Understanding Smart Sensors / Edition 1

by Randy Frank

Overview

"Two of the most important trends in sensor development in recent years have been advances in micromachined sensing elements of all kinds, and the increase in intelligence applied at the sensor level. This book addresses both, and provides a good overview of current technology". -- I&CS

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780890068243
Publisher:	Artech House, Incorporated
Publication date:	12/01/1995
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Randy Frank is the president of Randy Frank and Associates in Scottsdale, Arizona. A well established author and holder of three patents, Mr. Frank received his B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering, as well as his M.B.A. in management, from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He is the former chairman and a member of the Sensors Standards Committee of the Society of Automotive Engineers and a member of the IEEE.

Table of Contents

	Preface	xv
Chapter 1	Smart Sensor Basics	1
1.1	Introduction	1
1.2	Mechanical-Electronic Transitions in Sensing	3
1.3	Nature of Sensors	4
1.4	Integration of Micromachining and Microelectronics	9
1.5	Summary	14
	References	14
Chapter 2	Micromachining	15
2.1	Introduction	15
2.2	Bulk Micromachining	16
2.2.1	Silicon on Silicon Bonding	19
2.2.2	Silicon on Glass (Anodic) Bonding	20
2.3	Surface Micromachining	20
2.3.1	Squeeze-Film Damping	22
2.3.2	Stiction	23
2.3.3	Particulate Control	23
2.3.4	Combinations of Surface and Bulk Micromachining	24
2.4	Other Micromachining Techniques	25
2.4.1	LIGA Process	25
2.4.2	Dry Etching Processes	25
2.4.3	Silicon Fusion Bonding	27
2.4.4	Lasers in Micromachining	28
2.4.5	Post Etching to Obtain Smarter Structures	29
2.5	Other Micromachined Materials	33
2.5.1	Diamond as an Alternate Sensor Material	33
2.5.2	Metal Oxides and Piezoelectric Sensing	34
2.5.3	Films on Microstructures	34
2.6	Summary	35
	References	35
Chapter 3	The Nature of Semiconductor Sensor Output	39
3.1	Introduction	39
3.2	Sensor Output Characteristics	39
3.2.1	Wheatstone Bridge	40
3.2.2	Piezoresistivity in Silicon	41
3.2.3	Semiconductor Sensor Definitions	43
3.2.4	Static versus Dynamic Operation	45
3.3	Other Sensing Technologies	46
3.3.1	Capacitive Sensing	46
3.3.2	Piezoelectric Sensing	46
3.3.3	Hall Effect	48
3.3.4	Chemical Sensors	49
3.3.5	Improving Sensor Characteristics	49
3.4	Digital Output Sensors	50
3.4.1	Incremental Optical Encoders	50
3.4.2	Digital Techniques	51
3.5	Noise/Interference Aspects	53
3.6	Low-Power, Low-Voltage Sensors	53
3.6.1	Impedance	54
3.7	An Analysis of Sensitivity Improvement	54
3.7.1	Thin Diaphragm	54
3.7.2	Increase Diaphragm Area	54
3.7.3	Combined Solution: Micromachining and Microelectronics	55
3.8	Summary	55
	References	56
Chapter 4	Getting Sensor Information into the MCU	57
4.1	Introduction	57
4.2	Amplification and Signal Conditioning	57
4.2.1	Instrumentation Amplifiers	59
4.2.2	Sleep-Mode Operational Amplifier	59
4.2.3	Rail-to-Rail Operational Amplifiers	60
4.2.4	Switched-Capacitor Amplifier	64
4.2.5	Barometer Application Circuit	64
4.2.6	A 4- to 20-mA Signal Transmitter	65
4.2.7	Schmitt Trigger	65
4.3	Separate versus Integrated Signal Conditioning	65
4.3.1	Integrated Passive Elements	68
4.3.2	Integrated Active Elements	68
4.4	Digital Conversion	68
4.4.1	A/D Converters	70
4.4.2	ADC Performance	72
4.4.3	ADC Accuracy/Error Implications	74
4.5	Summary	74
	References	75
Chapter 5	Using MCUs/DSPs to Increase Sensor IQ	77
5.1	Introduction	77
5.1.1	Other IC Technologies	77
5.1.2	Logic Requirements	78
5.2	MCU Control	79
