Abstract
A multilayer (Ti/Pt/Cr/Au) resistive temperature sensor was proposed and investigated to precisely measure the temperature characteristic in microfluidic devices. The Ti/Pt/Cr/Au sensor was fabricated by direct current (DC) sputtering, vacuum evaporation and liftoff process. The thermal annealing test was conducted in the temperature range of 200–800 °C for obtaining an appropriate property of the multilayer. Based on the experimental results, 400 °C was selected as the experimental annealing temperature for the Ti/Pt/Cr/Au layer. The redistribution of structural imperfections and recrystallization promote the density and adhesion of multilayer during the annealing process. With the annealing temperature rising, the annealing process leads to through-thickness migration of chromium and partial depletion of the adhesive layer. The Ti also diffuses into the Pt, which makes the interface disappear. Nevertheless, the layer remains continuous. The temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the sensors was investigated through the microfluidic testing system. The excellent stability and sensitivity of the Ti/Pt/Cr/Au thin-film temperature sensor are verified. Furthermore, the capability of the Ti/Pt/Cr/Au thin-film temperature sensor detecting the sudden temperature change caused by bubble effect is very meaningful to the microfluidic devices.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lao AIK, Lee TMH, Hsing IM, Ip NY. Precise temperature control of microfluidic chamber for gas and liquid phase reactions. Sens Actuators a Phys. 2000;84(1–2):11.
Ekkels P, Rottenberg X, Puers R, Tilmans HAC. Evaluation of platinum as a structural thin film material for RF-MEMS devices. J Micromech Microeng. 2009;19(6):065010.
Kreider KG, Ripple DC, Kimes WA. Thin-film resistance thermometers on silicon wafers. Meas Sci Technol. 2009;20(4):045206.
Deng S, Wang P, Liu S, Zhao T, Xu S, Guo M, Yu X. A novel microfluidic flow rate detection method based on surface plasmon resonance temperature imaging. Sensors (Basel). 2016;16(7):964.
Ryu S, Yoo I, Song S, Yoon B, Kim JM. A thermoresponsive fluorogenic conjugated polymer for a temperature sensor in microfluidic devices. J Am Chem Soc. 2009;131(11):3800.
Wong D, Yesiloz G, Boybay MS, Ren CL. Microwave temperature measurement in microfluidic devices. Lab Chip. 2016;16(12):2192.
Courbat J, Briand D, de Rooij NF. Reliability improvement of suspended platinum-based micro-heating elements. Sens Actuators A Phys. 2008;142(1):284.
Frankel DJ, Moulzolf SC, da Cunha MP, Lad RJ. Influence of composition and multilayer architecture on electrical conductivity of high temperature Pt-alloy films. Surf Coat Technol. 2015;284(1):215.
Xia Y, Xiong J, Zhang F, Xue Y, Wang L, Guo P, Xu P, Zhao X, Tao B. Morphology evolvement of CeO2 cap layer for coated conductors. Appl Surf Sci. 2012;263(1):508.
Xiong J, Chen Y, Qiu Y, Tao B, Qin W, Cui X, Tang J, Li Y. A novel process for CeO2 single buffer layer on biaxially textured metal substrates in YBCO coated conductors. Supercond Sci Technol. 2006;19(10):1068.
Xiong J, Matias V, Wang H, Zhai JY, Maiorov B, Trugman D, Tao BW, Li YR, Jia QX. Much simplified ion-beam assisted deposition-TiN template for high-performance coated conductors. J Appl Phys. 2010;108(8):083903.
Xiong J, Tao BW, Qin WF, Tang JL, Han X, Li YR. Reel-to-reel continuous simultaneous double-sided deposition of highly textured CeO2 templates for YBa2Cu3O7−δ coated conductors. Supercond Sci Technol. 2008;21(2):025016.
Momeni MM. Dye-sensitized solar cells based on Cr-doped TiO2 nanotube photoanodes. Rare Met. 2017;36(11):865.
Yang C, He YY, Chu JW, Xue Y, Zhang F, Hui W, Tao BW, Xiong J. Tailoring surface roughness of LaMnO3 buffer layers for YBCO-coated conductors. Rare Met. 2015;34(12):859.
Yang C, Xia Y, Xue Y, Zhang F, Tao B, Xiong J. The effects of grain boundaries on the current transport properties in YBCO-coated conductors. Nanoscale Res Lett. 2015;10(1):416.
