SMART MICROSENSORS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE APPLICATIONS

RECENT ADVANCES IN MICROSENSOR TECHNOLOGY HAVE PRODUCED SMALLER, MORE ECONOMICAL SENSORS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE APPLICATIONS. WITH THESE SMALL SENSORS A NEED ALSO EXISTS FOR MINIATURIZED SIGNAL CONDITIONING ELECTRONICS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE SENSOR. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMART MICROSENSORS FOR APPLICATIONS UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURE AMBIENTS (UP TO 350 CENTIGRADE). THE USEFULNESS OF SILICON-ON-INSULATOR (SOI) MATERIAL PRODUCED BY THE ISOLATED SILICON EPITAXY (ISE) PROCESS WILL BE DEMONSTRATED. ANOTHER EFFORT WILL STUDY PROCESS DEVELOPMENTOF SENSOR ELEMENTS. THE USE OF SOI MATERIAL OFFERS MANY ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL BULK SILICON WAFERS, INCLUDING RADIATION HARDNESS, VOLTAGE ISOLATION, IMPROVED SPEED, AND HIGH TEMPERATURE OPERATION. THESE ADVANTAGES MAY BE EXPLOITED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CLASS OF MICROSENSORS. MICROSENSORS CAPABLE OF HIGH TEMPERATURE OPERATION OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS SUCH AS AIRCRAFT AND AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE MOTORS, SENSORS FOR ROCKET AND MISSILE NOZZLES, AND PROCESS CONTROL SENSORS FOR MICROELECTRONICS FABRICATION.