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Meso-Scale Pressure Transducers Utilizing Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic Tapes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

H. Lynch
Affiliation:
University of villanova, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Villanova, PA, 19085
J. Park
Affiliation:
Raytheon Commercial Electronics, Andover, MA 01810.,[email protected]
P. A. Espinoza-Valejos
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania, Dep. of Electrical Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, [email protected], [email protected].
J. J. Santiago-Aviles
Affiliation:
University of Pennsylvania, Dep. of Electrical Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, [email protected], [email protected].
L. Sola-Laguna
Affiliation:
DuPont Electronic Materials, RTP, NC 27709, [email protected]
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Abstract

Pressure transducers with promising characteristics at high pressure and temperatures have been developed using low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) tape technology. All parts for the transducer were machined from DuPont 951 series LTCC tapes utilizing either a numerically controlled milling machine, or an isotropic etching technique involving the removal of the glassy binder of a partially sintered LTCC tape. Device dimensions are in the meso (intermediate) scale range, with the smallest device size of 8mm in diameter, and the cavity of 2 mm. Utilizing the anisotropy induced during the casting process a chemical exfoliation technique was developed. This technique allowed us to separate the original tape in three layers, the middle one being highly elastic, isotropic and homogeneous. The middle layer can be chemically thinned to achieve membrane like behavior, with thickness of the order of 50 µm. The pressure is measured as a function of the membrane deformation where two piezo-resistors are screen printed. Two piezo-resistors were used to achieve temperature compensation. Using shrinkage matched paste, nominal thick film technology was used in the screen printing of the piezoresistors. The rest of the transducer was fabricated using several layers of LTCC tapes, which were laminated and fired. Devices of different sizes were fabricated and compared. Devices were characterized by comparing its dynamic response with a micro-fabricated silicon pressure transducer.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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References

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