Example: membrane pressure sensor

18. Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors : Case Study

Introduction Piezoresistance Motorola MAP sensor

Piezoresistive pressure sensor design

Capacitive pressure sensor design

The piezoresistive straing gauge are usually made of doped poly-Si and are designed in pairs with a readout cicuitry (usually a Wheatstone bridge). While strain-pressure reponses of the membrane have been modelled in previous chapter, practical devices are usually rather calibrated, and their response stored on-chip in a look-up table. The response of the device to applied pressure is related through the mechanical response of membrane, piezoresistive response of transducer:

In this design, a capacitive bridge can be formed wit two reference capacitors, and the output voltage is related to the deflection of the membrane x and hence the differential pressure (P - P0) through:

Vout C x ( P P0 )

By controlling the background pressure P0 it is possible to fabricate the following types of pressure sensors: An absolute pressure sensor that is referenced to vacuum (P0 = 0) A gauge-type pressure sensor that is referenced to atmoshperic pressure (P0 = 1 atm) A differential sensor where P0 is maintained at a known value

Vout R ( P P0 )

Piezoresistive vs capacitive approaches

Piezoresistive pressure sensors

This chapter introduces piezoresistive devices through the specific case study of membrane pressure sensors While other approaches such as capacitive effects can be used for such applications, silicons also possess the property of piezoresistance whose implementations as transduction mechanism in membrane is somewhat more straightforward

Piezoresistive designs are the most employed because of its low cost, robustness, and ease of circuit integration

Piezoresistivity

9. Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors : Case Study

Introduction Piezoresistance Motorola MAP sensor

Piezoresistivity is the dependence of electrical resistivity on strain Such an effect is related to the rearrangement of energy bands of a solid under applied strain (above)

Piezoresistivity

Analytic formulation in cubic materials

Assuming effect is linear, the relationships between electric field and current density is given by:

= [e + ] J
where e is the resistivity tensor, is the piezoresistive tensor, is the stress tensor, and J is the current density Note: while and J are vectors, e and are second rank tensors, while is a fourth rank tensor However, in a cubic crystal the resistivity tensor is diagonal and characterized by a unique diagonal value e In addition, as previously described, the stress tensor can be reduced to six independent elements and re-annoted as such: Such strain will modify both the bandgap as well as the effective masses (and thus mobilities) ascribed to the bands The effect is isotropic in as much as a given strain may increase resistivity along one direction while decreasing it along others

11 = 1 22 = 2 33 = 3

23 = 32 = 23 31 = 13 = 31 12 = 21 = 12

Analytic formulation in cubic materials (ctnd.)

Thus, the above equation can be written along the three principal directions of the cubic lattice l

Longitudinal and transverse piezoresistance

t

1 = [1 + 111 + 12 ( 2 + 3 )]J1 + 44 (12 J 2 + 13J 3 ) e 2 = [1 + 11 2 + 12 (1 + 3 )]J 2 + 44 (12 J1 + 23J 3 ) e 3 = [1 + 113 + 12 (1 + 2 )]J 3 + 44 (13J1 + 23J 2 ) e
where the three independent piezoresistive coefficients are:

J t

If a relatively long and narrow resistor is defined in a planar structure, then the primary current density and electric field are both along the long axis of the resistor. Structures are usually designed so that one of the axes of the principle in-plane stress is also along the resistor axis. This simplifies the set of equations to following simplified formulation:

e 11 = 1111 e 12 = 1122 e 44 = 2 2323

R = = l l + t t R

where R is the resistance of the resistor and the subscripts l & t refer to transverse and longitudinal stresses along the resistor axis.

Longitudinal and transverse piezo... (ctnd.)

The orientations of resistor is not necessarily aligned with crystalline orientations of device The general expressions l and t are related to the original tensor through:
2 2 2 2 2 2 l = 11 2(11 12 44 )(l1 m1 + l1 n1 + m1 n1 )

Longitudinal and transverse piezo... (ctnd.)

