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Novel designs for application specific MEMS pressure sensors
Giulio Fragiacomo1, Kasper Reck, Lasse Lorenzen
1Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Nanotech, Building 345E, DK-2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark. giulio.fragiacomo@nanotech.dtu.dk
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 14, 2011
Summary
This study introduces three novel microfabricated pressure sensors utilizing capacitive, optical, and resonant principles for diverse applications. These advanced sensors offer superior performance compared to traditional piezoresistive types in demanding environments.
Area of Science:
- Microfabrication
- Sensor Technology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Commercially available piezoresistive pressure sensors often fail in harsh environments.
- There is a need for specialized pressure sensors with unique readout principles.
- Innovative sensor designs are crucial for advancing applications in distributed systems and medical fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present three novel microfabricated pressure sensor designs.
- To tailor each sensor for specific applications based on its readout principle.
- To highlight the advantages of these new sensors over existing technologies.
Main Methods:
- Design and fabrication of a touch-mode capacitive pressure sensor.
- Development of an optical pressure sensor with electromagnetic interference immunity.
- Creation of a resonating wireless pressure sensor requiring no external power source.
Main Results:
- Capacitive sensor: High sensitivity (14 pF/bar), low temperature dependence, high output (>100 pF).
- Optical sensor: Large pressure range (0-350 bar), sensitivity (1 pm/bar), immune to EMI.
- Resonating sensor: Sensitivity (650 KHz/mmHg), wireless, power source-free.
Conclusions:
- The developed capacitive, optical, and resonating sensors are suitable for harsh, distributed, and medical environments, respectively.
- These novel sensors overcome limitations of conventional piezoresistive sensors.
- The presented designs represent significant advancements in microfabricated pressure sensing technology.
