Review: Semiconductor Piezoresistance for Microsystems

Piezoresistive sensors are among the earliest micromachined silicon devices. The need for smaller, less expensive, higher performance sensors helped drive early micromachining technology, a precursor to microsystems or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The effect of stress on doped silicon and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the IEEE 2009-03, Vol.97 (3), p.513-552
Main Authors: Barlian, A. Alvin, Park, Woo-Tae, Mallon, Joseph R., Rastegar, Ali J., Pruitt, Beth L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustic wave devices, piezoelectric and piezoresistive devices
Applied sciences
Design engineering
Devices
Electronics
Exact sciences and technology
General equipment and techniques
Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy
Materials selection
MEMS
Micro- and nanoelectromechanical devices (mems/nems)
Microelectromechanical systems
Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology)
microfabrication
Micromachining
Micromechanical devices
microsensors
Physics
Piezoresistance
Piezoresistive devices
piezoresistor
Piezoresistors
Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices
Semiconductors
Sensor systems
Sensors
Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.)
remote sensing
Silicon devices
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Summary:Piezoresistive sensors are among the earliest micromachined silicon devices. The need for smaller, less expensive, higher performance sensors helped drive early micromachining technology, a precursor to microsystems or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The effect of stress on doped silicon and germanium has been known since the work of Smith at Bell Laboratories in 1954. Since then, researchers have extensively reported on microscale, piezoresistive strain gauges, pressure sensors, accelerometers, and cantilever force/displacement sensors, including many commercially successful devices. In this paper, we review the history of piezoresistance, its physics and related fabrication techniques. We also discuss electrical noise in piezoresistors, device examples and design considerations, and alternative materials. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of integrated piezoresistor technology with an introduction to the physics of piezoresistivity, process and material selection and design guidance useful to researchers and device engineers.
ISSN:0018-9219
1558-2256
DOI:10.1109/JPROC.2009.2013612