Design and fabrication of a flexible three-axial tactile sensor array based on polyimide micromachining

This paper describes the design and fabrication of a flexible three-axial tactile sensor array using advanced polyimide micromachining technologies. The tactile sensor array is comprised of sixteen micro force sensors and it measures 13 mm × 18 mm. Each micro force sensor has a square membrane and four strain gauges, and its force capacity is 0.6 N in the three-axial directions. The optimal positions of the strain gauges are determined by the strain distribution obtained form finite element analysis (FEA). The normal and shear forces are detected by combining responses from four thin-film metal strain gauges embedded in a polyimide membrane. In order to acquire force signals from individual micro force sensors, we fabricated a PCB based on a multiplexer, operational amplifier and microprocessor with CAN network function. The sensor array is tested from the evaluation system with a three-component load cell. The developed sensor array can be applied in robots’ fingertips, as well as to other electronic applications with three-axial force measurement and flexibility keyword requirements.     

光纤智能夹层制作工艺及试验研究

根据智能结构中光纤自诊断系统模块化要求,制作出光纤智能夹层.这种智能夹层不仅具有在光纤接头部位未出现断裂及智能夹层中光纤传感器未出现损坏的特点,而且具有光纤传感器的高灵敏度特性,可以铺设于复合材料表面或埋入复合材料内部.在此基础上,对智能夹层试件分别进行了轴向拉伸和四点弯曲试验.试验表明:在一定应变范围内,单膜交错光纤中光强-应变之间具有良好的线性关系,可以在埋入复合材料之前进行标定.利用智能夹层中光纤传感网络或自诊断模块,可以实现对智能结构的在线监测.     

A Thin-Film Cochlear Electrode Array With Integrated Position Sensing

A thin-film electrode array with integrated position sensors has been developed for a cochlear prosthesis. The array is designed to minimize tissue damage during array insertion and achieve deep implants that hug the modiolus inside the cochlea. The array is fabricated using bulk micromachining technology and contains embedded polysilicon piezoresistive sensors for wall-contact detection and array-shape recognition. Nine strain gauges are distributed at the tip and along the array, covering the 8-mm-long shank. Each sensor is arranged in a half Wheatstone bridge whose output signal is time multiplexed, amplified (10 or 30 times), and band limited. The equivalent gauge factors are typically about 15, permitting array-tip position to be determined within a 50-mum resolution while providing wall-contact output signals of more than 50 mV at the tip. The arrays use a parylene-silicon-dielectric-electrode structure, improving flexibility while maintaining enough robustness to facilitate a modiolus-hugging shape defined by a polymeric backing device. Integrated with an articulated position-control device, such arrays are the first step toward providing closed-loop control of array insertion and improved perception of speech and music.     

Thin-film polymeric sensors for detection and quantification of multivalent metal ions

Chemical sensors that reversibly respond to multivalent metal ions are described. These sensors consist of a thin polymeric sensing element that changes size upon reversibly binding analyte ions, particularly heavy-metal ions. The polymeric sensing elements have been bonded to thin metal-foil strain gauges to form sensors. In laboratory evaluations these sensors exhibit high sensitivity to Ba(II), Cd(II), Pb(II), Cr(III), and Cr(VI). Sensor response time is fast, ranging from several seconds to a few minutes. The selectivity and repsonse characteristics of these sensors depend on the composition of the polymeric sensing element. This paper describes the sensitivity and selectivity demonstrated by sensors containing three chemically different polymeric sensing elements. Potential applications of these sensors include in situ real-time monitoring of the heavy-metal content of ground and surface water, municipal water supplies, and household tap water.     

Comparative study on directional sensitivity of patch‐antenna‐based strain sensors

In this article, we present a comparative study into the directional sensitivity of patch‐antenna‐based strain sensors. Two linearly‐polarized (LP) patch sensors vs a circularly‐polarized (CP) patch sensor with identical configurations are demonstrated. The strain occurred in real structures is commonly uncertain, the usefulness of LP‐patch sensor becomes limited. Like the conventional strain gauges, it can only be used if the strain direction is known beforehand. Therefore, a nearly‐square CP‐patch sensor for multi‐directional strain monitoring is proposed here. In order to obtain high sensitivity, three novel strain sensing methods are proposed for strain monitoring. Multi‐directional strain sensing is achieved by a proof‐of‐concept prototype. The simulated results verified by experimental results show that high sensitivities of these three methods were achieved.     

