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SOI CMOS Multi-sensors MEMS Chip for Aerospace

Applications
M. Mansoor1,*, I. Haneef1,2, S. Akhtar1, M. A. Rafiq3, S. Z. Ali4, F. Udrea2,4
Institute of Avionics and Aeronautics, Air University, Sector E-9, Islamabad, Pakistan
2
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, UK
3
Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
4
Cambridge CMOS Sensors Ltd, St Andrews House, 59 St Andrews Street, Cambridge CB2 3BZ, UK
*mohtashimmansoor@gmail.com
1

Abstract In this paper, we report for the first time an SOI


CMOS multi-sensors MEMS chip, capable of sensing three key
flow parameters i.e. pressure, temperature and flow rate
simultaneously. The chip contains an array of ten silicon diode
temperature sensors, a piezoresistive pressure sensor and an
array of nine micro hot-film flow rate sensors. The chip has been
fabricated through a commercial CMOS foundry. The sensors
have been embedded in thin oxide membranes that were obtained
through a single, post-CMOS DRIE (deep reactive ion etching)
back-etch step at the foundry. Characterization of each type of
sensor was carried out using independent calibration setups.
Temperature sensors exhibited a sensitivity of 1.6 mV/ C at 1A
constant current in forward bias mode. Pressure sensor showed a
sensitivity of 0.4734 mV/V/psi whereas the flow rate sensors
showed typical third order calibration curve once operated in
constant current mode. The chip can be used in micro-channels
for micro-fluidic applications as well as on real aerodynamic
surfaces and wind tunnel models for experimental verification of
CFD results.
Keywords CMOS, Dense sensor packing, Diode temperature
sensor, DRIE, Fluid dynamics, MEMS, Multi-sensor, Piezoresistive
pressure sensor, Sensor system, SOI, Thermal flow rate sensor,
Thermodiode

I. INTRODUCTION
The past two decades have witnessed a tremendous growth
of Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors market
[1]. MEMS sensors are fast replacing conventional sensors
due to their small size, minimal weight, low volume, lower
power consumption, lower cost and enhanced performance.
Although discrete sensors capable of independently measuring
key fluid dynamics parameters like temperature, pressure and
flow rate exist, but simultaneous measurement of these
parameters is of utmost importance for many applications.
A number of researchers have demonstrated the
advantages of using multiple sensors on a single MEMS chip
[2-7]. Use of multiple sensors on a single chip makes it
possible for designing an application specific sensor system.
For example, [2, 6] have arranged five clusters of shear stress,
temperature and pressure sensors in a one dimensional array
for simultaneous measurements in micro-channels. CMOS
(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology for
fabrication of single chip gas detection system with capacitive,
calorimetric and temperature sensors along with necessary
driving and signal conditioning circuitry has been reported by
[3]. Similarly, [4] have used a multi-sensor system capable of
measuring mass flow rate, fluid density and temperature for
This work was supported in part by Higher Education Commission (HEC)
of Pakistan through HEC Startup Grant and British Council / HECs joint
INSPIRE grant (SP-225) awarded to I Haneef. Partial support provided by the
EU FP7 project SOI-HITS (288481) for this research work to S. Z. Ali and
F. Udrea is also gratefully acknowledged.

978-1-4799-0162-3/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

medical and laboratory applications. In an another example,


[5] have designed and fabricated a single chip with
conductivity, temperature, pressure and light sensors for
monitoring fish behavior and migration trends. Monitoring of
ambient temperature, flow direction and velocity with the help
of a single chip has been demonstrated by [7]. Similarly, [8]
have characterized temperature, humidity, light intensity,
pressure, wind speed, wind direction, magnetic field, and
acceleration on a single silicon die.
In all these attempts for integrating multiple sensors on a
single sensor chip, advantages associated with SOI CMOS
technology have not been exploited. In our present work, we
have designed and fabricated a multi-sensor MEMS chip
(Fig. 1) using a commercial SOI-CMOS process followed by
DRIE. The devices can be packed closely on the same chip
due to the use of DRIE which results in vertical sidewalls of
the membrane trenches. The use of a CMOS process results in
very good repeatability from chip to chip and wafer to wafer,
and the option of having integrated circuitry on the same chip,
while the use of SOI allows these circuits to have higher
device density, faster performance, lower power consumption
and high temperature operation (up to 225C).
Following a brief introduction of our work in section I, the
section II of the paper describes design of multi-sensor chip.
Calibration setups are explained in section III followed by
results and discussions in section IV. The conclusion is finally
presented in section V.
Flow Rate
Sensors

Pressure Sensor

Temperature
Sensors

Figure 1. Multi-sensor MEMS chip containing arrays of thermodiodes, flow


rate sensors and a piezoresistive pressure sensor fabricated using SOI CMOS
technology.

