Microsensor integration into systems-on-chip

Abstract

Sensing systems-on-chip (SSoCs), combining micromachined sensing structures and microelectronic building blocks on a single chip, are reviewed. While single-chip pressure and inertial sensing systems have been commercially available for more than a decade, the recent expansion of SsoC into new application areas, ranging from chemical and biochemical sensing to atomic force microscopy, demonstrates the full potential of this microsensor integration approach. Available fabrication processes for integrated sensing systems are summarized, categorizing them into pre-, intra-, and post-CMOS approaches depending on the way the micromachining module is merged with the integrated circuit (IC) technology. Examples of SSoCs are presented to highlight the different integration options, ranging from cointegration of micromachined sensors with purely analog signal chains to microsystems with cointegrated digital signal processors and digital interfaces.