Effect of nitrogen doping on piezoresistive properties of a-Si x C y thin film strain gauges

In this study, the effect of nitrogen doping on piezoresistive properties of non-stoichiometric amorphous silicon carbide (a-Si _x C _y ) thin-film strain gauges was investigated. The films were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and the strain gauges were patterned by fabrication processes like conventional photolithography, metallization and reactive ion etching (RIE). The structure of the strain gauges consists of a a-Si _x C _y thin-film resistor with one Ti/Au electrical contact at each extreme of the resistor. In order to determine the piezoresistive properties, each strain gauge type was bonded near the clamped edge of a stainless steel cantilever beam and on the free edge calibrated weights were applied. The influence of the temperature on piezoresistive properties also was evaluated through the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) measurements from room temperature up to 250oC. It was observed that nitrogen doping increased the piezoresistive coefficient and TCR of a-Si _x C _y thin film strain gauges.     

可印刷柔性应变传感器的制作及其对 人体运动行为监测研究

该文主要研究了导电浆料 PS@Ag/PDMS 的流变特性与印刷性,以聚苯乙烯微球表面镀 银(PS@Ag)的核壳结构粒子为导电填料,与聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)预聚物及其固化剂复合配制 PS@Ag/PDMS 导电浆料,采用丝网印刷技术与旋涂工艺制备得到 PDMS-PS@Ag/PDMS-PDMS 三明治结构柔性应变传感器。柔性应变传感器在人体运动行为中的实时监测结果显示,该传感器在手肘关节与膝盖关节的弯曲——伸展循环运动中的相对电阻变化率分别高达约 0.75 0.50,展现出较高的可拉伸柔性、灵敏度及一致性,在人体运动行为监测中具有广阔的应用前景。     

薄膜热电偶动态特性标定技术研究现状

薄膜热电偶由于其优异的性能,广泛地应用于众多领域。动态响应时间作为薄膜热电偶动态性能指标的关键参数,得到研究人员的广泛关注。在总结国内外薄膜热电偶动态标定原理、特点及建立薄膜热电偶动态数学模型方法的基础上,分析讨论了影响标定精度的因素,并论述动态标定技术中目前需要解决的问题,对提出一种高精度的动态标定实验方案以及薄膜热电偶动态建模方法具有指导意义。     

气体传感器的集成化研究状况

集成技术在未来传感器的发展中起重要作用。综述了与集成工艺兼容的气体传感器的研究状况,包括半导体场效应型、晶体管型、薄膜型、微量热计型和声表面波(SAW)型气体传感器。     

Piezo-tunneling strain sensors integrated on plastic by combining vacuum thin film coatings and 3D printing technologies

There is a growing demand for the integration of sensor functions on flexible substrates for wearable electronics, robotics or medical monitoring. For this, it is necessary to develop strain gauges both sensitive and integrable at low cost with a low thermal budget. The gauge factor of metal/insulator/metal piezo-tunneling strain sensors is first measured as a function of applied current and polarity, for different electrode materials (Al, Pt or Pd) and insulator (Al₂O₃) thicknesses. A maximum gauge factor of 90 is obtained with an Al/Al₂O₃ (10 nm)/Al junction and top electrode injection. Results are discussed based on the Fowler–Nordheim model and it is shown that the electron effective mass in Al₂O₃ most likely plays a major role in the observed mechano-sensitivity. Next, the feasibility of a low-pressure sensor demonstrator based on a 3D-printing process on a polymer substrate is shown with a sensitivity of 0.19 bar⁻¹ in the 0–450 mbar range.

     

Optimization of a wafer-level process for the fabrication of highly reproducible thin-film MOX sensors

Thin-film metal oxide semiconductor (MOX) gas sensors are characterized by high sensitivity and fast response. Those characteristics make them very promising among the several existing technologies for the production of solid state gas sensors. Furthermore, by means of silicon micro-machining technology, MOX sensors can be made on micro hotplates, allowing to reach very low-power consumption, and the batch production guaranties a high yield. However, reproducibility and reliability are still major issues preventing the use of thin-film MOX sensors in mass-market applications.