II. SENSOR DESIGN


A. Temperature Sensor
An array of nine diode temperature sensors (or
thermodiodes) has been embedded on the multi-sensor SOI
CMOS MEMS chip. Close up of a single thermodiode is
shown in Fig. 2.
Diode temperature sensors are simple p-n junctions. Their
first application as temperature sensor was reported by Harris
[9]. Two common modes of operation for diode temperature
sensors are constant voltage mode and constant current mode.
In constant voltage mode, a constant voltage is applied across
the diode, which results in log(I) being proportional to inverse
of temperature [10].
log(I)

1T

(1)

Where, I and T are current and temperature respectively.


Constant current is the most commonly used mode, where the
voltage drop across the diode supplied at constant forward
current V(const I) is proportional to the temperature.
V(const I)

(2)

Detailed mathematical description of thermodiodes


operated in constant current mode is given by Udrea et al.
[11].
B. Pressure Sensor
The most common type of MEMS pressure sensors are
deflectable diaphragm type pressure sensors. In these sensors,
the deflection in the deformable diaphragms due to applied
pressure is sensed to evaluate applied pressure. Two common
sensing mechanisms used in diaphragm pressure sensors are
capacitive and piezoresistive. Capacitive pressure sensors
work on the principle of parallel plate capacitor, where the
capacitance change due to deflection of diaphragm is used to
sense the pressure.

34 m

Diode temperature sensor

Figure 2. Close up view of a diode temperature sensor on multi-sensor MEMS


chip. The sensor diameter is 34 m.

Piezoresistive pressure sensors, on the other hand, employ


piezoresistors at the edges of the diaphragm, which detect the
deflection due to applied pressure and hence relate the
deflections to the pressure. An excellent review of MEMS
pressure sensors is given by Eaton et al. [12]. In the multisensor MEMS chip, a square diaphragm piezoresistive
pressure sensor has been used (Fig. 1). Four piezoresistors
have been embedded at the middle points of four edges (sides)
of the square diaphragm in a Wheatstone bridge configuration.
To allow for absolute pressure measurements, the sensor has
been sealed on its lower side with the help of an adhesive at
atmospheric pressure.
C. Flow Rate Sensors
Various types of flow rate sensors exist depending upon
their transduction principle. Thermal flow sensors are one of
the most common type of sensors due to their high sensitivity
[2]. First silicon flow sensor was reported by Van Putten et al.
[13]. Nguyen [14] has provided an excellent review of the
flow sensors . Principle of heat transfer forms the basis of
thermal flow sensors. A thin wire/ film is heated by passing
current through it. Once the flow passes over the hot-film /
hot-wire element, some of the heat is transferred to the flow.
The heat transferred from the element to the fluid is measured
and calibrated against the flow rate of the fluid. Nine flow rate
sensors have been embedded in the multi-sensor MEMS chip.
In order to reduce the heat loss to substrate, the hot-films has
been embedded in thin silicon oxide membrane.
III. CALIBRATION SETUPS
A. Temperature Sensors
The temperature sensors were characterized with the help
of MDC probe-station and hot-chuck. Keithley 2400 Source
Meter Unit (SMU) was used to measure the sense electrical
signals. The integrated hot chuck can be controlled to maintain
temperature within an accuracy of 1 C. Enough time was
given to the setup for thermal stabilization at the desired
temperatures.
B. Pressure Sensors
The square diaphragm piezoresistive pressure sensor on
the chip was packaged on a PCB and sealed with an adhesive.
Electrical characterization was carried out with the help of
National Instruments PXI-4130 SMU and 4070 Digital Multimeter (DMM). Sensor calibration was carried out in a sealed
chamber. Two pressure ports were provided; one for
maintaining required pressure in the chamber, whereas the
second for connecting the pressure calibrator (DH-budenberg365).
C. Flow Rate Sensor
For characterization of flow rate sensor, the multi-sensor
MEMS chip was packaged in a Ceramic Pin Grid Array
(CPGA).
An adhesive was used to fill the gap between sensor and
CPGA walls and provide smooth surface to air flow. CPGA
was connected to a specially designed PCB. The sensor was
characterized in a micro-channel fabricated with plexi-glass,
in which the packaged sensor was flush mounted (Fig. 3). The

