Sensor + Test 2024

The special feature of the SAW sensor technology at ISIT is that it does not rely on bulk crystals such as quartz. Instead, ISIT's SAW sensor elements are manufactured entirely in CMOS- and MEMS-compatible silicon technology. This is only possible thanks to the use of the piezoelectric high-performance thin-film material AlScN.

In addition to the high level of technology compatibility, other advantages include greater process flexibility with regard to the integration of functional layers, a reduced chip size and the possibility of fusing different sensors on one chip.

Applications

• Magnetic field sensor for efficient energy conversion for electromobility and renewable energy
• Monitoring of data centers
• Feedback and control for household, motors and industry

Our MEMS ultrasonic transducers are characterized by exceptionally small footprints, high surface normalized sound pressure levels (SPLs) and low operating voltages. By varying the transducer design and combining multiple transducers on one chip, the operating frequencies, SPLs and radiation characteristics are highly customizable.

Our MEMS ultrasonic transducers are based on piezoelectric unimorph actuators. Utilizing the inverse piezoelectric effect, an alternating electric field causes the device to vibrate and generate ultrasonic waves. For frequencies below 100 kHz, rectangular bending actuators are used, which are surrounded by a narrow gap and an acoustic shield. Utilizing thermo-viscous effects, the cantilevers behave acoustically like a closed membrane and are mechanically decoupled at the same time. For higher frequencies up to several MHz, a closed design is used that imitates a classic circumferentially clamped diaphragm.

Applications

Our MEMS ultrasonic transducers are suitable for a wide range of technical or medical applications, such as

• Distance or level measurement
• Object or gesture recognition
• Haptic feedback
• Medical imaging
• material testing

The Fraunhofer ISIT, IPMS and ENAS institutes are presenting a pioneering initiative to promote MEMS-based ultrasonic sensor technology at the SENSOR+TEST in Nuremberg. Their one-stop store offers customized solutions for companies wishing to benefit from the advantages of this technology.

Sensors based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have become an integral part of our everyday lives. In ultrasonic sensor technology, too, they offer numerous advantages in terms of miniaturization, functionality and cost efficiency and enable innovative solutions for a wide range of applications.

However, due to the high development complexity and initial costs of these semiconductor-based micromechanical ultrasonic transducers (MUT), many small and medium-sized companies are reluctant to develop their own solutions. To close this gap, the Fraunhofer ISIT, IPMS and ENAS institutes are presenting a pioneering initiative: a one-stop store for the next generation of ultrasonic sensor technology.

MEMS gas and pressure sensors must be protected against harmful environmental influences such as particles or condensing moisture. Traditionally, protective caps are integrated as a single chip process. PowderMEMS offers the possibility to produce a variety of porous protective caps in 200 mm / 8” substrates. These cap wafers can be applied directly to the MEMS wafer by substrate bonding - a single-chip process such as gluing can be omitted. By manufacturing the protective caps in a MEMS process, further functionalizations such as hydrophobization or catalytic surfaces can be implemented.

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MEMS gas and pressure sensors must be protected against harmful environmental influences such as particles or condensing moisture. Traditionally, the integration of protective caps is done as a single chip process. PowderMEMS offers the ability to produce a variety of porous protective caps in 200 mm / 8" substrates. The cap wafers can be directly bonded to the MEMS wafer – eliminating the need for single chip processes. By fabricating the protective caps in a MEMS process, further functionalization such as hydrophobation or catalytic surfaces can be achieved.

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Fraunhofer ISIT has developed an innovative MEMS energy harvester that can generate energy from rotational and translational movements as well as from mechanical shocks and vibrations. This is particularly suitable for supplying sensor nodes with energy in confined spaces such as gearboxes, starter generators or crankshafts. This technology platform is not only highly efficient, but also flexibly adaptable so that the resonance frequency can be adjusted to specific customer requirements. This opens up new possibilities for the development of customized MEMS energy harvesters for machine monitoring applications. 

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Fraunhofer ISIT has developed a micromanufacturing technology to provide integrated micromagnets on wafer-level for biasing magnetic field sensors.

The magnets are integrated into the substrate to achieve a high level of miniaturization and save wafer space. In- and out-of-plane bias fields can be created in custom distributions for Hall and XMR magnetic field sensors.

Utilizing this technology, Fraunhofer ISIT and IIS have realized a fully integrated 3D Hall sensor. The demonstrator combines the 3D HallInOne^® Hall sensor technology from Fraunhofer IIS with the PowderMEMS technology of Fraunhofer ISIT.

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