Sensors and Actuators A, 30 (1992) 219-223 219

Polysilicon strain-gauge transducers

V A Gndchm, V M Lublmskyl and M P Sarma

Department of Apphed Physm, Novosrbmk Inwtute of Electrml Engmeertg, Novostbrrsk (Russza)

(ReLewed June 11,1991, m rewed form September IO, 1991, accepted November 19, 1991)

Abstract

S&am-gauge transducers with polyslhcon resistors can be used successfully m vanous sensors They have some
advantages m comparison to monocrystalhne slhcon strain-gauge transducers However, not enough mformatlon IS
available for the quahtatlve design of such transducers The theoretical prmclples of the temperature dependence of
the output sIgnal for a constant supply voltage and constant supply current are described A polyslhcon strain-gauge
transducer with a square diaphragm fabricated on the discussed pnnclples IS reported It has an operatmg
temperature range of - 190- + 300 “C, and weak temperature dependence of the output wgnal

Introduction are situated near the edges of the diaphragm and

their length E 1s very small compared with the
Fundamental research on the electrophyslcal diaphragm dimension 2a (I < 2~) There 1s no me-
properties of polycrystalline silicon films (polysili- chanical stress perpendicular to the resistor’s
con) [ 1,2] has shown that these layers have wide plane, T3 = 0 In this case the stress field m the
apphcatlon m strain-gauge transducers based on substrate 1s given by [5]
plezoreslstance Polyslhcon strain-gauge transduc-
T, = &,“‘(3uz - l)(v* - l)* + a*(‘)
ers have some advantages m comparison with
strain-gauge transducers fabncated m monocrys- x (5u4 - 6u2 + l)(o* - 1)3
tallme slhcon with diffused or ion-Implanted
plezoreslstors The first advantage 1s the ability to + a,“‘( 3v2 - l)(u2 - 1)’ + f24(‘)

deposit polycrystalhne slhcon films on various m- x (50~ - 6u2 + I)@’ - 1)3], I = 1,2 (1)
sulator coating substrates [3,4] The second ad-
vantage 1s the good electrical msulatlon between T6 = Auv[a,(u2 - l)(v2 - 1) + a&’ - l)‘(u* - l)‘]
plezoreslstors and substrate, consequently the tem- (2)
perature range of a polycrystalline strain-gauge
with
transducer 1s not limited by the leakage current of
the p-n Junction A = Paz/h*, u =x,/u, v =x2/u,
In this paper we shall discuss the prmclples of and u,(*) = u3(1), 42) = a,“), u2(*) = u4(l’, u (2)=
4
the temperature dependence of the output signal
a,“‘, 0 65971,
a,“’ = a$‘) = 0 19841, a$” =
from a diaphragm pressure transducer with
-0 04130, u4(‘)= 0 01242, us = - 1 58189, us =
polyslhcon resistors, and compare the calculated
0 71363, where P = pressure, 2a = the dla-
results with the measured characterlstlcs
phragm dimension, h = the diaphragm thickness,
and a,(” = coefficients
There 1s no shear component near the edges of
Theory
the diaphragm and on the axis T, = 0, and one can
easily calculate the biaxial stress field T,, T2 m the
Consider a strain-gauge transducer with polynh-
substrate The substrate strains are connected with
con resistors situated on an oxidized &con sub-
substrate stresses by the compliance coefficients
strate The transducer has a square silicon
Slk
diaphragm on the ( 100) plane with sides parallel to
the (110) directions (Fig 1) Polyslhcon resistors 6, = s,k Tk (3)

