Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: In this paper, we report the fabrication and characterization of micromachined thermoelectric IR sensors through a self-aligned technique. Unlike most conventional front-etched thermoelectric IR sensors, etching windows in the self-aligned process are determined by the spacing between polysilicon thermocouple legs. Due to etching windows for structure release being patterned by a self-aligned process rather than as a last photolithography step, the fabrication complication is reduced and narrow etching windows can be patterned. Using the self-aligned process, three types of thermoelectric IR sensors are fabricated and characterized. With SiO 2 /Si 3 N 4 as absorber layer, the sensor with rectangular structure shows the highest responsivity of 43.5 V W − 1 , and the circular-shaped sensor with polysilicon strips patterned in the absorber area shows the fastest response and the highest specific detectivity of . This self-aligned technique is also directly applicable to other MEMS devices with polysilicon as the structure material, and also makes it possible to manufacture ultrasmall gaps.
Source: Smart Materials and Structures
Authors: Dehui Xu, Bin Xiong, Yuelin Wang
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2073184592