Title :
A force sensor using a CMOS inverter in view of its application in scanning force microscopy
Author :
Akiyama, Toyokazu ; Blanc, Nicolas ; De Rooij, Nics F.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Microtechnol., Neuchatel Univ., Switzerland
Abstract :
A force sensor using a new detection scheme is presented for scanning force microscopy. The sensor consists of a silicon cantilever and a CMOS inverter, and is based on piezoresistivity effects in a MOS transistor. The sensor principle has been verified by assembling a test structure including a large cantilever (40 mm×4 mm×0.39 mm) with an integrated MOS transistor. A deflection of 1 μm at the cantilever end yields a signal of 6.19 mV at the output of the inverter for a supply voltage of 13 V and without any amplification stage. The measured minimum detectable stress demonstrates the potential of this new detection scheme. In combination with microfabricated cantilevers, a spatial resolution better than 1 nm is expected making this sensor of interest for application in scanning force microscopy
Keywords :
CMOS integrated circuits; atomic force microscopy; electric sensing devices; elemental semiconductors; force measurement; invertors; microscopy; microsensors; piezoresistive devices; silicon; 0.39 mm; 1 mum; 13 V; 4 mm; 40 mm; 6.19 mV; CMOS inverter; Si; Si cantilever; assembling; cantilever; deflection; force sensor; integrated MOS transistor; minimum detectable stress; piezoresistivity effects; scanning force microscopy; spatial resolution; Assembly; Force sensors; Inverters; MOSFETs; Microscopy; Piezoresistance; Silicon; Stress measurement; Testing; Voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, 1996, MEMS '96, Proceedings. An Investigation of Micro Structures, Sensors, Actuators, Machines and Systems. IEEE, The Ninth Annual International Workshop on
Conference_Location :
San Diego, CA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-2985-6
DOI :
10.1109/MEMSYS.1996.494023
