Skip to main content

Smart Flow Sensors Based on Advanced Packaging Techniques Applied to Single Chip Sensing Devices

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Sensors

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering ((LNEE,volume 162))

  • 3000 Accesses

Abstract

A smart flow sensor capable of measuring two distinct gas flows with two different linearity ranges is proposed. The device is based on a chip, designed with a commercial CMOS process, which includes different sensing structures and a read-out interface. The chip is fabricated applying a post-processing technique based on a silicon anisotropic etching in a TMAH solution. A simple and low cost packaging technique is used to convey two distinct gas flows to two selected sensing structures by means of channels of different cross sections. Three methods for sealing the interface between the chip and the gas conveyor are proposed and discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Van Oudheusden BW (1992) Silicon thermal flow sensors. Sens Actuat A 30:5–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ashauer M, Glosch H, Hedrich F, Hey N, Sandmaier H, Lang W (1999) Thermal flow sensor for liquids and gases based on combinations of two principles. Sen Actuat A 73:7–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Beeby S, Ensell G, Kraft M, White N (2004) MEMS mechanical sensors, 1st edn. Artech House, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bruschi P, Nurra V, Piotto M (2008) A compact package for integrated silicon thermal gas flow meters. Microsyst Technol 14:943–949

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bruschi P, Dei M, Piotto M (2009) A single chip, double channel thermal flow meter. Microsyst Technol 15:1179–1186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Elwenspoek M, Wiegerink R (2001) Mechanical microsensors, 1st edn. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. Bruschi P, Dei M, Piotto M (2011) An offset compensation method with low residual drift for integrated thermal flow sensors. IEEE Sens J 11:1162–1168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bruschi P, Piotto M (2012) Design issues for low power integrated thermal flow sensors with ultra-wide dynamic range and low insertion loss. Micromachines 3(2):295–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Bruschi P, Piotto M, Bacci N (2009) Postprocessing, readout and packaging methods for integrated gas flow sensors. Microelectron J 40:1300–1307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Bruschi P, Dei M, Piotto M (2009) A low-power 2-D wind sensor based on integrated flow meters. IEEE Sens J 9:1688–1696

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank STMicroelectronics R&D group of Cornaredo (MI) for fabricating the chip.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Massimo Piotto .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this paper

Cite this paper

Piotto, M., Butti, F., Pennelli, G., Bruschi, P. (2014). Smart Flow Sensors Based on Advanced Packaging Techniques Applied to Single Chip Sensing Devices. In: Baldini, F., et al. Sensors. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, vol 162. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3860-1_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3860-1_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3859-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3860-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics