Abstract
A flexible pressure sensor fabricated at processing temperatures as low as 300°C using piezoresistive elements of nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) on flexible polyimide substrate is reported. Aluminium induced crystallization (AIC) of Hot Wire Chemical Vapour deposited a-Si:H films is used to obtain the nc-Si films with almost 100 % crystalline fraction as revealed by Raman Spectroscopy, and with a measured piezoresistive gauge factor of 41±3. A novel processing method is adopted, wherein the photoresist itself acts as a mask for the transfer of the pattern on the polyimide diaphragm. This enables bypassing the micromachining step, which otherwise is unavoidable for patterning the sensing elements. A full Wheatstone bridge configuration of nc-Si piezoresistors is realized with acceptable linear response of the output signal for an applied pressure range up to 50 psi and the sensitivity is found to be 183.10±3.48 mV/mA/MPa. A novel pressure jig is also designed with the capability to characterize four sensors simultaneously with an arrangement to apply hydrostatic pressure of compressed air.
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