range of 1 G to 500 G with a sensitivity of 1 mV/G, were fabricated and tested, and linear output characteristics were demonstrated. The temperature performance was also characterized. The temperature coefficient of sensitivity (TCS) was 0.3%/℃ and the temperature coefficient of offset (TCO) was 20 mG/℃.

The noise and performance limitations of optical sensors that utilize Fabry-Perot interferometry detection are investigated. A Fabry-Perot interferometer consists of two partially transparent parallel plates with reflective inner surfaces. The plates form a cavity with an optical resonance that depends on the distance between them. At resonant wavelengths, the incident light energy is transmitted through the sensor and intensity peaks occur. The distance between the plates can be obtained by detecting the wavelength of the transmitted light. Various sensors can be based on Fabry-Perot interferometry, e.g. accelerometers, pressure sensors, and microphones. This paper considers factors affecting the performance of this type of sensor, including mechanical-thermal noise, contribution of noise in the detection system, and effects of reflectivity, surface roughness and parallelism of the mirrors. The presented experimental data support the results of the analysis.

This paper explores designs for the implementation of high sensitivity accelerometers based on Fabry-Pérot Interferometers. Although such structures have the potential to achieve µg resolutions, design and implementation challenges can be limiting. This paper discusses the creation of such devices using two distinct proof mass and optical designs: one of a monolithic flexure with a thin film metallic reflector and another of an elastomeric flexure with a thin film multilayer dielectric reflector. Each device was fabricated, tested and characterized and conclusions about the advantages and disadvantages of the different design features are presented.