TH41235B - The touch force sensor is made by Electro-Fabrication (E-Fab) process and the manufacturing process of the device? - Google Patents

Abstract

DC60 touch sensor fabricated using Electro-Fabrication (E-Fab) process consists of a floating membrane segment held in place by two or four arms, depending on the design. The floating membrane segments are constructed of inexpensive electroplating metals such as nickel (Ni) or copper (Cu). A suitable insulating thin film such as Alumina (Al2O3), Silicon Nitride (Si3N4), or Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) is applied to the floating membrane segments. A thin film of piezoresistor is deposited on each segment and a thin film of a suitable metal such as Cu/Cr is deposited on the tips to serve as electrodes. When the segments are bent by an applied force, the piezoresistor segments bend and their resistance changes. Thus, the applied force is measured by measuring the electrical resistance of the device. The piezoresistors in this fabrication are of suitable materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO) fabricated using a specific ion-assisted electron beam evaporation process. A key advantage of this process is that it is The low temperature controllable ion-assisted deposition parameters yield ITO films with good piezoresistivity, suitable for high-sensitivity force sensors. Coupled with the small size of the device, the sensor can measure force in the millionths of a newton level. Importantly, the manufacturing process is much cheaper than the fabrication of other floating membrane force sensors that use integrated circuit manufacturing processes. In practice, force sensors are often fabricated in arrays, which consist of layers of force-sensing plates and contacts, which are flexible materials, to act as a force-sensing layer. When contact or pressure is applied to the force-sensing plates, the force is distributed onto the membranes of each device. Electro-fabrication (E-Fab) force sensors consist of a central floating membrane held together by two or four arms, depending on the design. The floating membranes are constructed of inexpensive metals commonly used in electroplating, such as nickel (Ni) or copper (Cu). A thin insulating film is applied to the floating membranes. A suitable material such as Alumina (Al2O3), Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) or Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) is composed of a thin film of piezoresistors coated on each arm and a thin film of a suitable metal such as Cu/Cr is coated on the tip to serve as the electrodes. When the arm is bent by an applied force, the piezoresistor portion bends and changes its electrical resistance. Therefore, the amount of applied force is measured by measuring the electrical resistance of the device. The piezoresistor in this fabrication is a suitable material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) fabricated by a specific process, namely ion-assisted electrom beam evaporation. The main advantage of this process is that it is a low-temperature process that allows for control of appropriate ion-assisted deposition parameters, which results in ITO films with good piezoresistivity properties, suitable for highly sensitive force sensors. In addition, the small size of the device allows for sensors that can measure force in the millionths of a newton. Importantly, the manufacturing process has They are much cheaper to produce than other floating membrane force sensors that use integrated circuit manufacturing processes. In applications, contact force sensors are often constructed in arrays, with layers of force-sensing pads and contacts, a flexible material, layered to act as a direct force-sensing layer. When contact or pressure is applied to the force pads, the force is distributed across the membranes of the individual devices.

Claims (2)

