Two dimensional material-based pressure sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9347840-B2
Application number	US-201414334923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2014
Priority date	Jul 18, 2013
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

This disclosure provides example methods, devices, and systems for a two dimensional material-based pressure sensor. A sensor device is provided that includes a substrate having a back electrode, a conductive layer in communication with the back electrode, and an insulating layer coupled to the conductive layer. The insulating layer includes one or more cavity regions. A sensor membrane comprising a two-dimensional material is disposed adjacent to the insulating layer and covering at least one of the one or more cavity regions. A first sensing electrode is in electrical communication with a first region of the sensor membrane, and a second sensing electrode is in communication with a second region of the sensor membrane. The sensor membrane is configured to respond to pressure changes exerted on the sensor device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor device comprising:
a substrate that includes:
a back-electrode;
a conductive layer, in communication with the back-electrode; and
an insulating layer coupled to the conductive layer, the insulating layer comprising one or more cavity regions;

a sensor membrane comprising a two-dimensional material and disposed adjacent to the insulating layer and covering at least one of the one or more cavity regions;
a first sensing electrode in electrical communication with a first region of the sensor membrane; and
a second sensing electrode in communication with a second region of the sensor membrane;
wherein the sensor membrane is configured to respond to pressure changes exerted on the sensor device.

2. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the back-electrode is configured to measure a capacitance change relative to the first or second sensing electrode based on pressure-induced deflection of the sensor membrane.

3. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the back electrode is configured to accept a controlled voltage for producing an electric field, and wherein the sensor membrane is configured to produce a transconductive resistance change responsive to a pressure-induced deflection of the sensor membrane and a corresponding interaction of the sensor membrane with the electric field.

4. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the back-electrode is configured to accept a voltage potential relative to the first or second sensing electrode for controlling an electric field associated with the sensor membrane.

5. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cavity regions comprise an array of holes in the insulating layer.

6. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein the holes comprise cylindrical voids having diameters of between about 10 nanometers and about 20 micrometers.

7. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor membrane comprises a material made from one or more of graphene, MoS 2 , and TiS 2 .

8. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises one or more of silicon, doped silicon, silicon dioxide, hafnium oxide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, metal, and a flexible polymer.

9. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a periphery of the sensor membrane is affixed to the insulating layer.

10. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cavity regions comprise an array of trenches in the insulating layer.

11. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor membrane comprises a two-dimensional material having a thickness dimension of one atom.

12. A sensor system comprising:
a measurement circuit;
a sensor in communication with the measurement circuit, the sensor comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a back-electrode;
a conductive layer, in communication with the back-electrode; and
an insulating layer coupled to the conductive layer, the insulating layer comprising one or more cavity regions;

a sensor membrane comprising a two-dimensional material and disposed adjacent to the insulating layer and covering at least one of the one or more cavity regions;
a first sensing electrode in electrical communication with a first region of the sensor membrane; and
a second sensing electrode in communication with a second region of the sensor membrane;
wherein the sensor membrane is configured to respond to pressure changes exerted on the sensor membrane.

13. The sensor system of claim 12 , wherein the back-electrode is configured to measure a capacitance change relative to the first or second sensing electrode based on pressure-induced deflection of the sensor membrane.

14. The sensor device of claim 12 , wherein the back electrode is configured to accept a controlled voltage for producing an electric field, and wherein the sensor membrane is configured to produce a transconductive resistance change responsive to a pressure-induced deflection of the sensor membrane and a corresponding interaction of the sensor membrane with the electric field.

15. The sensor system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one back-electrode is configured to accept a voltage potential from the measurement circuit relative to the first or second sensing electrode for controlling an electric field associated with the sensor membrane.

16. The sensor system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more cavity regions comprise an array of holes in the insulating layer.

17. The sensor system of claim 16 , wherein the holes comprise cylindrical voids having diameters of between about 10 nanometers and about 20 micrometers.

18. The sensor system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor membrane comprises a material made from one or more of graphene, MoS 2 , and TiS 2 .

19. The sensor system of claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises one or more of silicon, doped silicon, silicon dioxide, hafnium oxide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, metal, and a flexible polymer.

20. The sensor system of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of a periphery of the sensor membrane is affixed to the insulating layer.

21. The sensor system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more cavity regions comprise an array of holes in the insulating layer, and a wherein a diameter distribution of the holes is configured to affect a frequency response of the sensor system.

22. The sensor device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more cavity regions comprise an array of trenches in the insulating layer.

23. A sensor array system comprising:
at least one measurement circuit; and
an array of sensors in communication with the at least one measurement circuit, the array of sensors comprising two or more sensors, each of the two or more sensors comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a back-electrode;
a conductive layer, in communication with the back-electrode; and
an insulating layer coupled to the conductive layer, the insulating layer comprising one or more cavity regions;

a sensor membrane comprising a two-dimensional material and disposed adjacent to the insulating layer and covering at least one of the one or more cavity regions;
a first sensing electrode in electrical communication with a first region of the sensor membrane; and
a second sensing electrode in communication with a second region of the sensor membrane;

wherein the sensor membrane is configured to respond to pressure changes exerted on the two or more sensors.

24. The sensor array system of claim 23 , wherein the back-electrode is configured to measure a capacitance change relative to the first or second sensing electrode based on pressure-induced deflection of the sensor membrane.

25. The sensor array system of claim 23 , wherein the back electrode is configured to accept a controlled voltage for producing an electric field, and wherein the sensor membrane is configured to produce a transconductive resistance change responsive to a pressure-induced deflection of the sensor membrane and a corresponding interaction of the sensor membrane with the electric field.

Assignees

• Kulite Semiconductor Products
• Xulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Univ Columbia

Inventors

• Hurst Adam
• Van Der Zande Arend
• Hone James

Classifications

• G01L1/2287

  constructional details of the strain gauges (adjustable resistors H01C10/00) · CPC title

• G01L1/146

  for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays (G01L1/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01L1/205

  using distributed sensing elements · CPC title

• G01L1/225 Primary

  Measuring circuits therefor · CPC title