Title :
A parylene MEMS flow sensing array
Author :
Meng, E. ; Yu-Chong Tai
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA
Abstract :
We have demonstrated the first parylene MEMS thermal sensor array capable of detecting small flows down to 0.5 /spl mu/l/min. The device is fabricated using low-temperature parylene/platinum technology and consists of metallic sensors suspended on a membrane over a bulk micromachined silicon channel. For the first time, insightful results from three different methods of flow sensing using a single device are studied and compared. Multi-mode testing using hot film, calorimetric, and time-of-flight techniques at low overheat ratios has been performed. Thus, this device is biocompatible in both construction and operation.
Keywords :
calorimetry; film flow; microfluidics; microsensors; platinum; polymer films; temperature sensors; Pt; Si; bulk micromachined silicon channel; calorimetric techniques; hot film; low-temperature parylene/platinum technology; membrane; metallic sensors; multimode testing; parylene MEMS flow sensing array; parylene MEMS thermal sensor array; time-of-flight techniques; Biomembranes; Biosensors; Chemical sensors; Etching; Micromechanical devices; Sensor arrays; Silicon; Thermal conductivity; Thermal resistance; Thermal sensors;
Conference_Titel :
TRANSDUCERS, Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems, 12th International Conference on, 2003
Conference_Location :
Boston, MA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7731-1
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.2003.1215566
