Microsystems for multi-sensory data-acquisition

Data acquisition systems containing transducers, analog readout circuits and digital data processing capability having dimensions comparable to conventional silicon VLSI are feasible in silicon. The on-chip integration of these functions has been demonstrated and is a sound concept for the fabrication of an integrated silicon smart sensor for a single parameter. However, the complexity and data processing required in a data acquisition system for several quantities makes the concept, although technologically feasible, not economically viable. Partitioning of the various system functions over several dies and applying wafer-to-wafer bonding or using the multi-chip module is a more economically viable approach. Enhanced functionality can be obtained by using an active silicon platform as the substrate that contains all the infrastructural functions common to any instrument, such as power/thermal management, self-test and self-calibration and a local bus. In integrated chemical analysis systems, the additional advantage would be the slightly reduced packaging problem