0924.424?/92/$5 00 @ 1992 - Elsewer Sequoia All rights reserved

220
FIN 1 Polys~kon pressure transducer with square diaphragm
Polys~hcon resistors are situated near the edges of the diaphragm
The polyslhcon resistors are connected to the
substrate m a mechanically ngd way, so their
strains comclde with the substrate strains If the
resistors are situated as shown m Fig 1, then the
strain-induced reslstlvlty R,(E, , Ed)of resistor I m
the linear approxlmatlon 1s given by
R,(E,, ~2)= R,(O)(
1 + &I(‘) + i&&2(‘))
where R,(0)= resistance of reslstor z without
strain, K, = longltudmal gauge factor, K, =
transverse gauge factor, and eJ(‘)=jth component
of the strain of the resistor 1
A theoretical study of K, and K, and their
dependence on film orientation and doping con-
centration was performed elsewhere [6]
Usually the resistors are connected m a full
bridge cu-cult (Fig 2), and the strain-mduced out-
put slgnal 1s expressed
(1) If the supply current 1s constant
(Isup= const )
Fig 2 Electrical cxcult of polys~hcon stram-gauge transducer
uo,,=+’(4 (4 - ME))
(2) If the supply voltage 1s constant
( Usup= const )
c6ut= Klp
46)
RI(E)
-
+
R2W
R2(4 1 (6)
Taking mto account eqn (4), the temperature
coefficients of the output signal can be calculated
by dlfferentlatmg eqns (5) and (6)
(1) Isup= const
TKK,
TKU,,,=TKR -I-
TKK,
(7)
(2) Usup= const
(*)
TKU,,,=
(4)
where TKR ISthe temperature coefficient of resls-
tlvlty, TKK, 1sthe temperature coefficient of the
longltudmal gauge factor and TKK, 1sthe temper-
ature coefficient of the transverse gauge factor
From our mvestlgatlon of polyslhcon thin films
deposlted by LPCVD and B-doped from a hard
BN source, It has become known that the temper-
ature coefficients of the longltudmal and trans-
verse gauge factors are different [7] The reason for
such temperature behavlour IS as follows From
the theoretical model offered by Schubert et al [6],
It ts known that the gauge factors K,and K, for a
given film orlentatlon depend on the correspond-
mg combmattons of the plezoreslstlve coefficients
x,, , xl2 and n44 At the high doping levels we have
m our films ( 1 x 1020cmm3) the contrlbutlons from
x,, and 7c12to the plezoreslstlve effect are compat-
able with that from Q and serve as a reason for
the different temperature dependences of the longl-
tudmal and transverse gauge factors
This difference dlstmgulshes the temperature de-
pendence of the output signal of polycrystallme
strain gauges from monocrystalline ones
 221

For an analogous transducer with monocrys- b-

talhne resistors, eqns (7) and (8) have a well-
x x 22.-
known form J Y

21- x*
TKU,,,, = TKK i- TKR for I = const (9) x
20‘ *

TKU,,, = TKK for U = const (10) r9 -

A

x
In the case of polycrystalhne resistors, the tem- fa - z

perature coefficient of the output signal depends 4

-200 - 100 0, 400 .?a0
not only on the temperature coefficients of reas- 7;v
-7 -
tance and gauge factors, but also on the relation .
.
KJK, and on the resistor arrangement on the -P -
.
diaphragm For the reslstor arrangement shown m -9 -
.
.
Fig 1, the relation between E,(I)1s as follows .
-!n -
.
81(1)_ E,(2) . -I, -
(1)_ E2(2)= -1 (11)
l
82
-IP .
.
Thus eqns (7) and (8) are transformed mto .
k _

TKK, TKK, Rg 3 Temperature dependences of the longtudmal and transverse

TKU,,, = TKR + gauge factors for a earner concentration of I x 1P cm-3
(, -$+ (i -2) (12)

