MICROSENSORS

By: KARTHIK SUBRAY BHAT CWID : 11472940.

OVERVIEW
Introduction to and classification of Microsensors Need for Microsensors

Trends in Microsensors
Types of Microsensors; Sensing principles, functionality and features

INTRODUCTION
A microsensor is an extremely small device capable of picking up and relaying environmental information. Microsensors can be termed as transducers, as they convert one form of energy into another. Microsensors basically converts measured mechanical signal (non-electrical physical or chemical quantity) into an electrical signal. These electrical signals are passed on to a processor and processor then converts these signals into meaningful information for variety of applications. A microsensor can be as small as few nanometres to few millimetres in size. They can plug into a sensor array to collect a variety of data, and may interface wirelessly with processors for ease of operation.

The way microsensors are designed must include a way of collecting the desired information, which can depend on how the device will be used. Some microsensors allow realtime reading abilities, which can be useful for activities like monitoring cells in culture. Others store data which must be downloaded when researchers want to interact with it.

Classification of Microsensors

Why do we need Microsensors? low manufacturing costs because of mass production and materials required are less wider exploitation of IC technology wider applicability to sensor arrays lower weight The need for microsensors is not only because of the advantages that are listed above that can be exploited, but also because of the various fields it finds applications. Listed below are some examples of applications of Microsensors. Examples of Automotive Applications:

Medical Applications

General requirements for a sensor: The following are some of the requirements of a sensor: It must be less sensitive to secondary inputs if not the output readings might be inaccurate. It must be stable for a long term. Low pressure and temperature hysteresis Small size and low cost Resistance to corrosive ambient Biocompatibility with the body Trends in Microsensors: The basic trends that we can see in Microsensors are as follows: Miniaturization: The trend follows such that the feature size of the each component is being made smaller and smaller. This is because of the fact that with smaller sizes we can have high volume and thus lower cost. Integration: Sensors are being integrated with signal processing circuits for various functions one such being linearization of the output. Sensors can also have a built-in actuator for self test, automatic calibration, change of sensitivity etc.. Array of Sensors: Nowadays it is so that we are not having a single sensors but an array of sensors. This is done so that we can get more reliable outputs and also larger output signals.

Chemical sensor is used to detect the presence of or concentration of a chemical substance. These sensors find applications in Medical Diagnostics, Nutritional Sciences, Environmental Protection and Automobile Industry. A sensitive layer sensitive to particular chemicals is in contact with the substance. Chemical reaction takes place on the sensitive layer. Due to the reaction physical, optical, acoustic or dielectric properties are changed. Transducers transform these changes into electrical signals. Optical sensors are cheap and can be sterilized easily. It can handle small samples and are highly sensitive. A coupling grid detector is used here. The substance to be analysed is in direct contact with the waveguide. The index of refraction varies depending on the concentration of the substance. In other words, the amount of light striking the detector depends on the concentration. A biosensor is an analytical device for the detection of an analyte that combines a biological component with a physicochemical detector component. Sensitive layer is made of biologically sensitive components such as enzymes or anti-bodies. Molecules of the bioelement and the molecules of the substance interact to produce changes in physical or chemical parameter. These parameter changes are converted into electrical signals. Signals represent concentration to be measured.

Pressure sensors are used measure the pressure of gases or liquids. They can be broadly classified into two: Absolute and Relative pressure sensors.

Piezoresistive pressure sensor: Piezoresistors are integrated on the membrane. Pressure causes stress on the membrane which causes the change in the resistance. This resistance change is calculated using a Wheat-stone bridge. The change in resistance is calculated into pressure.

Piezoresistive pressure sensors

Left: Sensonors absolute pressure sensor. Right: Motorolas MAP sensor

Capacitive membrane pressure sensor: Membrane changes when pressure is applied. Due to this the distance between the electrodes changes and so does capacitance. They dont have hysteresis and have better long-term stability and higher sensitivity but higher production costs.

Tohokus pressure sensor

Position and Speed Microsensors: Accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to calculate acceleration and position respectively. These sensors find applications in Automobiles, Robots and Medical Instruments. Piezoresistive accelerometers and capacitive accelerometers are the accelerometer sensors commonly used. The advantages of piezoresistive accelerometers are: they have simpler structures, simpler fabrication process, and simpler read-out circuitry. And the disadvantages are: Larger temperature sensitivity, lower mechanical sensitivity, high power consumption. The advantages of capacitive accelerometers are: high sensitivity, good DC performance and noise performance, low drift, low temperature sensitivity, low power consumption. The disadvantages are: susceptible to electromagnetic interference, non-linear output.

Left: Piezoresistive accelerometer: In the figure the top sensor is called SA50 and has two axes crash sensors. The bottom sensor is called SAC60 and has 1-axis side crash sensor. Right : Capacitive accelerometer: Fords accelerometer

Gyrosopes: It consists of two high performance MEMS devices integrated in one: A self-tuned resonator in the drive axis and a micro-accelerometer in the sensing axis. They are very sensitive to all potential manufacturing variations, packaging, linear acceleration, temperature, etc. Low-noise read-out, signal processing and control electronics are required. Tuning fork gyroscopes and disk gyroscopes are the two types of gyroscopes.

Top left:Drapers double-gimbal gyroscope TopRight:Comb-drive gyroscope Left:Silicon MicroRing gyroscope

Acknowledgement I thank Dr. Weili Zhang for giving me an opportunity to select Microsensors as my topic and write a term paper and do a presentation on the same. I learnt a lot about microsensors and their applications while doing this paper.

References: Microsensors- documentation by Daniel Lapadatu, SensoNor Technologies. http://mspde.usc.edu/inspiring/resource/sensor/Microsensors.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_speed_sensor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosensor http://www.intechopen.com/books/microsensors http://noc.ac.uk/science-technology/research-groups/ote/instruments-sensors/biologicalmicrosensors

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