FABRICATION OF MICROMACHINED SILICON TIP TRANSDUCER FOR TACTILE SENSING

Citation
Jc. Jiang et al., FABRICATION OF MICROMACHINED SILICON TIP TRANSDUCER FOR TACTILE SENSING, Journal of vacuum science & technology. B, Microelectronics and nanometer structures processing, measurement and phenomena, 11(6), 1993, pp. 1962-1967
Citations number
23
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Physics, Applied
ISSN journal
1071-1023
Volume
11
Issue
6
Year of publication
1993
Pages
1962 - 1967
Database
ISI
SICI code
1071-1023(1993)11:6<1962:FOMSTT>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
The tunneling vacuum diode was employed to construct a novel displacem ent transducer for tactile sensing. High sensitivity of the emission c urrent to variations of cathode-anode separation is the most important feat re. The device was fabricated on a silicon wafer. The device com ponents are a single tip or an array of tips made by wet etching, and a metal anode diaphragm. Nitric acid-ammonium fluoride etchant is used at room temperature to etch the silicon tips, with an easily controll ed etch rate and excellent uniformity. A unique sacrificial layer tech nique creates and controls the spacing between cathode tip and anode d iaphragm. Highly sensitive responses of the device current to differen t force loads on the anode diaphragm are presented.