World appl. programming, Vol(5), No (1), January, 2015. pp.

16-20

TI Journals

ISSN:

World Applied Programming

2222-2510

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Copyright 2015. All rights reserved for TI Journals.

New Optimization of a Micro Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor at Low

Pressure
Zahra Mokhtari
Elec. Eng. Dept., Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch

Reza Sabbaghi-Nadooshan *
Elec. Eng. Dept., Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch

Fardad Farokhi
Elec. Eng. Dept., Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch
*Corresponding author: r_sabbaghi@iauctb.ac.ir

Keywords
MEMS
piezoresistor pressure sensor
Wheatstone bridge

1.

Abstract
Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) have received a great deal of attention in recent
years. This paper is focused on silicon based Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor (PPS). Finite element
method is adopted for designing and optimizing the performance of silicon based PPS. The PPS
in our design is selected the Wheatstone bridge configuration with the same position for sitting
resistances on the diaphragm and software simulation COMSOL. The parameters of the pressure
sensor include membrane size, thickness diaphragm and location of piezoresistor. The results
were shown that proper selection of the membrane geometry and piezoresistor location can
enhance the sensor sensitivity with linear operation.

Introduction

MEMS techniques and microsystem based devices have the potential to dramatically affect of all of our lives and the way we live. If
semiconductor micro fabrication was considered as the first micro manufacturing revolution, then definitely MEMS is the second.
MEMS is a technological process used to create tiny integrated devices or systems that combine mechanical and electrical components. These
devices (or systems) have the ability to sense, control and actuate on the micro scale objects.
MEMS has been identified as one of the most promising technologies for the 21st century and has the potential to revolutionize both industrial
and consumer products by combining silicon based microelectronics with micromachine technology.In the most general form, MEMS consist of
mechanical microstructures, micro sensors, micro actuators and microelectronics, all integrated onto the same silicon chip.
Micro sensors detect changes in the systems environment by measuring mechanical, thermal, magnetic, chemical or electromagnetic
information or phenomena. Microelectronic will process the information and send proper signal to the micro actuators to react and create some
form of changes to the environment. MEMS is an appropriate term as it specifically relates to mechanical (micro) devices and also includes
wider areas such as chemical sensors, micro optical systems, and microanalysis systems. There is also a wide variety of usage of terms such as
transducer, sensor, actuator, and detector [1].
Today, high volume MEMS can be found in a diversity of applications across multiple markets such as automotive, environment protection and
medical systems and instruments.
As an emerging technology MEMS products are centered on technology-product paradigms rather than product-market. Consequently, a MEMS
device may find numerous applications across diversity of industries. Micromachining has been demonstrated in a variety of materials including
glasses, ceramics, polymers, metals, and various other alloys. Single crystal silicon is elastic (up to its fracture point) and lighter than aluminum,
it has a modulus of elasticity similar to stainless steel. Silicon has desirable mechanical properties and economical to produce single crystal
substrates.
The silicon based pressure sensor is one of the MEMS devices. Pressure sensors have been developed that use a wide range of sensing
techniques. These types of the sensors have a wide-range of applications in various fields, from automotive industry to medical equipments.
They have the advantages of small size, low power, good performance and massive production for the micromachined process.
Nowadays, silicon piezoresistive pressure sensor is a matured technology in industry and its measurement accuracy is more rigorous in many
advanced applications. Basic element and operating principle of pressure sensor is shown in Fig.1

Figure 1. Basic element and operating principle of pressure sensor

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Optimization of a Micro Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor at Low Pressure

World Applied Programming Vol(5), No (1), January, 2015.

There are many examples of micro machined mechanical transducers. The most sensing-important mechanisms include the following effects:
piezoresistivity, piezoelectricity, variable capacitance, and resonant transduction [2].
The majority of these devices utilize piezoelectric [3] or electrostatic (capacitive) [4] electromechanical transduction with both methods having
their respective advantages and disadvantages. Piezoelectric transduction requires integration of piezoelectric thin films and metallic electrodes
with the micromechanical elements. Such integration usually is associated with material characterization and quality control issues. Electrostatic
excitation on the other hand suffers from relatively small actuation forces available from electrostatic actuators and the need for very thin
transduction gaps complicating fabrication of such devices. Furthermore, narrow transduction gaps are also very vulnerable to accumulation of
particulate and/or other contaminants in environmental sensing application.
MEMS piezoresistive pressure sensor is one of the major applications of the pressure sensor. Many researchers have been investigated different
techniques to improve the sensitivity of these sensors [5, 6, 7]. They have Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors design includes two basic elements,
Membrane and Piezoresistive. This paper is focused on Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor PPS. In our design, pressure is very low. The
piezoresistor in our design is selected the Wheatstone bridge configuration (Fig.2).
Design of micro piezoresistive pressure sensor extensively adopts finite element method (FEM) to realize stress distribution prediction,
sensitivity enhancement and nonlinear reduction [8].
The design parameters of the pressure sensor include membrane size/shape and piezoresistor location. Software simulation is COMSOL. Based
on the simulation analysis, sensitivity and linear optimization of the sensor can be obtained as well. The range of micro-pressure sensor is about
1KPa [9], so it is important and impressing to study the advanced micro-pressure sensor. In this way, we can have a more accurate understanding
of the stress and strain distribution on the membrane, find the location of the maximal stress, get the best placement of resistors, and further
analyze their linearity and dynamic performance under stress or overload.