and
TKK, - 2 TKK,
T
TKU,,, =
I-;
( )
respectively Equations (12) and (13) determine the
peculiarity of the temperature compensation of an
output signal from strain-gauge transducers with
polysihcon resistors
Experimental
Test structures
The mvestlgatlon of the longltudmal and trans-
verse gauge factors, their temperature dependences
and the temperature dependence of reslstlvlty was
performed on the test cantilever structures The
sensltlve polyslhcon layers were deposlted on ther-
mally oxidized ( 100) -onented slhcon substrates,
with an oxide thickness of 0 3 pm For the 0 6 pm
polyslhcon deposition, a LPCVD process at 625 “C
was used The doping was performed by diffusion
of boron from a hard BN source After annealmg,
the structures were patterned and contacted with
alummmm, then they were passlvated by an oxide
film The polyslhcon films have a dominant (110)
onentatlon perpendicular to the film surface
Gauge factors, resistance and Hall effect were
measured over the temperature range - 190-
(13) + 300 “C The sheet resistance of the polyslhcon
films at room temperature 1s 54 Q/O and the
carrier concentration 1s 1 x 10” cmF3 The temper-
ature coefficient of reslstlvlty m the range + 20-
+ 300 “C 1s0 09%/“C The temperature dependences
of the longltudmal and transverse gauge factors
are shown m Fig 3 It 1s obvious that the temper-
aure dependences are different In the temperature
range + 20- + 300 “C, TKK, = - 0 06%/“C and
TKK, = - 0 1l%/‘C Between K, and K, at room
temperature there exists a relation K, x - 2 K,
Takmg mto account this relation, eqns (12) and
(13) have the forms
TKU,,, = TKR •t ; TKK, f f TKK7
for ISUp= const ( 14)
and
TKU,,, = 4 TKKF + 3 TKK, for UsuP= const
(15)
Strain -gauge pressure transducer
Based on the discussed pnnctples and described
technology, a polyslhcon strain-gauge transducer
was designed and fabncated The transducer was
222
5 mm x 5 mm x 380pm m size and the diaphragm
2 mm x 2 mm x 45 pm The diaphragm was pro-
duced with the help of the amsotroplc etch tech-
nique m KOH The value of the polyslhcon resls-
tors 1s (560 + 5) Q, and they are connected m the
bridge clrcmt To stabilize the mltlal output signal,
the diaphragm has a passlvatmg oxide coating
The transducer 1s connected with the glass of the
package by electrical bonding
Results
The polyslhcon strain-gauge transducer was
investigated m the temperature range - 190-
+ 300 “C using two methods of supply constant
current (ISUp= 9 mA) and constant voltage (USUp=
5 V) The nominal pressure was 1 66 x 10’ Pa
The nominal output slgnal was 33 7 mV at room
temperature Its temperature dependences for con-
stant-current and constant-voltage supplies are
presented m Fig 4 The measured temperature
coefficients of the output signal m the temperature
range + 20- + 300 “C are presented m Table 1
The non-hnearity of the output signal IS less than
0 5% The mltlal output signal 1s 5 mV and its
temperature variation m the whole temperature
range 1s less than 3 mV In Table 1 the tempera-
ture coefficients of an output signal calculated
according to eqns ( 14) and ( 15) are given, the
measured and calculated output signals are also
presented
The experimental results are m good agreement
with the calculated ones Any difference 1s ex-
plamed by the influence of the packaging on the
temperature characterlstlcs of the transducer
UWt
mV
;1
I ,
0
-200 -100 100 200
Fig 4 Temperature dependence of output slgnal
constant, 0, voltage IS constant
TABLE 1 Temperature coefficients of output slgnal m the tempera-
ture range + 20- + 300 “C
Calculated Measured
output Slgndl mV 34 8 33 7
T=2O”C
Temperature coefficient of 001 0 02
output slgnal (“/o/“C),
CUP= const
Temperature coefficient of -008 -005
output slgnal (%/“C),
(I,,, = const
Conclusions
Polycrystalhne strain-gauge transducers are able
to work m the temperature range - 190- + 300 “C
The temperature dependence of an output signal IS
weak enough (0 02%/“C m the temperature range
+ 20- + 300 “C d the supply current IS constant,
and - 0 02%/“C m the temperature range - 190-
+ 20 “C if the supply voltage IS constant)
The temperature coefficient of the output signal
of a polycrystalhne strain-gauge transducer depends
not only on the temperature coefficients of reslstlvlty
and gauge factors, but also on the resistor arrange-
ment on the diaphragm and on the value of the
relation K,/K,
The prmclples of the temperature dependence of
the output signal of polycrystalhne stram-gauge
transducers discussed here give good agreement
with the measured characterlstlcs
References
1 P J French and A G R Evans, Plezoreslstance m polyslhcon and
Its apphcatlons to stram gauges, Sohd-Sfure Elecrron, 32 (1989)
l-10
2 E Obermeler and F van Klenhn, Drucksensor fur hohe Betnehs-
temperaturen, Ind Electr Electron , 7 (1985) 50-54
3 Y Onuma and K Kamlmura, Plezoresstne elements of polycrys-
talhne semlconductor thin films, Sensors and Actuators, 13 (1988)
71-71
4 J Erskme, Polycrystalhne slhcon-on-metal stram gauge transduc-
ers, IEEE Trans Electron Devrces, ED-30 (1983) 796-801
5 V A Gndchm, Deslgnmg of sIbcon stram gauge transducers wth
square diaphragm, Semtconductor Pwzoresators, Novoslblrsk In-
statute of Electrical Engmeermg, Novoslbxsk, 1985, pp 97- 100
6 D Schubert, W Jenschke, T Uhhg and F M Schmidt, Plezoresw
twe propertles of polycrystalhne and crystallme &con films, Sen-
sors and Actuators, 1 I (1987) 145- 155
TV!
7 V A Gndchm, V M Lublmskyl and M P Sarma, Temperature
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Electron , Lvov, 39 (1989) 69-73

Biographies
V~tor G~UMWJgraduated from Novoslblrsk In-
stitute of Electrical Engineering m 1964 He ob-
tamed his Doctor’s degree m 1969, and m 1982 he
defended his Dlssertatlon 2, devoted to problems
of theory and design prmclples of slhcon stram-
gauge transducers He IS now a professor at the
chau- of mlcroelectromcs
Vladmur Lublmskyl graduated from Novow-
223
blrsk Institute of Electrlcal Engineering m 1971
He obtamed his Doctor’s degree m 1979 on work
devoted to the mvestlgatlon of the physical prop-
erties of SIC Now his work 1s connected wth
polyslhcon pressure transducers
Marzna Sarma graduated from Novoslbn-sk
Institute of Electrical Engineering m 1981 Her
work IS now on polyslhcon strain-gauge transduc-
ers