Characterization of a MEMS Pressure Sensor By a Hybrid Methodology

Recent advances in surface micromachining and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology have led to development of a MEMS pressure sensor, Fig. 1a. In this sensor, pressure changes are detected by deformations of a diaphragm, Fig. 1b. This diaphragm is about 400 µm long, 100 µm wide, and about 2 µm thick, made of several different materials, each having different properties, especially different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE). As a result, as the sensor is exposed to the environment, where in addition to pressure changes temperature changes also, its measurements will be affected by thermomechanical response.