Polysilicon bridges for the realization of tactile sensors

Abstract

The fabrication of a capacitive tactile sensor is examined. Therefore, the different transduction methods for converting tactile forces to an electrical signal, and the different manufacturing methods used by other researchers in the last 30 years will be summarized. We propose a sensor fabrication method using silicon surface-micromachining. This comparatively new microfabrication technology allows us to construct the tactile sense elements, with the integration of readout circuitry, upon a single silicon wafer in an entirely single-sided fabrication set-up, which also has the potential for reduced weakening of the supporting substrate. The structure and the fabrication of the sensor and the measured readout characteristic are described.