This book on mechanical microsensors is based on a course organized by the Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology (FSRM) in Neuchatel, Swit zerland, and developed and taught by the authors. Support by FSRM is herewith gratefully acknowledged. This book attempts to serve two purposes. First it gives an overview on me chanical microsensors (sensors for pressure, force, acceleration, angular rate and fluid flow, realized by silicon micromachining). Second, it serves as a textbook for engineers to give them a comprehensive introduction on the basic design issues of these sensors. Engineers active in sensor design are usually educated either in electrical engineering or mechanical engineering. These classical educa tional pro grams do not prepare the engineer for the challenging task of sensor design since sensors are instruments typically bridging the disciplines: one needs a rather deep understanding of both mechanics and electronics. Accordingly, the book contains discussion of the basic engineering sciences relevant to mechanical sensors, hopefully in a way that it is accessible for all colours of engineers. Engi rd th neering students in their 3 or 4 year should have enough knowledge to be able to follow the arguments presented in this book. In this sense, this book should be useful as textbook for students in courses on mechanical microsensors (as is CUf rently being done at the University ofTwente).

Here's the book to keep handy when you have to overcome obstacles in design, simulation, fabrication and application of MEMS sensors. This practical guide to design tools and packaging helps you create the sensors you need for the full range of mechanical microsensor applications. Critical physical sensing techniques covered include piezoresistive, piezoelectric, capacative, optical, resonant, actuation, thermal, and magnetic, as well as smart sensing.

In ten sections this book describes the principles and technology of Micro Mechanical Systems. Section one is a general introduction to the historical background and the parallels to microelectronics, reviewing the motivation for microsystems, and discussing microphysics and design and the evolution from microcomponents to microsystems. Section two covers the areas of photolithographic microfabrication, basic concepts of planar processing, materials, and processes. Section three looks at micromachining by machine tools, its history, basic principles and preparation methods. Section four discusses tribological aspects of microsystems. Section five covers fabrication, performance and examples of silicon microsensors. Section six looks at electric and magnetic micro-actuators for micro-robots. Section seven covers energy source and power supply methods. Section eight covers controlling principles and methods of micro mechanical systems and section nine gives examples of microsystems and micromachines. The final section discusses the future problems and outlook of micro mechanical systems.

Some years ago, silicon-based mechanical sensors, like pressure sensors, accelerometers and gyroscopes, started their successful advance. Every year, hundreds of millions of these devices are sold, mainly for medical and automotive applications. The airbag sensor on which research already started several decades ago at Stanford University can be found in every new car and has saved already numerous lives. Pressure sensors are also used in modern electronic blood pressure equipment. Many other mechanical sensors, mostly invisible to the public, perform useful functions in countless industrial and consumer products. The underlying physics and technology of silicon-based mechanical sensors is rather complex and is treated in numerous publications scattered throughout the literature. Therefore, a clear need existed for a handbook that thoroughly and systematically reviews the present basic knowledge on these devices. After a short introduction, Professor Bao discusses the main issues relevant to silicon-based mechanical sensors. First a thorough treatment of stress and strain in diaphragms and beams is presented. Next, vibration of mechanical structures is illuminated, followed by a chapter on air damping. These basic chapters are then succeeded by chapters in which capacitive and piezoresistive sensing techniques are amply discussed. The book concludes with chapters on commercially available pressure sensors, accelerometers and resonant sensors in which the above principles are applied. Everybody, involved in designing silicon-based mechanical sensors, will find a wealth of useful information in the book, assisting the designer in obtaining highly optimized devices.

Annotation Engineers and researchers can turn to this reference time and time again when they need to overcome challenges in design, simulation, fabrication, and application of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) sensors.

Devoted primarily to the many applications of microsensors, this text covers thermal, radiation, mechanical, magnetic, chemical and biological microsensors. Information is also provided on basic processing, interfacing and bus systems, microsensor array and intelligent sensors.

Light on physics and math, with a heavy focus on practical applications, Optical, Acoustic, Magnetic, and Mechanical Sensor Technologies discusses the developments necessary to realize the growth of truly integrated sensors for use in physical, biological, optical, and chemical sensing, as well as future micro- and nanotechnologies. Used to pick up sound, movement, and optical or magnetic signals, portable and lightweight sensors are perpetually in demand in consumer electronics, biomedical engineering, military applications, and a wide range of other sectors. However, despite extensive existing developments in computing and communications for integrated microsystems, we are only just now seeing real transformational changes in sensors, which are critical to conducting so many advanced, integrated tasks. This book is designed in two sections—Optical and Acoustic Sensors and Magnetic and Mechanical Sensors—that address the latest developments in sensors. The first part covers: Optical and acoustic sensors, particularly those based on polymer optical fibers Potential of integrated optical biosensors and silicon photonics Luminescent thermometry and solar cell analyses Description of research from United States Army Research Laboratory on sensing applications using photoacoustic spectroscopy Advances in the design of underwater acoustic modems The second discusses: Magnetic and mechanical sensors, starting with coverage of magnetic field scanning Some contributors’ personal accomplishments in combining MEMS and CMOS technologies for artificial microsystems used to sense airflow, temperature, and humidity MEMS-based micro hot-plate devices Vibration energy harvesting with piezoelectric MEMS Self-powered wireless sensing As sensors inevitably become omnipresent elements in most aspects of everyday life, this book assesses their massive potential in the development of interfacing applications for various areas of product design and sciences—including electronics, photonics, mechanics, chemistry, and biology, to name just a few.