Optical pressure sensor head fabrication using ultrathin silicon wafer anodic bonding

Abstract

A technology for fabricating fiber optically interrogated pressure sensors is described. This technology is based on anodic bonding of ultra-thin silicon wafers to patterned, micro-machined glass wafers, providing low-cost fabrication of optical pressure sensor heads that operate with reproducible technical characteristics in various dynamic ranges. Pressure sensors using 10, 20 and 50 micron thick silicon wafers for membranes have been fabricated on 10 cm diameter, 500-micron thick, Pyrex glass wafers. The glass wafers have been micro-machined using ultrasonic drilling in order to form cavities, optical fiber feedthrough holes and vent holes. One of the main challenges of the manufacturing process is the handling of the ultra-thin silicon wafers. Being extremely flexible, the thin silicon wafers cannot be cleaned, oxidized, or dried in the same way as normal silicon wafers with a thickness of the order of 400 microns. Specific handling techniques have been developed in order to achieve reproducible cleaning and oxidation processes. The anodic bonding was performed using an Electronic Visions EV501S bonder. The wafers were heated at 420°C and a voltage of 1200 volts was applied in vacuum of 10 -5 Torr. The bonded wafer stack was then fixed in a wax and diced. The resulting chips have been used to fabricate operating pressure sensors.