Surface micromachined capacitive tactile image sensor
Abstract
An overview of the various available sensing principles for tactile images and the strategies for the fabrication of these structures are presented, starting from the earliest elastomer-based structures and concluding with recently presented silicon-based structures with on-chip instrumentation. Some principal aspects in the mechanical functioning of the sensor structure are discussed. The realization of the tactile image sensor with on-chip transistors is discussed, with the focus on the technological feasibilities. The available principles for the read-out of a sensor capacitance to detect the stretching of silicon diaphragms under mechanical pressures is presented. Other circuit elements which are required to interface a digital processor are described, and a series of simulation and measurement results to examine the agreement with the theoretical models are presented.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- April 1994
- Bibcode:
- 1994PhDT.........8W
- Keywords:
-
- Capacitance;
- Digital Systems;
- Fabrication;
- Image Processing;
- Micromachining;
- Micromechanics;
- Silicon Alloys;
- Tactile Sensors (Robotics);
- Analog To Digital Converters;
- Computerized Simulation;
- Mathematical Models;
- Multiplexing;
- Optical Measuring Instruments;
- Piezoelectricity;
- Signal Processing;
- Stress Measurement;
- Wafers;
- Engineering (General)