Schmid U, Seidel H. Influence of thermal annealing on the resistivity of titanium/platinum thin films. J Vac Sci Technol A Vac Surf Films. 2006;24(6):2139.
Resnik D, Vrtačnik D, Možek M, Pečar B, Amon S. Experimental study of heat-treated thin film Ti/Pt heater and temperature sensor properties on a Si microfluidic platform. J Micromech Microeng. 2011;21(2):025025.
Ebadian MA, Lin CX. A review of high-heat-flux heat removal technologies. J Heat Transf. 2011;133(11):110801.
Hoera C, Ohla S, Shu Z, Beckert E, Nagl S, Belder D. An integrated microfluidic chip enabling control and spatially resolved monitoring of temperature in micro flow reactors. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2015;407(2):387.
Wang B, Ho J, Fei J, Gonzalez RL Jr, Lin Q. A microfluidic approach for investigating the temperature dependence of biomolecular activity with single-molecule resolution. Lab Chip. 2011;11(2):274.
Kim M, Choi W, Lim H, Yang S. Integrated microfluidic-based sensor module for real-time measurement of temperature, conductivity, and salinity to monitor reverse osmosis. Desalination. 2013;317(1):166.
Bogojevic D, Sefiane K, Duursma G, Walton AJ. Bubble dynamics and flow boiling instabilities in microchannels. Int J Heat Mass Transf. 2013;58(1–2):663.
Pattekar AV, Kothare MV. A microreactor for hydrogen production in micro fuel cell applications. J Microelectromech Syst. 2004;13(1):7.
Kandlikar SG, Grande WJ. Evolution of microchannel flow passages-thermohydraulic performance and fabrication technology. Heat Transf Eng. 2003;24(1):3.
Resnik D, Kovač J, Vrtačnik D, Godec M, Pečar B, Možek M. Microstructural and electrical properties of heat treated resistive Ti/Pt thin layers. Thin Solid Films. 2017;639(1):64.
Li C, Liu XZ, Peng B, Shu L, Li YR. AlN-based surface acoustic wave resonators on platinum bottom electrodes for high-temperature sensing applications. Rare Met. 2016;35(5):408.
Kozłowska A, Łapka P, Seredyński M, Teodorczyk M, Dąbrowska-Tumańska E. Experimental study and numerical modeling of micro-channel cooler with micro-pipes for high-power diode laser arrays. Appl Therm Eng. 2015;91(1):279.
Moody NR, Adams DP, Medlin D, Headley T, Yang N, Volinsky A. Effects of diffusion on interfacial fracture of gold-chromium hybrid microcircuit films. Int J Fract. 2003;119(4–2):407.
Yi F, Osborn W, Betz J, LaVan DA. Interactions of adhesion materials and annealing environment on resistance and stability of MEMS platinum heaters and temperature sensors. J Microelectromech Syst. 2015;24(4):1185.
Imanaka Y. Reaction of Ti, Ti/Ni and Ti/Pt thin flms on AlN substrates. Bethlehem: Lehigh University; 1994. 272.
Wang K, Yao K, Chua SJ. Titanium diffusion and residual stress of platinum thin films on Ti/SiO2/Si substrate. J Appl Phys. 2005;98(1):013538.
Bíró F, Hajnal Z, Dücső C, Bársony I. The critical impact of temperature gradients on Pt filament failure. Microelectron Reliab. 2017;78(6):118.
Wang T, Wang J, He J, Wu C, Luo W, Shuai Y, Zhang W, Chen X, Zhang J, Lin J. A comprehensive study of a micro-channel heat sink using integrated thin-film temperature sensors. Sensors (Basel). 2018;18(1):299.
Wang T, Wang J, He J, Wu C, Luo W, Shuai Y, Zhang W, Lee C. Investigation of the temperature fluctuation of single-phase fluid based microchannel heat sink. Sensors (Basel). 2018;18(5):1498.
Acknowledgements
This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51602039) and the Central University Support Project (No. ZYGX2016J051).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, JJ., Wang, T., Wu, CG. et al. Highly precise Ti/Pt/Cr/Au thin-film temperature sensor embedded in a microfluidic device. Rare Met. 40, 195–201 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-019-01301-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-019-01301-7