In this work, a wafer-level fabrication process for micro-machined low-power consumption thin-film MOX sensor arrays is reported. Different solutions for the optimization of the fabrication process are investigated, aiming to increase the reproducibility. The critical technological steps related to signal generation and acquisition, like the thin-film definition and positioning and the definition of the sensing layer electrodes, have been optimized. The devices considered are 4-sensor arrays based on thin films of SnO₂ deposited by a modified rheotaxial growth and thermal oxidation (M-RGTO) technique on micro-machined low-power hotplates.

The different fabrication techniques are described in detail. 45 sensors from 3 wafers, made using the different fabrication techniques, are comparatively characterized. The spread of the main sensor functional parameters values shows an evident decrease when the optimized fabrication process is used.     

FBG传感器在复合材料固化监测中的应用

FBG传感器广泛应用于复合材料结构健康监测中,将双光栅的FBG传感器埋入到玻璃纤维/环氧树脂预浸层合板结构中,监测热压固化过程中温度、内应力变化以及固化残余应变,分析了残余应变对FBG传感器性能的影响。实验表明FBG传感器可以有效监测复合材料结构固化过程的温度和内应力,以及由温度计算的粘度变化,为智能固化控制提供依据,且固化于复合材料结构内的传感器可用于结构的全服役周期健康监测。     

Method for flow measurement in microfluidic channels based on electrical impedance spectroscopy

We have developed and characterized two novel micro flow sensors based on measuring the electrical impedance of the interface between the flowing liquid and metallic electrodes embedded on the channel walls. These flow sensors are very simple to fabricate and use, are extremely compact and can easily be integrated into most microfluidic systems. One of these devices is a micropore with two tantalum/platinum electrodes on its edges; the other is a micro channel with two tantalum/platinum electrodes placed perpendicular to the channel on its walls. In both sensors the flow rate is measured via the electrical impedance between the two metallic electrodes, which is the impedance of two metal–liquid junctions in series. The dependency of the metal–liquid junction impedance on the flow rate of the liquid has been studied. The effects of different parameters on the sensor’s outputs and its noise behavior are investigated. Design guidelines are extracted and applied to achieve highly sensitive micro flow sensors with low noise.     

飞机作动器连杆光纤光栅载荷校准方法

结构状态评估技术可为飞机活动面载荷试飞提供监测手段,以验证载荷设计方法和分析数据是否有效,并可为活动面安全性确认和结构设计优化提供最直接的数据参考。传统的应变片测量方法在低温环境下的测试不稳定性可能会导致采集数据异常,使飞行载荷实时监测及精度保证成为型号试飞的一个难题。本文利用光纤传感器低温测试性能较稳定特性,结合理论分析、有限元仿真计算及试验验证,建立连杆结构在拉、压载荷工况下的应变-载荷关系模型,并提出一种基于光纤光栅传感器的作动器连杆应变-载荷校准方法。同时,针对作动器连杆结构典型承载形式与载荷辨识工况,给出光纤光栅传感器优化布局方法。研究结果表明,本文中建立的基于光纤光栅传感器的应变-载荷反演方法有效,能够满足民用飞机典型作动器连杆结构应变监测及载荷反演需求。     

Calibration of MEMS strain sensors fabricated on silicon: theory and experiments

A calibration technique for measuring MEM's strain sensor performance is presented. For resistance based sensors, calibration entails determining a relationship between change in resistance of the sensor and strain (the gauge factor). A modification to the standard calibration method employed for metal foil, resistance strain gauges is presented. The approach entails constructing two nearly identical test specimens: a specimen with the MEM's sensor mounted with adhesive and a specimen with a strain gauge on silicon mounted with adhesive. Data from the strain gauge specimen provide the basis for evaluating the strain at the sensor. Test data are presented which show that strain at the wafer is 52% to 55% of the strain applied to the specimen. A theoretical basis for this strain transfer relationship is presented. Finally, a dimensionless geometry factor, based on shear lag theory, is derived. As the sensor cross section (width and length) and thickness changes, the strain transfer between the specimen and sensor vary linearly with the geometry factor. This result emphasizes the importance in considering the overall sensor geometry when employing semiconductor strain gauges.     

