Advances in high-performance MEMS pressure sensors: design, fabrication, and packaging

Abstract

Pressure sensors play a vital role in aerospace, automotive, medical, and consumer electronics. Although microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based pressure sensors have been widely used for decades, new trends in pressure sensors, including higher sensitivity, higher accuracy, better multifunctionality, smaller chip size, and smaller package size, have recently emerged. The demand for performance upgradation has led to breakthroughs in sensor materials, design, fabrication, and packaging methods, which have emerged frequently in recent decades. This paper reviews common new trends in MEMS pressure sensors, including minute differential pressure sensors (MDPSs), resonant pressure sensors (RPSs), integrated pressure sensors, miniaturized pressure chips, and leadless pressure sensors. To realize an extremely sensitive MDPS with broad application potential, including in medical ventilators and fire residual pressure monitors, the “beam-membrane-island” sensor design exhibits the best performance of 66 μV/V/kPa with a natural frequency of 11.3 kHz. In high-accuracy applications, silicon and quartz RPS are analyzed, and both materials show ±0.01%FS accuracy with respect to varying temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) control methods. To improve MEMS sensor integration, different integrated “pressure + x” sensor designs and fabrication methods are compared. In this realm, the intercoupling effect still requires further investigation. Typical fabrication methods for microsized pressure sensor chips are also reviewed. To date, the chip thickness size can be controlled to be <0.1 mm, which is advantageous for implant sensors. Furthermore, a leadless pressure sensor was analyzed, offering an extremely small package size and harsh environmental compatibility. This review is structured as follows. The background of pressure sensors is first presented. Then, an in-depth introduction to MEMS pressure sensors based on different application scenarios is provided. Additionally, their respective characteristics and significant advancements are analyzed and summarized. Finally, development trends of MEMS pressure sensors in different fields are analyzed.

The Piezoresistive Performance of CuMnNi Alloy Thin-Film Pressure Sensors Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering

“…Nakayama studied the preparation of Cu-11Mn-4Ni plate by compression shear method at room temperature and evaluated its mechanical and electrical properties [3]. Gidts studied the preparation and characterization of a piezoresistive pressure sensor based on chrome-doped V 2 O 3 thin film (Cr-V 2 O 3 TF) [4]. This is the first time that the piezoresistive effect of single crystal Cr-V 2 O 3 TF has been demonstrated experimentally and applied to pressure sensors.…”

Graphene resonant pressure sensor with ultrahigh responsivity-range product

“…Since the first demonstration of a resonant pressure sensor with a silicon resonator the responsivities of the resonant pressure sensor have not improved significantly. Typical responsivities of silicon resonator-based resonant pressure sensors are in the range of a few 100 Hz kPa −1 [17][18][19][20][21]. Since the resonance frequency is proportional resonator's Young's modulus, the simplest way to improve responsivity is to use a high Young's modulus material for the resonator.…”

Cryogenic DRIE processes for high-precision silicon etching in MEMS applications

“…Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices such as pressure sensors [6], logic gates made from laterally actuated cantilever relays [7] and micromirrors [8], to name a few, are composed of components between 1 and 100 µms in size. These devices and many others [9][10][11], have become a staple in the microelectronics industry with the Bosch process being an invaluable tool towards their production.…”