OPERATING THEORY

2.1 Membrane deflection

In terms of the approximate model of the plate bending under the condition of loaded pressure, an analytical solution of the form can be used
Eq.1
w(x, y) =
1 + cos ( ) 1 + cos ( )
(1)
Wherew(x, y) is the deflection at (x, y)coordinate, w is the displacement at the center of the diaphragm, and L is the edge-length of diaphragm.
Since the residual-stress is zero for a diaphragm which is fabricated by means of bulk-micromachining, and the large amplitude in-plane stretch
can be ignored for a small-amplitude loading, then the load-deflection equation which was led by the energy-method analysis can be simplified
as [10]:
P = c ( ) w
(2)
D=

(3)

Where, p is the uniform pressure on the diaphragm, E is the Youngs modulus, t is the thickness of the diaphragm, is the Poissons ratio and Cb
is the coefficient of the plate bending term.
In the considered design process the square diaphragm has L length and t thickness. Maximum membrane deflection is calculated using Eq. 4.
D
= ( )(1 )
(4)
The maximum stress (at the center point of the long edge) and the stress in the center of the plate are calculated using Eq. 5.

=
(5)
Where, p is the uniform pressure on the diaphragm, t is the thickness of the diaphragm, L length of the diaphragm in square diaphragm, and
are coeffients given from [2].
2.2 Piezoresistive effect
The piezoresistor is selected with the Wheatstone bridge configuration. As shown in Fig. 2two edges of the diaphragm and all resistors axes are
along the <110> direction. Because these resistors are on a plate, each resistor experiences both a longitudinal and transverse stress. We use
and to denote the longitudinal and transverse stress experienced by R1 and R3, respectively. Then R2 and R4 experience longitudinal stress
and transverse stress which are rotated 90 compared with the stresses experienced by R1 and R3. Initially, R1=R2=R3=R4.

Figure 2. The Wheatstone bridge

Zahra Mokhtari , Reza Sabbaghi-Nadooshan *, Fardad Farokhi

18

World Applied Programming Vol(5), No (1), January, 2015.

If the geometric effect in semiconductor strain gauges is neglected, then the fractional change in resistivity is given by

=
= +
(6)
=
(7)
Where and are the longitudinal and transverse piezoresistive coefficients and and are the corresponding stresses.
Similarly, for resistors, we have:
= = (1 + )
(8)
=

= (1 )

(9)

and represent the product of the effective piezoresistor coefficient and the stress.
Now the output voltage can be obtained using Eq.10 and 11.
V =V

(10)
V =

)
)

(11)

Where V is the output voltage andV is the input voltage.

Since and are very small, the quadratic terms of or can be ignored, which leads to Eq.12 and 13.
V
V
(12)
V =

vin

(13)

STRUCTURAL DESIGN

In order to maximize the piezoresistivity effects, line shape resistors are designed along <110>direction.=0.0064,=71.810 Pa and =66.310 Pa are chosen.
In this paper, the location of piezoresistor and the shape of membrane were studied. The location of piezoresistor was divided into three positions
are illustrated in Fig. 3, the three shapes of membrane are shown in Fig 4.

Location1

Location2

Location3

Figure 3. The three location of piezoresistor

1000*1000um
Shape1

750*750um
shape2

500*500
shape3

Figure 4. The three shape of silicon membrane

The parametric study results are indicated as follows:
3.1 The analysis of linearity
The linearity of sensor is important, especially for the thin diaphragm. In this paper, the thickness of the diaphragm is 10um. If the resistors are
almost equal, then the sensitivity through the Wheatstone bridge can reach to its maximum value.
The deformation of center in three position of piezoresistor and three shapes of membrane are shown as Fig. 5 and Fig. 6.
The obtained results show that the linearity under low pressure is very good. This phenomenon is owing to the fact that the maximum stress
(longitudinal and transverse stress) happen at the center of four sides of the membrane, and the piezoresistors of location 1 are all in these
locations.

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Optimization of a Micro Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor at Low Pressure

World Applied Programming Vol(5), No (1), January, 2015.

Figure 5. The deformation of center in three position of piezoresistor

3.2 The sensor sensitivity of thepiezoresistor locations on difference membrane shape
Fig.6 shows the deformation of diaphragm center for different membrane shape from location 1.

Figure 6.The deformation of center in three shape of membrane

The Fig.7 shows the result carried out by the finite element analysis on the different thickness of the membrane element. The result shows the
variation of output voltage as a function of membrane thicknesses. Two different thicknesses were under considerations which are10m and
20m. It could be concluded that the thinner the silicon membrane, the higher the sensor sensitivity.

Figure 7.The deformation of center in different thickness of membrane

Zahra Mokhtari , Reza Sabbaghi-Nadooshan *, Fardad Farokhi

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World Applied Programming Vol(5), No (1), January, 2015.

Figure 8. Output voltage

On the other hand, the mechanical behavior of 10m thick membrane is similar to that of 20m thick membrane, thereby the output voltage at
location 1 is larger than the other location (Fig.8). The voltage output can be 1.21mv/600Pa.

CONCLUSION

In this paper, a piezoresistive MEMS pressure sensor is optimized and tested. Based on the theoretical derivation of the relationship between the
pressure, the stress and the output voltage, the sensor parameters are defined. The sensitivity is further optimized by FEM simulation. The finite
element analysis is carried out in COMSOL. Depend on the system requirement; the designer could choose the membrane thickness and the
piezoresistor locations.

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