A Polymer-Based Flexible Tactile Sensor for Both Normal and Shear Load Detections and Its Application for Robotics

This paper proposes and demonstrates a novel flexible tactile sensor for both normal and shear load detections. For the realization of the sensor, polyimide and polydimethylsiloxane are used as a substrate, which makes it flexible. Thin metal strain gauges, which are incorporated into the polymer, are used for measuring normal and shear loads. The salient feature of this tactile sensor is that it has no diaphragm-like structures. The unit tactile cell characteristics are evaluated against normal and shear loads. The fabricated tactile sensor can measure normal loads of up to 4 N, and the sensor output signals are saturated against loads of more than 4 N. Shear loads can be detected by different voltage drops in strain gauges. The device has no fragile structures; therefore, it can be used as a ground reaction force (GRF) sensor for balance control in humanoid robots. Four tactile unit sensors are assembled and placed in the four corners of the robots sole. By increasing bump dimensions, the tactile unit sensor can measure loads of up to 2 kgf. When loads are exerted on the sole, the GRF can be measured by these four sensors. The measured forces can be used in the balance control of biped locomotion systems.     

Detection and prevention of slip using sensors with different properties embedded in elastic artificial skin on the basis of previous experience

In dexterous robotic manipulation, it is essential to control the force exerted by the robot hands while grasping. This paper describes a method by which robot hands can be controlled on the basis of previous experience of slippage of objects held by the hand. We developed an anthropomorphic human scale robot hand equipped with an elastic skin in which two types of sensor are randomly embedded. One of these sensors is a piezoelectric polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) film which can be used for the detection of pressure changes. The other is a strain gauge which can measure static pressure. In our system, PVDF films are used to detect slipping, and strain gauges to measure stresses which are caused by normal and shear forces. The stress measured by the strain gauges is used as input data to a neural network which controls the actuators of the robot. Once slip is detected, the neural network is updated to prevent it. We show that this system can control the grasp force of the robot hand and adapt it to the weight of the object. By using this method, it was shown that robots can hold objects safely.     

Interdigital capacitive strain gauges fabricated by direct-write thermal spray and ultrafast laser micromachining

There is a growing demand for in situ monitoring of strain in high-temperature, harsh environment systems. Resistive strain gauges, while popular and easy to implement, have several disadvantages when used at high-temperatures. This work presents the design, fabrication, and initial testing of capacitive strain gauges for use in high-temperature, harsh environments. The gauges are fabricated using a direct-write thermal spray technology in which a computer-controlled deposition system is used to fabricate silver gauge patterns onto polymer, composite, and alumina substrates to form the strain gauges. Gauges were also fabricated using ultrafast laser micromachining of blanket NiCr coatings thermal sprayed onto an alumina substrate. The typical gauge capacitance was 4–25 pF. Mechanical measurements performed included gauge factor, linearity, and zero shift. Temperature-based measurements include the temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) and thermal cycling tests. The devices show promise for use in harsh environments and in wireless strain monitoring applications.     

Reliability study of AlTi/TiW on polysilicon contacts for high temperature sensors

This paper deals with the reliability of metal on polysilicon gauges for sensors operating in harsh environments. Particular test structures and characterization equipment have been developed in order to study AlTi/TiW on highly doped polysilicon contact resistance behaviour and long-term stability. Finite element modeling of current density distribution over the test structures allowed accurate contact resistance extraction. Contact resistance was found to be temperature dependent, having relative good long term stability at 150°C with a slight (lower than 10%) trend of increase.     

Measurement technique for the thermal properties of thin-film diaphragms embedded in calorimetric flow sensors

In diaphragm-based micromachined calorimetric flow sensors, convective heat transfer through the test fluid competes with the spurious heat shunt induced by the thin-film diaphragm where heating and temperature sensing elements are embedded. Consequently, accurate knowledge of thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and emissivity of the diaphragm is mandatory for design, simulation, optimization, and characterization of such devices. However, these parameters can differ considerably from those stated for bulk material and they typically depend on the production process. We developed a novel technique to extract the thermal thin-film properties directly from measurements carried out on calorimetric flow sensors. Here, the heat transfer frequency response from the heater to the spatially separated temperature sensors is measured and compared to a theoretically obtained relationship arising from an extensive two-dimensional analytical model. The model covers the heat generation by the resistive heater, the heat conduction within the diaphragm, the radiation loss at the diaphragm’s surface, and the heat sink caused by the supporting silicon frame. This contribution summarizes the analytical heat transfer analysis in the microstructure and its verification by a computer numerical model, the measurement setup, and the associated thermal parameter extraction procedure. Furthermore, we report on measurement results for the thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and effective emissivity obtained from calorimetric flow sensor specimens featuring dielectric thin-film diaphragms made of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition silicon nitride.