(All) rights which will not appear on the notice page: 1. A contact force sensor device consisting of - a base plate (3) consisting of one and two faces, using such plates (3) is made of Insulating material - a floating membrane (1) formed on one surface of the base plate (3) with at least two such air gaps (7) with mounting arms (2) as a link. Point - a thin film insulating layer (4) built on such a floating membrane (1) - a thin film layer of The piezoresistor (5) is built on every such arm (2) by a thin film layer of The piezoresistor (5) will change its electrical resistance when The required contact force to be measured takes over - at least two (6) electrodes for each piezoresistor (5) built on the layer piezoresistor (5) to serve as the output terminal of the aforementioned contact sensor devices and by which such contact sensor devices Its characteristic is that the base plate (3) has the properties of insulating material that can withstand heat at least 250 degrees Celsius and is characterized by a thin film layer. Of Piazore Sisters The piezoresistor (5) is an indium tin oxide (ITO) material made up of an ion-assisted electron beam evaporation process. This floating membrane structure (1) is designed as a smooth film. With a specific shape In the middle there is a corrugated structure, which was created by a process. electroplating And there is a layer of electrical insulation (4) coated over the force plate and the contact (8) placed on the floating membrane (1). Where the baseplate (3) is made of glass 3. The aforementioned contact force sensor device in claim 1, where the base plate (3) is made of The plastics are heat-resistant to at least 250 degrees Celsius. 4. Contact force sensor device as mentioned in claim 1, where the base plate (3) is made of silica. Clause 2-4, any one Where the baseplate (3) is between 1-100 mm in width and length and 0.5-2 mm in thickness. 6. The contact force sensor device in claim 1, where the membrane The float (1) is made of copper metal and has a thickness of 1-50 μm. 7. The aforementioned contact sensor device in claim 1, where the floating membrane (1) is made of metal. And thickness in the range of 1-50 μm 8. The aforementioned contact force sensor device in claim 1, where the aforementioned thin film insulating layer (4) is made of alumina. Such contact force in claim 1, where the aforementioned thin-film insulating layer (4) is made of silicon nitrile 1 0. Such contact force sensor device in claim 1, where the insulating layer The thin film type (4) is made of silicon dioxide. 1. 1. The touch sensor device in Claim 8-10, where such thin-film insulating layer (4) is The thickness is between 300 and 2000 nm. 1 2. The contact sensor device as mentioned in claim 11, where a layer of piezoresis resistive material has a thickness of between 300 and 2000 nm. tive) (5) is Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coated in every mounting arm area 1 3. Such a contact force sensor device in claim 1, where the thin film electrodes of Such piezoresistor (5) has a U-shaped coil pattern 1 4. Such contact force sensor device in claim 12, where the metal thin film electrode (6) is coated, consists of a chromate layer. Premium in the first layer with a thickness of 20-40 nm and a copper layer with a thickness of between 500-1000 nm in the next layer 1 5. The aforementioned contact sensor device in claim 1 also A force and contact plates (8) are placed on top of the floating membrane (1). 1 6. Manufacturing Process Contact sensor devices consist of - Arrangement of a base plate (3) consisting of a surface and Two - Arrangement of a floating membrane (1) that is made up of metal and has a part floating above the surface. One function of the aforementioned base plate (3), with a gap (7) in between, with the floating membrane also comprising at least two mounting tabs (2) for the holding of the floating membrane (1). - To provide a thin film insulation layer (4) built on such a floating membrane (1) for electrical insulation. Thin film layer of piezo sisters (piezoresistor) (5) built on every such arm (2) - provision of at least two (6) electrodes for the piezoresistor. each piezoresistor (5) built on the layer piezoresistor (5) to act as the output terminal of the And - the arrangement of the force and contact plates (8) placed on the aforementioned floating membrane (1). The peculiarity is that in the process of providing a floating membrane (1) it consists of the process of - coating a thin film of metal to form the base of the tab (2) on the base plate (3) with the evaporation process. Or sputtering together with creating patterns with processes Light shooting Photolithography - the creation of layers of photoresist (9) by the process of phototherapy. (Photolithography) is at least two openings for the aforementioned mounting tabs (2) - reconstruction of the retaining arms (2) in the openings of the aforementioned photoresist layer (9) by electroplating where the tabs (2 ) It will be the same metal as A thin film of metal at the base of the aforementioned mounting strips (2), and - creating such a floating membrane (1) with thickness and wavy structure. As needed by the process electroplating This will construct at least two mounting arms (2) and - removal of the photoresist layer (9). To make such a gap (7) between the aforementioned floating membrane (1) and the aforementioned base (3) layer 1 7. Manufacturing process of the contact force sensor device in claim 16, where the metal film layer some The initial thickness of the floating membrane (1) is between 100-200 nm. 1 8. Production process of the contact force sensor device in claim 16, whereby the process of The aforementioned (4) thin-film insulating layer was created by evaporation process 1. 9. The production process of the contact sensor device in claim 16, wherein the construction process The aforementioned thin-film insulating layer (4) is performed by a sputtering process. 2 0. Production process of the contact sensor device in claim 16, where the process is Create a thin film layer of The piezoresistor (5) is done by ion-assisted electron beam evaporation process 2. 1. The production process of the contact force sensor device in claim 16, whereby the process of forming the electrode (6) of the thin palm. piezoresistor (5) at least two terminals On the thin film layer of Such piezoresistor (5) with metal is done by evaporation process 2. 2. The production process of the contact force sensor device in claim 16, whereby the process of forming the electrode (6) of the thin film of piezoresistor (5) at least two terminals On the thin film layer of Such piezoresistor (5) with metal is done by sputtering process.