Design of piezoresistive-based MEMS sensor systems for precision microsystems

Panas, Robert M.; Cullinan, Michael; Culpepper, Martin L.

doi:10.1016/j.precisioneng.2011.07.004

Cited by 20 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The utility of this theory lies in understanding how to define the properties of the nonlinear barrier in terms of standard electrical resistance, so that the solder contacts may be integrated into the existing sensor design and optimization work [11]. The barrier analysis is commonly done in the opposite fashion, where the ohmic resistance is integrated into the nonlinear term [22].…”

Section: Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is desirable to find a means of making an electrical connection to silicon that is design flexible, cost effective in small batches (≈10), <100 , may be carried out in ambient pressure onto millimeter-scale pads, and at low <200°C temperature due to potential damage to the bonded gage. Small batch piezoresistor customization offers a significant performance increases through multiple routes: 1) piezoresistor serpentine factor [11]; 2) piezoresistor size adjustment to alter power limits [11]; 3) geometric flexibility to fit on small flexures [1]; 4) utilization of transverse gage factors; and 5) compact multipiezoresistor designs for thermal stability.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Engineering Electrical Interfaces to Silicon via Indium Solder

Panas

Culpepper

2015

IEEE Trans. Electron Devices

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This paper provides engineering models of a simple and robust approach for creating electrical connections to silicon using reduced temperature (<200°C substrate) soldering. This removes a significant hurdle to the fabrication of high performance, custom silicon piezoresistors. The approach focuses on reducing the resistance of diodes that are undergoing reverse bias behavior, commonly considered to be unacceptable for electrical connections. Reverse bias Schottky barrier analytical models based on quantum mechanical first principles are developed to explain how the behavior is affected by doping, soldering temperature, and geometry. This understanding is encapsulated within parametric models that enable rapid design and optimization of the electrical contacts to silicon. Using this model, one may design contacts for practical applications that do not require the conventional microfabrication processing or the high-temperature processing. Indium solder is found to be the best solder for this process, with ohmic contact resistances of ≈1 -cm 2 for 110 p-type wafers at 10 17 cm −3 doping.

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Section: Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Engineering Electrical Interfaces to Silicon via Indium Solder

Panas

Culpepper

2015

IEEE Trans. Electron Devices

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“…The design of piezoresistive-based MEMS sensors has been analyzed from a system perspective, to quantify the achievable dynamic range while considering noise contributions from various components in the system [163]. The optimization of single-crystal-silicon piezoresistive u-shaped cantilevers for AFM application has also been reported in [164].…”

Section: Piezoresistive Strain Sensorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single‐Chip Scanning Probe Microscopes

Sarkar

Mansour²

2015

Micro‐ and Nanomanipulation Tools

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Scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) are the highest resolution imaging instruments available today and are among the most important tools in nanoscience. Conventional SPMs suffer from several drawbacks owing to their large and bulky construction and to the use of piezoelectric materials. Large scanners have low resonant frequencies that limit their achievable imaging bandwidth and render them susceptible to disturbance from ambient vibrations. Array approaches have been used to alleviate the bandwidth bottleneck; however as arrays are scaled upwards, the scanning speed must decline to accommodate larger payloads. In addition, the long mechanical path from the tip to the sample contributes thermal drift. Furthermore, intrinsic properties of piezoelectric materials result in creep and hysteresis, which contribute to image distortion. The tip-sample interaction signals are often measured with optical configurations that require large free-space paths, are cumbersome to align, and add to the high cost of state-of-the-art SPM systems. These shortcomings have stifled the widespread adoption of SPMs by the nanometrology community. Tiny, inexpensive, fast, stable and independent SPMs that do not incur bandwidth penalties upon array scaling would therefore be most welcome. A method to increase the quality factor (Q-factor) of flexural resonators is introduced. The method relies on an internal energy pumping mechanism that is based on the interplay between electrical, iv mechanical, and thermal effects. To the best of the author's knowledge, the devices that are designed to harness these effects possess the highest electromechanical Qs reported for flexural resonators operating in air; electrically measured Q is enhanced from ~50 to ~50,000 in one exemplary device. A physical explanation for the underlying mechanism is proposed.The design, fabrication, imaging, and tip-based lithographic patterning with the first single-chip Scanning Thermal Microscopes (SThMs) are also presented. In addition to 3 DOF scanning, these devices possess integrated, thermally isolated temperature sensors to detect heat transfer in the tip-sample region.Imaging is reported with thermocouple-based devices and patterning is reported with resistive heater/sensors. An "isothermal electrothermal scanner" is designed and fabricated, and a method to operate it is detailed. The mechanism, based on electrothermal actuation, maintains a constant temperature in a central location while positioning a payload over a range of >35μm, thereby suppressing the deleterious thermal crosstalk effects that have thus far plagued thermally actuated devices with integrated sensors.

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“…1(a)) acting as the active element and three metal film resistors (R2 through R4) used to complete the bridge. The instrumentation amplifier is used to scale the output signal of the Wheatstone bridge by a gain, G, so that the signal can be read accurately by an (1) a Wheatstone bridge, (2) a precision bridge circuit with a precision voltage reference and instrumentation amplifier, (3) a dc power supply, and (4) an analog-to-digital converter [41,42]. Fig.…”

Section: Experimental Setup and Noise Measurementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanomanufacturing Methods for the Reduction of Noise in Carbon Nanotube-Based Piezoresistive Sensor Systems

Cullinan

Culpepper

2013

Journal of Micro and Nano-Manufacturing

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Carbon nanotube (CNT)-based piezoresistive strain sensors have the potential to outperform traditional silicon-based piezoresistors in MEMS devices due to their high strain sensitivity. However, the resolution of CNT-based piezoresistive sensors is currently limited by excessive 1/f or flicker noise. In this paper, we will demonstrate several nanomanufacturing methods that can be used to decrease noise in the CNT-based sensor system without reducing the sensor's strain sensitivity. First, the CNTs were placed in a parallel resistor network to increase the total number of charge carriers in the sensor system. By carefully selecting the types of CNTs used in the sensor system and by correctly designing the system, it is possible to reduce the noise in the sensor system without reducing sensitivity. The CNTs were also coated with aluminum oxide to help protect the CNTs from environmental effects. Finally, the CNTs were annealed to improve contact resistance and to remove adsorbates from the CNT sidewall. The optimal annealing conditions were determined using a design-of-experiments (DOE). Overall, using these noise mitigation techniques it is possible to reduce the total noise in the sensor system by almost 3 orders of magnitude and increase the dynamic range of the sensors by 48 dB.

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Design of piezoresistive-based MEMS sensor systems for precision microsystems

Cited by 20 publications

References 12 publications

Engineering Electrical Interfaces to Silicon via Indium Solder

Engineering Electrical Interfaces to Silicon via Indium Solder

Single‐Chip Scanning Probe Microscopes

Nanomanufacturing Methods for the Reduction of Noise in Carbon Nanotube-Based Piezoresistive Sensor Systems

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