Tilted Beam Piezoresistive Displacement Sensor: Design, Modeling, and Characterization

We present a comprehensive study of the design, modeling, and characterization of an on-chip piezoresistive displacement sensor. The design is based on the bulk piezoresistivity of tilted clamped-guided beams without the need for additional steps to generate doped regions. The sensor is implemented in a one-degree-of-freedom microelectromechanical system (MEMS) nanopositioner, where the beams also function as the suspension system. A standard MEMS fabrication process is used to realize the device on single-crystalline silicon as the structural material. The beams are oppositely tilted to develop tensile and compressive axial forces during stage movement, creating a differential sensing feature. An analytical approach is proposed for modeling and design of the tilted clamped-guided beams. The linearity of the sensor in the differential configuration is investigated analytically. The static, dynamic, and noise characteristics of the sensor are presented, followed by a model-based investigation of the measured dynamic feedthrough.