Silicon-based capacitive load cell for tensile load measurement

A load cell is a transducer to convert a force into an electrical signal. Compared with widely used strain gauge type load cells, silicon-based capacitive load cell cell can offer advantages such as uniform performance over material property change and stable mechanical property in harsh conditions. Here we present a capacitive type load cell with a load sensitive silicon structure and efficient fabrication. Finite element method (FEM) analysis is used for design and analysis. Experimental result shows that the deformation of silicon is largely caused by bending rather than compression. We also suggest a packaging for tensile load measurement with integrated electronics.