A design tool for pressure microsensors based on FEM simulations

Abstract

The main features involved in the design of a pressure sensor are the maximum non-destructive pressure and the sensitivity. In this work, these two characteristics are related to the following design variables: dimensions of the membrane and mechanical properties of the selected material. Von Misses stress and strain distributions have been calculated by the finite-element method (FEM). The knowledge of these distributions is a good design guideline for an accurate location of the piezoresistors. The results obtained have been applied to the design of silicon microsensors for biomedical and domestic applications. © 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.