Design and Fabrication of High-Temperature SOI Strain-Gauges

The following paper introduces the coventor ware design environment for SOI based piezoresistive sensor design. Fabrication process and characterization of designed sensors is also presented. The software package Coventor Ware has been used for design of mechanical and electrical characteristics of the structure. The tools enable design, modelling and successive modification of designed MEMS structures. The program enables: drawing of 2D layout and its editing, simulation of production process, generation of 3D model from 2D masks, generation of network by the method offinite elements, solution of mechanical, piezoresistive, thermal and further simulations. Simple passive elements (strain sensitive resistors - piezoresistors) were fabricated on SIMOX SOI substrates with sputtered AlCuSi metallization. Basic parameter extraction and their temperature dependence were performed.