628 Sensorsand Actuators A, 32(1992) 628-631

Silicon optical pressure sensor

J. A. Dziuban, A. Gorecka-Drzazga and U. Lipowicz

Institute of Electron Technology, Technical University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw (Poland)

Abstract

A novel optical-fiber silicon pressure sensor with a bossed membrane has been fabricated. The pressure deflects the
micromachined thin membrane and moves the end of a fiber illuminating the ppn junction fabricated near the
edge of the membrane in a standard IC process. A photovoltage proportional to the degree of deflection of the
membrane is generated in the junction. A nontypical output voltage versus inlet pressure characteristic has been
obtained.

Introduction

Although many types of silicon pressure sensors

have been described in the literature [ 1,2], some of
which are produced in large quantities [3], new
constructions are currently being developed [4-81.
Among them, silicon fiber-optic pressure sensors
[9, lo] play an important role.
A thin silicon membrane has good mechanical
properties and may be easily and repeatably
deflected in proportion to the pressure of gases
and liquids. The displacement of the membrane
Fig. 1. Light modulation in passive fiber-optic silicon sensors.
may be simply defined by a light intensity mea-
surement in the system shown in Fig. 1.
The silicon fiber-optic pressure sensor presented
here works like the device in ref. 10 but has an
electrical output signal. It regains no electrical
supply and is destined to work as an on-off
pressure detector. The principle of the sensor oper- 15pm
I lp
ation is schematically shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. Principle of a fiber-optic silicon sensor with electrical output.

Construction (2) A silicon support.

The sensor consists of the following parts (Fig.
3)*:
(1) A silicon micromachined die with a bossed
thin membrane, V-groove and the light-sensitive
p-n junction
*The construction was partially designed during Gordon’s
tics Session in Rabka in 1989 [II, 121.
(3) A standard 150 pm diameter optical fiber
with a movable end ‘looking’ at the p-n junction.
(4) A metallic case with pneumatic and electri-
cal connections.
In the device, the movable end of the fiber
illuminates the p-n junction proportionally to the
membrane deflection caused by the pressure of
liquids or gases. Light is transmitted to the p-n
Synec- junction area by the fiber from an external light
source, which may be a halogen lamp, the sun or

0924-4247/92/35.00 @I 1992 - Elsevier Sequoia. All rights reserved

 629

-
glue 3
-
fiber 1 support

light

Photomasks used in the sensor fabrication

Fig. 3. Technical realization of the sensor.

a laser. Any movement of the fiber end involves

changes in the diode illumination and eventually
changes the d.c. photovoltage generated in the
p-n junction.

Fabrication process

There are three main steps of the sensor fabri-

cation:

(1) Structure micromachining

We use 3” 5 R cm n-type ( lOO)-oriented double-
sided polished silicon wafers. A thick silicon ox-
ide layer ( 1.8 pm) is produced in a
high-temperature Hydrox process. After the first
photolithography, prolonged etching in KOH-
H,O-ISA mixture (80 “C) forms a three-dimen-
sional die (2) with a V-groove and bossed
membrane (20 pm thick, 6 mm x 6 mm). The ex-
tension of the etching time allows the membrane
to be overetched and the silicon support ( 1) to be
formed. Fig. 5. Sensor in operation with 0.6 bar under the membrane.

(2) Light-sensitive diode preparation

A standard IC process, including wet oxida-
tion, boron diffusion and Al layer sputtering, is
used. Three photomasks are used. The layout of
all the masks used in the fabrication process is
presented in Fig. 4.
(3) Sensor packaging
The sensor die (2) is bonded with support ( 1).
The 150 pm fiber is glued to the V-groove with a
100 pm gap between the end of the fiber and the
edge of the p-n junction. After that, all parts are
glued to a case and the electrical connections are
bonded. The structure is then encapsulated and
sealed. The front view of the sensor with the
membrane strongly deflected down is shown in
Fig. 5. Epoxy glue drops are seen in the middle of
the membrane and near the left edge of the frame.
The fiber, p-n junction with metallic contact and
Al connecting wire are shown. The bossed area lies
630

on the surface of the metallic case; the total TABLE I. Selected parameters of silicon optical pressure sensor
movement of the membrane is 0.5 mm.
Parameter Value

