Micromachined sensor and actuator research at the Microelectronics Development Laboratory

James H. Smith; Carole Craig Barron; James G. Fleming; Stephen Montague; J. L. Rodriguez; Bradley K. Smith; Jeffry J. Sniegowski

doi:10.1117/12.210458

26 May 1995 Micromachined sensor and actuator research at the Microelectronics Development Laboratory

James H. Smith, Carole Craig Barron, James G. Fleming, Stephen Montague, J. L. Rodriguez, Bradley K. Smith, Jeffry J. Sniegowski

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 2448, Smart Structures and Materials 1995: Smart Electronics; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.210458
Event: Smart Structures and Materials '95, 1995, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

An overview of the major sensor and actuator projects using the micromachining capabilities of the Microelectronics Development Laboratory at Sandia National Laboratories will be presented. Development efforts are under way for a variety of micromechanical devices and control electronics for those devices. Surface micromachining is the predominant technology under development. Pressure sensors based on silicon nitride diaphragms have been developed. Hot polysilicon filaments for calorimetric gas sensing have been developed. Accelerometers based upon high-aspect ratio surface micromachining are under development. Actuation mechanisms employing either electrostatic or steam power are being combined with a three-level active (plus an additional passive level) polysilicon surface micromachining process to couple these actuators to external devices. The results of efforts toward integration of micromechanics with the driving electronics for actuators or the amplification/signal processing electronics for sensors is also described. This effort includes a tungsten metallization process to allow the CMOS electronics to withstand high-temperature micromechanical processing.

Citation Download Citation

James H. Smith, Carole Craig Barron, James G. Fleming, Stephen Montague, J. L. Rodriguez, Bradley K. Smith, and Jeffry J. Sniegowski "Micromachined sensor and actuator research at the Microelectronics Development Laboratory", Proc. SPIE 2448, Smart Structures and Materials 1995: Smart Electronics, (26 May 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.210458

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