Caltech Micromachining Laboratory IC-Integrated Flexible Shear-Stress Sensor Skin

Project Abstract

This paper reports the successful development of the first IC-integrated flexible MEMS shear-stress sensor skin. The sensor skin is 1 cm wide, 2 cm long and 70 mm thick. It contains 16 shear-stress sensors, which are arranged in a 1-D array, with on-skin sensor bias, signal-conditioning, and multiplexing circuitry. We further demonstrated the application of the sensor skin by packaging it on a semicylindrical aluminum block and testing it in a subsonic wind tunnel. In our experiment, the sensor skin has successfully identified both the leading-edge flow separation and stagnation points with the on-skin circuitry. The integration of IC with MEMS sensor skin has significantly simplified implementation procedures and improved system reliability.

Reference

Y. Xu, Y.C. Tai, A. Huang and C.H. Ho, “IC-integrated Flexible Shear-stress Sensor Skin,” Technical Digest, Solid State Sensor and actuator Workshop (SSAW’02), Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, June 2002. pp. 247-250.

Involved Personnel

Yong Xu, Yu-Chong Tai, Adam Huang, and Chih-Ming Ho

Related Publications

  • F. Jiang, Y. Xu, T. Weng, Z. Han, Y.-C. Tai, A. Huang, C.-M. Ho, and S. Newbern, "Flexible shear stress sensor skin for aerodynamics applications," presented at IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Miyazaki, Japan, 2000.

  • C. Liu, Y. -C. Tai, J. B. Huang, and C. M. Ho, "Surface Micromachined Thermal Shear Stress Sensor," presented at ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Chicago, IL, 1994.

  • X. Q. Wang, Z. Han, F. Jiang, T. Tsao, Q. Lin, Y. -C. Tai, and C. M. Ho, "A Fully Integrated Shear Stress Sensor," presented at International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators (Transducer), Sendai, Japan, 1999.

  • X. Q. Wang, X. Yang, K. Walsh, and Y.-C. Tai, "Gas-phase silicon etching with bromine trifluoride," presented at International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators (Transducer), Chicago, IL, USA, 1997.

  • Y. Xu, C.-W. Chiu, F. Jiang, Q. Lin, and Y.-C. Tai, "Mass Flowmeter Using a Multi-Sensor Chip," presented at IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Miyazaki, Japan, 2000.