Journal Article

Femtosecond Laser Processing Assisted SiC High-Temperature Pressure Sensor Fabrication and Performance Test

Zhao, Yulong, Wang, Yabing, Wang, Lukang, Yang, Yu, Zhao, You

2023

Overview

Due to material plastic deformation and current leakage at high temperatures, SOI (silicon-on-insulator) and SOS (silicon-on-sapphire) pressure sensors have difficulty working over 500 °C. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising sensor material to solve this problem because of its stable mechanical and electrical properties at high temperatures. However, SiC is difficult to process which hinders its application as a high-temperature pressure sensor. This study proposes a piezoresistive SiC pressure sensor fabrication method to overcome the difficulties in SiC processing, especially deep etching. The sensor was processed by a combination of ICP (inductive coupled plasma) dry etching, high-temperature rapid annealing and femtosecond laser deep etching. Static and dynamic calibration tests show that the accuracy error of the fabricated sensor can reach 0.33%FS, and the dynamic signal response time is 1.2 μs. High and low temperature test results show that the developed sensor is able to work at temperatures from −50 °C to 600 °C, which demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed sensor fabrication method.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Annealing / Current leakage / Electrical properties / Etching / fabrication method / feasibility / High temperature / Inductively coupled plasma / Laser processing / Low temperature tests / Mechanical properties / Nuclear energy / Nuclear power plants / Performance tests / Plasma etching / Plastic deformation / pressure sensor / Pressure sensors / Production processes / Sapphire / Sensors / SiC / Silicon / Silicon carbide / Stress concentration