Stephan Schröder

Piezoresistive Properties of Suspended Graphene Membranes under Uniaxial and Biaxial Strain in Nanoelectromechanical Pressure Sensors

Graphene membranes act as highly sensitive transducers in nanoelectromechanical devices due to their ultimate thinness. Previously, the piezoresistive effect has been experimentally verified in graphene using uniaxial strain in graphene. Here, we report experimental and theoretical data on the uni- and biaxial piezoresistive properties of suspended graphene membranes applied to piezoresistive pressure sensors. A detailed model that utilizes a linearized Boltzman transport equation describes accurately the charge-carrier density and mobility in strained graphene and, hence, the gauge factor. The gauge factor is found to be practically independent of the doping concentration and crystallographic orientation of the graphene films. These investigations provide deeper insight into the piezoresistive behavior of graphene membranes.

Wafer-level integration of NiTi shape memory alloy wires for the fabrication of microactuators using standard wire bonding technology

This paper reports on the first integration of SMA wires into silicon based MEMS structures using a standard wire bonder. This approach allows fast and efficient placement, alignment and mechanical attachment of NiTi-based SMA wires to silicon-based MEMS. The wires are mechanically anchored and clamped into deep-etched silicon structures on a wafer. The placement precision is high with an average deviation of 4 µm and the mechanical clamping is strong, allowing successful actuation of the SMA wires.

Graphene-based CO2 sensing and its cross-sensitivity with humidity

We present graphene-based CO2 sensing and analyze its cross-sensitivity with humidity. In order to assess the selectivity of graphene-based gas sensing to various gases, measurements are performed in argon (Ar), nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and air by selectively venting the desired gas from compressed gas bottles into an evacuated vacuum chamber. The sensors provide a direct electrical readout in response to changes in high concentrations, from these bottles, of CO2, O2, nitrogen and argon, as well as changes in humidity from venting atmospheric air. From the signal response to each gas species, the relative graphene sensitivity to each gas is extracted as a relationship between the percentage-change in graphenes resistance response to changes in vacuum chamber pressure. Although there is virtually no response from O2, N2 and Ar, there is a sizeable cross-sensitivity between CO2 and humidity occurring at high CO2 concentrations. However, under atmospheric concentrations of CO2, this cross-sensitivity effect is negligible – allowing for the use of graphene-based humidity sensing in atmospheric environments. Finally, charge density difference calculations, computed using density functional theory (DFT) are presented in order to illustrate the bonding of CO2 and water molecules on graphene and the alterations of the graphene electronic structure due to the interactions with the substrate and the molecules.

Stress-Minimized Packaging of Inertial Sensors by Double-Sided Bond Wire Attachment

This paper presents a novel approach for low-stress packaging of microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based gyroscopes. The proposed approach makes use of conventional ball-stitch wire bonding. The gyroscope die is attached exclusively by means of bond wire connections between the package frame, and the top and bottom surfaces of the die. The process enables the electrical connection of metal pads on the top and the bottom side of the MEMS die within the same process. No adhesives, glue, or solder is used for the die attach. The stiffness of the proposed die attach is evaluated by scanning laser Doppler vibrometry. White-light interferometry is used to investigate stress in the die that is induced by the die attach. The bond wire attachment is compared with conventional single-sided die attach using two types of commercially available adhesives. It was found that the proposed packaging system exhibits multiple resonance modes and displays a dependence on the amount of bond wires. White-light interferometry reveals a centered bow across the die and shows low-induced stresses compared with conventionally attached dies using epoxy adhesives.

Biaxial strain in suspended graphene membranes for piezoresistive sensing

Pressure sensors based on suspended graphene membranes have shown extraordinary sensitivity for uniaxial strains, which originates from graphenes unique electrical and mechanical properties and thinness [1]. This work compares through both theory and experiment the effect of cavity shape and size on the sensitivity of piezoresistive pressure sensors based on suspended graphene membranes. Further, the paper analyzes the effect of both biaxial and uniaxial strain on the membranes. Previous studies examined uniaxial strain through the fabrication of long, rectangular cavities. The present work uses circular cavities of varying sizes in order to obtain data from biaxially strained graphene membranes.

