New thick-film material for piezoresistive sensors

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. A. Physical. 2001-12, Vol.95 (1), p.39-45
• Main Authors: Tankiewicz, S., Morten, B., Prudenziati, M., Golonka, L.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Gauge factor; General equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; IrO 2; Low-field transport and mobility; piezoresistance; Physics; Piezoresistors; Sensors; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; Stability; Thick films; Transducers
• ISSN: 0924-4247; 1873-3069
• DOI: 10.1016/S0924-4247(01)00754-3

IrO 2-based resistors were prepared with the standard methods of thick-film technology and their electrical properties were studied in order to identify the best composition for piezoresistors suitable for sensors to be operated continuously at temperatures exceeding 150 °C. The obvious criterion was to minimise the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and the temperature coefficient of the gauge factor (TCGF), with minimum shift of the resistance in long term high temperature operation, without sacrificing the gauge factor (GF). The results achieved include resistors with sheet resistance lower than 100 kΩ/□; TCR values lower than 250 ppm/°C over the temperature range from −40 to 200 °C and lower than 100 ppm/°C from 25 to 200 °C; GF≈7–10; TCGF≈−130 ppm/°C; relative change of resistance Δ R/ R