Piezoresistors are often oriented in the [110] directions. The directional cosines are:

1 1 (l1 , m1, n1 ) = , ,0 2 2
Thus:

1 1 (l 2 , m 2 , n 2 ) = , ,0 2 2

and

2 2 2 t = 12 + (11 12 44 )(l1 l 2 + m1 m 2 + n1 n 2 ) 2 2 2

where (l1, m1, n1) are the directional cosines between the longitudinal resistor direction and the crystal axis and (l2, m2, n2) is the direction cosines between the transverse direction and the crystal axes Note: by this definition l1l2 + m1m2 + n1n2 = 0 given that these direction cosines are orthogonal to each other.

l,110 = t ,110

1 (11 + 12 + 44 ) 2 1 = (11 + 12 44 ) 2

Piezoresistive coefficients in Si

Design example

The resistors are fabrictated along the [110] directions

Design example (ctnd.)

Design example (ctnd.)

For n-type resistors:

For p-type resistors:

l = ( 11 + 12 + 44 ) = (102.2 + 53.4 13.6) = 31.2 1011 Pa -1

1 1 2 2 1 1 t = ( 11 + 12 44 ) = (102.2 + 53.4 13.6) = 17.6 1011 Pa -1 2 2

l = 71.8 1011 Pa -1 t = 66.3 1011 Pa -1

thus, p-type is better suited to perform piezoresistive readout in this direction

Design example (ctnd.)

Numerical example

The n-type cantilever is 200 m long 20 m wide and 5 m thick. It is bent by a point load on its end. The p=type piezoresistors are 20 m long and 2m wide. A force of 10 N is applied at extremity of device. Calculate change of resistance From Senturia, section 9.3:

Which is better, a longitudinal or a transverse resistor? The transverse resistor is fully plunged in region of maximum strain, but will also be greatly affected by placement error The longitudinal resistor spans over a wider region of stresses. It will be less sensitive, but will be less prone to alignment errors from device to device

4L3 4(200 106 )3 F = 10 10 6 = 0.8m w max = EWH3 (160 109 )(20 10 6 )(5 10 6 )3
The cantilever deflection at any point x is given by:

w (x) =

FL 2 x x 1 2EI 3L

Numerical example (ctnd.)

The radius of curvature is then given by:

Alternate design

1 2w F = = (L x ) ( x ) x 2 EI
Since = zE , the stress at surface (z =-H/2) is given by:

( x )
Given that I = WH 12 :
3

EH FH = (L x ) 2 2I

( x ) =

6F H 2w

( L x ) = 1.2 1011 ( L x )

It therefore spans from = 24 MPa at x = 0 to 21.6 MPa at x = 20 m An average stress of = 22.8 MPa is therefore used to calculate change of resistance. We finally get:

R = (67.6 10 11 )( 22.8 106 ) = 1.54 % R0

All four resistors are aligned along one of the [110] directions, and aligned with the principle axes of stresses

Alternate design (cntd)

Alternate design (ctnd.)

Resistors R1 and R3 experience stresses in their longitudinal direction and a stress in their transverse direction:

(note: the Poisson ratio in the [110] direction is = 0.064)

R 1 R 3 = = l + t = (67.6 10 11 ) R1 R3

Resistors R2 and R4 experience stresses in their transverse direction and a stress in their longitudinal direction:

R 2 R 4 = = l + t = 61.7 10 11 l R2 R4

Alternate design (ctnd.)

Averaging over doping variations

surface diffusion

0(z)

z Connecting the four resistors in a Wheatstone bridge configuration, we get: Real life piezoresistors will present some degree of non-uniformity with respect to the doping levels and the stress distribution they are subjected to. For instance, creation of piezoresistor through surface diffusion doping will create a depth-dependent profile of the unstrained resistivity 0, as seen above.

where:

V0 R1 R3 R2 R4 1 + 2 = Vs ( R1 + R2 )( R3 + R4 ) 2(1 + 1 2 )

1 = ( l + t ) 2 = ( l + t )

Averaging over doping variations (cntd)

doped resistor L R0 substrate

Averaging over stress variations

z=0
Ec Ef

z=H

Ev z=0

z=zj

The neutral axis is at z = H/2 thus:

To calculate the nominally unstrained resistance R0 , we evaluate the zj following integral:

( z ) =

E ( H 2 z)

1 W = z R 0 Le,0 (z) 0

Transverse stresses are neglected, thus, the stress-induced resistivity change is: Thus:

e (z) = e,0 (z)[1 + l l (z)] 1 W = [1 l l (z)]z R Le,0 (z) 0

zj

where zj is the junction depth equal to the edge of the space-charge junction.

where we assumed that: [1 + l ]

[1 + l ]

Averaging over stress variations (cntd)

z=0 z=H

9. Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors : Case Study

Rearranging:
zj W R = R 0 1 + R 0 ll (z)z Le,0 (z) 0

9.1 Introduction 9.2 Piezoresistance 9.3 Motorola MAP sensor

Motorola MAP sensor

Motorola MAP sensor

The Motorola MAP sensor has been developped to measure the absolute pressure in the intake of automobile engines

The Motorola MAP sensor has been developped to measure the absolute pressure in the intake of automobile engines

Motorola MAP sensor: transistor fabrication

Motorola MAP sensor: transistor fabrication

Motorola MAP sensor: diaphragm fabrication

Motorola MAP sensor: diaphragm fabrication (cntd.)

Design of piezoresistor
I

Design of piezoresistor (ctnd.)

1

WR +

LR

+ V2 -

Vo -

1 3

The resistor is probed in a four-point configuration as follows:

piezoresistor in the [100] direction

Design of piezoresistor (ctnd.)

The current density J in resistor is J = J1 along resistor axis but is J = 0 along the other direction. However the field in the transverse direction is not zero due to the piezoresistive properties of the materials Using the piezoresistive equations:

Design of piezoresistor (ctnd.)

The voltage across the piezoresistor is given by:
LR 0 LR 0 LR 0

V1 =

1x1 = e (1 + 111 + 122 )J1 (1111 + 1212 )x1

1 = [1 + 111 + 12 ( 2 + 3 )]J1 + 44 (12 J 2 + 13J 3 ) e

2 = [1 + 11 2 + 12 (1 + 3 )]J 2 + 44 (12 J1 + 23J 3 ) e 3 = [1 + 113 + 12 (1 + 2 )]J 3 + 44 (13J1 + 23J 2 ) e

since J2 = J3 = 0 and 3 = 13 = 23 = 0, we obtain:

1 V1 = e L R J1 1 + LR
The transverse voltage is given by:

V2 =

WR 0

2x 2 = e 4412J1x 2 = e 4412 J1WR

0

WR

1 = e (1 + 111 + 12 2 )J1 2 = e 44 12 J1 3 = 0

W V2 = 44 12 R V1 LR
Thus the transverse voltage V2 only depends on the shear stress present in regions between the two taps.

10

Stress analysis
A uniform plate under uniform pressure possess a displacement function of: C 2y 2x w ( x, y) = 1 1 + cos 1 + cos 4 L L with C1 is the displacement in center of plate, and is given by:
P= 4 EH 3 6(1 2 )L4 C1

Stress analysis

Since we are dealing with a plate, the y direction stress at center of the edge is: y = x Using = 0.06 for the [110] direction:

where P is the applied pressure. The radius of curvature in the middle of the edge is given by
1 2w = x x 2 2 C = 1 L 2
2

L x = 0.606 P H
A numerical analysis of that structure would actually yield:

x = L 2, y = 0

L x = 0.294 P H
which is a factor of two off from our analytical solution. This numerical result is used for the rest of the analysis.

The related surface stress at that location is: EH x = 2 x Thus:

x =

1 2

L (1 2 ) P H

Stress analysis (ctnd.)

Now, lets calculate the shear stress on the resistors arranged as above. The axial stresses in the x and y directions add up to a shear stress 2 given by: x y L 12 = = 0.141 P 2 H 2 Thus: W V2 L W = 44 12 R = 0.141 44 R P L V1 H LR R With 44 = 138 10 11 Pa 1 , L H = 50, and WR L R = 1 / 5
V2 mV = 0.096 V1 V kPa

we get:

11