Dimensions of die (mm) 10 x 8.5 x 0.5

Output signal” (V) up to 1 d.c. photovoltage
Results
Sensitivity= (mV/bar) +240 and -80
Overpressure (bar) 3
We have obtained some wafers with many dies. SUPPlY light
After carefully checking the parameters of the rJoffse: (mV) +90
p-n junctions (I- V characteristics, photosensitiv- Pressure on/off (bar) 0.38/0.6

ity, etc.), the main technical parameters of the
sensor have been measured. The sensor has a
nontypical characteristic with a monotonic in-
crease (0 to 0.38 bar) and decrease (0.68 to
1.3 bar) of the output voltage versus increasing
inlet pressure (Fig. 6), and with two slopes corre-
sponding to two sensitivities: +240 mV/bar and
- 80 mV/bar, respectively. The zero-pressure off-
set voltage is high; its minimum value is 90 mV
and strongly depends on the fiber positioning
in the device (the gap between the end of the
fiber and the p-n junction) and the illumination
level. The sensor shows good sensitivity. It seems
that it should have good temperature-dependent
parameters, but additional measurements must be
done.
The sensor works properly in the pressure
ranges - 1 to 0 bar and 0 to + 1.6 bar (overpres-
sure 3 bar), but the sensor membrane must be
moved up for both pressure regions. Typical tech-
nical parameters of the sensor with the external
end of the fiber directly illuminated by a 100 W
halogen lamp (with no coupling system) are given
in Table 1.
“Output signal sensitivity will change with light intensity variation;
additional LToffsetvalue depends on the fiber-optic adjustment in the
structure.
Conclusions
The sensor works properly in a wide range
of pressure values. It has good electrical and pneu-
matic parameters, a high output voltage signal and
sufficient overpressure protection.
The high offset voltage depends on the illumina-
tion level and the accuracy of production. The
sensor needs no electrical supply, which may be
very useful in many applications. It has a nontypi-
cal output voltage versus inlet pressure characteris-
tic with two slopes and a plateau.
Acknowledgement
The authors wish to thank Dr Anna Sankowska
for her helpful cooperation.

References

1 J. C. Greenwood, Silicon in mechanical sensors, J. Phys. E: Sci.

Instrum., 21 ( 1988) 1114- 1128.
2 E. Petersen, Silicon as a mechanical material, Proc. IEEE, 5
(1982) 1185-1193.
3 J. Bryzek, K. Petersen, J. R. Mallon, Jr., L. Christel and F.
Pourahmadi, Silicon Sensors and Microstructures, Nova Sensor,
160
Fremont, CA, 1990.
4 R. J. Pitcher and K. W. H. Foulds, Optothermal drive of silicon
resonators: the influence of surface coating, Sensors and Acrua-
row, A21 -A23 (1990) 387-390.
5 L. M. Zhang, D. Uttamchandani and B. Culshaw, Excitation of
silicon microresonators using short optical pulses, Sensors and
Actuators, A21LA23 (1990) 391-393.
6 K. E. B. Thornton, D. Uttamchandani and B. Culshaw, A sensi-
80 -I
0 0.4 0.6 1.2 1.6
tive optically excited resonator pressure sensor, Sensors and Ac-
hlarors A, 24 (1990) 15-19.
PIbar
7 J. C. Greenwood and D. W. Satchell, Miniature silicon resonant
Fig. 6. The output voltage vs. inlet pressure characteristic of the pressure sensor, IEE Proc., 135 (DS) (1988) 369-372.
sensor. 8 M. V. Andres, K. W. H. Foulds and M. J. Tudor, Sensitivity and
 631

mode spectrum of a frequency output silicon pressure sensor, pressure sensor in silicon based on fluorescent decay, Sensors and
Sensors and Actuators, I5 (1988) 417-426. Actuators, 19 (1989) 327-332.
9 B. H6k, L. Tenerz and K. Gust&son, Fibre-optic sensors: a 11 W. J. J. Gordon, Synectics-The Development of Creative Capac-
micromechanical approach, Ser~sors and Actuators, 17 (1989) ity, Collier Books, New York, 1961.
157-166. 12 G. M. Prince, The Practice of Creativity, Collier Books, New
10 K. Gustaffson, B. H6k, L. Johnson and Ch. Oven, A fibre-optic York, 1970.