Recent advancements in physical and chemical MEMS sensors

• Published in: Analyst (London) 2024-06, Vol.149 (13), p.3498-3512
• Main Author: Tanaka, Yo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical sensors; Circuit diagrams; Equivalent circuits; Inertial sensing devices; Microelectromechanical systems; Quantum sensors; Temperature sensors
• ISSN: 0003-2654; 1364-5528; 1364-5528
• DOI: 10.1039/d4an00182f

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMSs) are microdevices fabricated using semiconductor-fabrication technology, especially those with moving components. This technology has become more widely used in daily life, e.g. , in mobile phones, printers, and cars. In this review, MEMS sensors are largely classified as physical or chemical ones. Physical sensors include pressure, inertial force, acoustic, flow, temperature, optical, and magnetic ones. Chemical sensors include gas, odorant, ion, and biological ones. The fundamental principle of sensing is reading out either the movement or electrical-property change of microstructures caused by external stimuli. Here, sensing mechanisms of the sensors are explained using diagrams with equivalent circuits to show the similarity. Examples of multiple parameter measurement with single sensors ( e.g. quantum sensors or resonant pressure and temperature sensors) and parallel sensor integration are also introduced. This review classifies MEMS sensors (both physical and chemical) in terms of their targets and explains their fundamental principles and trends. It also introduces the parallelization of different types of sensors or sensing functions.