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Design, analysis and fabrication of 4H–SiC diaphragm for piezoresistive MEMS pressure sensor

ISSS Journal of Micro and Smart Systems volume 10, pages 41–50 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

A diaphragm-based MEMS pressure sensor, suitable for harsh environments, was designed, simulated, analyzed and virtually fabricated on p-type SiC epitaxial semi-insulating 4H–SiC substrate to measure the external pressure in the range of 0–8 MPa using device simulation software. The critical component of the pressure sensor is a thin flat square SiC diaphragm with an area of 1500 µm × 1500 µm and thickness of 75 µm. The area and thickness were optimized by performing computer simulation using the finite element method of simulation. The p-type SiC resistors were virtually fabricated in Wheatstone bridge configuration on top of the SiC diaphragm to convert the mechanical stress signal, generated due to external pressure into an electrical output voltage signal. The 4H–SiC MEMS pressure sensor was virtually fabricated on high-purity semi-insulating SiC substrate by dry etching method and its sensitivity was obtained at 2.42 µV/V/KPa for the operating pressure range. A thin SiC diaphragm was fabricated toward the realization of the SiC piezoresistive MEMS pressure sensor.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank all the scientific and technical staff of Electronics & Instrumentation Group, Material Science Group of IGCAR and IITM, Chennai. The authors also would like thank to Dr. Santanu Parida, MSG, IGCAR for preparation of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Real Time Systems Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, 603102, India

    Mahesh Kumar Patankar, M. Kasinathan, R. P. Behera & T. Jayanthi

  2. Electrical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 036, India

    Aparna Gupta & Nandita DasGupta

  3. Surface and Nanoscience Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, 603102, India

    Sandip Dhara

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  1. Mahesh Kumar Patankar
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  2. Aparna Gupta
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  3. M. Kasinathan
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  4. R. P. Behera
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  5. T. Jayanthi
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Correspondence to Mahesh Kumar Patankar.

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Patankar, M.K., Gupta, A., Kasinathan, M. et al. Design, analysis and fabrication of 4H–SiC diaphragm for piezoresistive MEMS pressure sensor. ISSS J Micro Smart Syst 10, 41–50 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41683-021-00068-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41683-021-00068-3

Keywords

  • MEMS
  • Piezoresistive
  • SiC diaphragm
  • HPSI
  • Plasma etching