Innovative Silicon-Ceramic (SiCer) Technology for High-Strength Pressure Sensor Applications Using Different Manufacturing Methods

Abstract

A variety of manufacturing methods can be used to assemble silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensors, such as anodic bonding or silicon direct bonding. To achieve highstrength pressure sensors, a high quality interface connection is required. The combination of silicon and ceramic creates a new innovative composite system known as Silicon-on-Ceramics, short SiCer. By using a special developed bondable Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic tape, which corresponds to the thermal expansion coefficient of Si, the combination of both materials is possible through a sintering process. Advantages of the SiCer technology are high temperature stability, manufacturing at wafer-level and a high bond strength at the interface. Different manufactured SiCer-based pressure sensors were fabricated, electrically and mechanically characterized and compared with anodic bonded and silicon direct bonded pressure sensors.