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Title: Frontside-micromachined planar piezoresistive vibration sensor: Evaluating performance in the low frequency test range

Abstract

Using a surface piezoresistor diffusion method and front-side only micromachining process, a planar piezoresistive vibration sensor was successfully developed with a simple structure, lower processing cost and fewer packaging difficulties. The vibration sensor had a large sector proof mass attached to a narrow flexure. Optimization of the boron diffusion piezoresistor placed on the edge of the narrow flexure greatly improved the sensitivity. Planar vibration sensors were fabricated and measured in order to analyze the effects of the sensor dimensions on performance, including the values of flexure width and the included angle of the sector. Sensitivities of fabricated planar sensors of 0.09–0.46 mV/V/g were measured up to a test frequency of 60 Hz. The sensor functioned at low voltages (<3 V) and currents (<1 mA) with a high sensitivity and low drift. At low background noise levels, the sensor had performance comparable to a commercial device.

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Research Center for Ubiquitous MEMS and Micro Engineering (UMEMSME), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8564 (Japan)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22251690
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Advances
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 4; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: (c) 2014 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 2158-3226
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; BACKGROUND NOISE; BORON; DIFFUSION; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; OPTIMIZATION; SENSITIVITY; SENSORS; SURFACES

Citation Formats

Zhang, Lan, Lu, Jian, Takagi, Hideki, and Maeda, Ryutaro. Frontside-micromachined planar piezoresistive vibration sensor: Evaluating performance in the low frequency test range. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4862253.
Zhang, Lan, Lu, Jian, Takagi, Hideki, & Maeda, Ryutaro. Frontside-micromachined planar piezoresistive vibration sensor: Evaluating performance in the low frequency test range. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4862253
Zhang, Lan, Lu, Jian, Takagi, Hideki, and Maeda, Ryutaro. 2014. "Frontside-micromachined planar piezoresistive vibration sensor: Evaluating performance in the low frequency test range". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4862253.
@article{osti_22251690,
title = {Frontside-micromachined planar piezoresistive vibration sensor: Evaluating performance in the low frequency test range},
author = {Zhang, Lan and Lu, Jian and Takagi, Hideki and Maeda, Ryutaro},
abstractNote = {Using a surface piezoresistor diffusion method and front-side only micromachining process, a planar piezoresistive vibration sensor was successfully developed with a simple structure, lower processing cost and fewer packaging difficulties. The vibration sensor had a large sector proof mass attached to a narrow flexure. Optimization of the boron diffusion piezoresistor placed on the edge of the narrow flexure greatly improved the sensitivity. Planar vibration sensors were fabricated and measured in order to analyze the effects of the sensor dimensions on performance, including the values of flexure width and the included angle of the sector. Sensitivities of fabricated planar sensors of 0.09–0.46 mV/V/g were measured up to a test frequency of 60 Hz. The sensor functioned at low voltages (<3 V) and currents (<1 mA) with a high sensitivity and low drift. At low background noise levels, the sensor had performance comparable to a commercial device.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4862253},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22251690}, journal = {AIP Advances},
issn = {2158-3226},
number = 1,
volume = 4,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Wed Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}