47 mm long channel had a rectangular cross-section with


height 500 m and width 6 mm.
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
All three types of sensors in the multi-sensor MEMS chip
have been characterized with the help of independent
experimental setups. Calibration results of each type sensor
are given in subsequent paragraphs.
A. Temperature Sensors
Thermodiodes from two different chips have been
characterized to verify inter chip performance reproducibility.
I-V characteristic curves of the diodes have been obtained for
temperature range of 20 C to 160 C. The relation between
temperature and voltage drop across a thermodiode at constant
current is explicitly plotted in Fig.4 for two different current
levels: 1A and 150 nA. Low driving currents have been
chosen to reduce self-heating effects in the thermodiodes.
Sensors sensitivities are around -1.61 mV/C and -1.77 mV/C
for driving current of 1A and 150 nA, respectively. It is
deduced that the sensitivity of thermodiodes increases with
decreasing driving current. Extensive tests were performed for
verification of repeatability of results obtained.
Temperature versus voltage graph of two different
thermodiodes from two different chips has been compared in
Fig.5. The results are encouraging and demonstrate high
reproducibility of thermodiode and reliability of SOI CMOS
process.
B. Pressure Sensor
The sensor was operated at an excitation voltage of 0.5 V.
The sensor sensitivity was found to be 0.4734 mV/Vexcit/psi
with a nonlinearity of 0.25% (Fig. 6). Linear sensor response
is always desirable to reduce complexity of sensing circuitry.
The advantage of linear response of piezoresistive pressure
sensor over the capacitive counterparts where compensatory
circuits are required to reduce non-linearity is evident from the
results.
Air In
PCB

Sensitivity = 1.61 mV/ C

Sensitivity = 1.77 mV/ C

Figure 4. Voltage Vs Temperature graph of temperature sensor at two


different current levels. The slope of Temperature Voltage graph (or the
sensitivity of diode temperature sensor) varies due to changing current levels.

C. Flow Rate Sensor


For the sensor to effectively measure flow rate in the
micro-channel, the flow must have acquired steady velocity
profile before reaching the sensor surface. Once the flow
achieves steady velocity profile, it is said to be fully
developed. The sensor is characterized to measure flow rate of
laminar air flow in the micro-channel. For laminar flow, the
accepted correlation for entrance length (Le) where the flow
becomes fully developed is given by the following relation
[15] :
Le 0.06 Re
(2)
where, Re is the Reynolds number of flow in microchannel. For flow in ducts, Reynolds number is the criteria for
determination of laminar or turbulent flow [16]. The flow
remains laminar until the Reynolds number is kept below
2000. To achieve fully developed flow, while keeping it in the
laminar range, the sensor was placed at 20 mm from the air
inlet. The sensor was operated in constant current mode. The
results obtained at constant current of 40 mA are given in
Fig. 7. Sensor response is quite similar to previously reported
thermal hot-film flow rate sensors operated in constant current
mode [17, 18].

Multi sensor
MEMS chip

Sensitivity = 1.61 mV/ C

Sensitivity = 1.65 mV/ C


Air Out

Figure 3. Packaged multi-sensor MEMS chip in a micro-channel. Flow rate


sensors were characterized for air flow sensing through the channel.

Figure 5. Voltage vs Temperature calibration curve of two temperature


sensors in two different multi-sensor MEMS Chips operated at 1Amps. The
slope of both the sensors is almost the same, with different intercepts.

REFERENCES
Sensitivity : 0.4734 mV/V/psi
Non-linearity : 0.25%

Figure 6. Calibration curve of pressure sensor in multi-sensor MEMS chip.


The sensor has a non-linearity of 0.25% with the best fit straight line.

V. CONCLUSION
One of the biggest advantages offered by MEMS sensors is
integration of multiple sensors in a chip for application
specific system. We have successfully designed, fabricated
and characterized a multi-sensor SOI CMOS MEMS chip
capable of sensing temperature, pressure and flow
ratesimultaneously. The three parameters sensed are of key
importance for aerospace engineers, and researchers and
scientists dealing with fluid dynamics. All three types of
sensors have been characterized in independent calibration
setups. Temperature is sensed by diode temperature sensors,
which have shown a sensitivity of -1.61 mV/C and -1.77
mV/C for driving current of 1A and 150 nA, respectively.
Repeatability tests between sensors of different multi-sensor
MEMS chips have shown excellent results. Pressure sensor
(square diaphragm with embedded piezoresistors) has shown
sensitivity of 0.4734 mV/Vexcit/psi with 0.25% non-linearity.
Flow rate sensors were operated in constant current mode and
calibrated in a micro-channel within the range of 0-10
standard cubic feet per hour (scfh).
The multi-sensor chip has many potential applications
including verification of CFD results in a flow problem, tests
in wind tunnel and micro channels as well as real time
parameter monitoring on actual aerodynamic surfaces.

Figure 7. Calibration curve of flow rate sensor in multi-sensor MEMS Chip.


The sensor was operated in Constant Current mode at 40 mA.

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