Wire-bonder-assisted integration of non-bondable SMA wires into MEMS substrates

This paper reports on a novel technique for the integration of NiTi shape memory alloy wires and other non-bondable wire materials into silicon-based microelectromechanical system structures using ...

Fabrication of an infrared emitter using a generic integration platform based on wire bonding

This paper reports a novel approach for the fabrication of infrared (IR) emitters for non-dispersive IR gas sensing. The proposed concept enables the integration of superior resistive heater materials with microelectromechanical system structures. In this study, non-bondable filaments made of nickel chromium are attached to mechanical attachment structures using a fully automated state-of-the-art wire bonder. Formation of electrical contact between the integrated filaments and the electrical contact pattern on the substrate is performed using conventional gold stud bumping technology. The placement accuracy of the integrated filaments is evaluated using white-light interferometry, while the contact formation using stud bumping to embed the filaments is investigated using focused ion beam milled cross-sections. A proof-of-concept IR emitter has been successfully operated and heated up to in continuous mode for 3 h.

A 500 °C Active Down-Conversion Mixer in Silicon Carbide Bipolar Technology

This letter presents an active down-conversion mixer for high-temperature communication receivers. The mixer is based on an in-house developed 4H-SiC BJT and down-converts a narrow-band RF input signal centered around 59 MHz to an intermediate frequency of 500 kHz. Measurements show that the mixer operates from room temperature up to 500 °C. The conversion gain is 15 dB at 25 °C, which decreases to 4.7 dB at 500 °C. The input 1-dB compression point is 1 dBm at 25 °C and −2.5 dBm at 500 °C. The mixer is biased with a collector current of 10 mA from a 20 V supply and has a maximum DC power consumption of 204 mW. High-temperature reliability evaluation of the mixer shows a conversion gain degradation of 1.4 dB after 3-hours of continuous operation at 500 °C.

A single wire large-area filament emitter for spectroscopic ethanol gas sensing fabricated using a wire bonding tool

Non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) gas spectroscopy is a highly accurate optical gas sensing technology, which has been implemented in various industrial applications. However NDIR systems remain too expensive for many consumer and automotive apphcations. The cost of the infrared (IR) emitter component is a substantial part of the total system cost. In this paper we report of a single filament IR emitter that is fabricated using wire bonding technology. Our fabrication approach offers the prospect of a fully automated assembly by means of utihzing a wire bonding tool to integrate the single filament to the MEMS structured silicon substrate. An apphcation-specific wire bond trajectory enables the mechanical attachment of the filament to form the meander-shaped emitter with a total area of 1 mm2. The fabricated IR emitter utilizes a Kanthal (FeCrAl) filament with very high thermal stability and excellent emitting properties under atmospheric conditions. The packaged IR emitter has been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to study the emitted IR spectrum with respect to the requirements of NDIR systems.

A low-cost nitric oxide gas sensor based on bonded gold wires

In this paper we report of a novel and very simple fabrication method for realizing amperometric gas sensors using conventional wire bonding technology. Working and counter electrodes are made of 360 vertically standing bond wires, entirely manufactured by a fully automated, standard wire bonding tool. Our process enables standing bond wires with a length of 1.24 mm, resulting in an extremely high aspect-ratio of 50, thus effectively increasing the surface area of the working electrode. All gas sensor electrodes are embedded in a polymer-based, solid electrolyte. Therefore, laborious handling of liquid electrolytes can be avoided. Here, we report of a nitric oxide (NO) gas sensor that is capable of detecting NO gas concentrations down to the single-digit ppm range. The proposed approach demonstrates the feasibility towards a scalable and entire back-end fabrication concept for low-cost NO gas sensors.