5.3	MCUs for Sensor Interface	79
5.3.1	Peripherals	80
5.3.2	Memory	80
5.3.3	I/O	81
5.3.4	Onboard A/D Conversion	81
5.3.5	Power-Saving Capability	83
5.3.6	Local Voltage or Current Regulation	84
5.3.7	Modular MCU Design	85
5.4	DSP Control	85
5.4.1	Algorithms versus Look-Up Tables	88
5.5	Techniques and Systems Considerations	88
5.5.1	Linearization	89
5.5.2	PWM Control	89
5.5.3	Autozero and Autorange	90
5.5.4	Diagnostics	93
5.5.5	EMC/RFI Reduction	93
5.5.6	Indirect (Computed not Sensed) versus Direct Sensing	93
5.6	Software, Tools, and Support	94
5.7	Sensor Integration	94
5.8	Summary	96
	References	97
Chapter 6	Communications for Smart Sensors	99
6.1	Introduction	99
6.2	Background and Definitions	99
6.2.1	Background	101
6.3	Sources (Organizations) and Standards	102
6.4	Automotive Protocols	103
6.4.1	SAE J1850	103
6.4.2	CAN Protocol	105
6.4.3	Other Automotive Protocols	108
6.5	Industrial Networks	108
6.5.1	Industrial Usage of CAN	109
6.5.2	LonTalk Protocol	110
6.5.3	Other Industrial Protocols	110
6.6	Office/Building Automation	111
6.7	Home Automation	111
6.7.1	CEBus	112
6.7.2	LonTalk	112
6.8	Protocols in Silicon	113
6.8.1	MCU with Integrated SAE J1850	113
6.8.2	MCU with Integrated CAN	113
6.8.3	Neuron Chips and LonTalk Protocol	118
6.8.4	MI-Bus	119
6.8.5	Other MCUs and Protocols	120
6.9	Other Aspects of Network Communications	120
6.9.1	MCU Protocols	121
6.9.2	Transition between Protocols	121
6.9.3	The Protocol as a Module	122
6.10	Summary	123
	References	123
Chapter 7	Control Techniques	125
7.1	Introduction	125
7.1.1	Programmable Logic Controllers	125
7.1.2	Open versus Closed-Loop Systems	126
7.1.3	PID Control	126
7.2	State Machines	129
7.3	Fuzzy Logic	129
7.4	Neural Networks	133
7.4.1	Combined Fuzzy + Neural	135
7.5	Adaptive Control	136
7.6	Other Control Areas	137
7.6.1	RISC versus CISC Architecture	138
7.6.2	Combined CISC, RISC, and DSP	140
7.7	Impact of Artificial Intelligence	141
7.8	Summary	142
	References	142
Chapter 8	Transceivers, Transponders, and Telemetry	145
8.1	Introduction	145
8.1.1	The RF Spectrum	146
8.1.2	Spread Spectrum	148
8.2	Wireless Data and Communications	150
8.2.1	Wireless Local Area Networks	151
8.2.2	Fax/Modems	151
8.2.3	Wireless Zone Sensing	152
8.2.4	Optical Signal Transmission	153
8.3	RF Sensing	153
8.3.1	SAW	154
8.3.2	Radar	155
8.3.3	Global Positioning System (GPS)	156
8.3.4	Remote Emissions Sensing	157
8.3.5	Remote Keyless Entry	158
8.3.6	Intelligent Transportation System	159
8.3.7	RF-ID	161
8.3.8	Other Remote Sensing	162
8.3.9	Measuring RF Signal Strength	163
8.4	Telemetry	163
8.5	Summary	165
	References	166
Chapter 9	Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)	169
9.1	Introduction	169
9.2	Micromachined Actuators	169
9.2.1	Microvalves	170
9.2.2	Micromotors	171
9.2.3	Micropumps	173
9.2.4	Microdynamometer	175
9.2.5	Actuators in Other Semiconductor Materials	176
9.3	Other Micromachined Structures	176
9.3.1	Cooling Channels	176
9.3.2	Micro-Optics	177
9.3.3	Microgripper	178
9.3.4	Microprobes	179
9.3.5	Micromirrors	179
9.3.6	Heating Elements	180
9.3.7	Thermionic Emitters	180
9.3.8	Field Emission Devices	181
9.3.9	Unfoldable Microelements	182
9.3.10	Micronozzles	184
9.3.11	Interconnects for Stacked Wafers	184
9.4	Summary	185
	References	185
Chapter 10	Packaging Implications of Smarter Sensors	187
10.1	Introduction	187
10.2	Semiconductor Packaging Applied to Sensors	187
10.2.1	Increased Pin Count	190
10.3	Hybrid Packaging	191
10.3.1	Ceramic Packaging and Ceramic Substrates	191
10.3.2	Multichip Modules	191
10.3.3	Dual-Chip Packaging	193
10.3.4	Ball Grid Array Packaging	194
10.4	Packaging for Monolithic Sensors	195
10.4.1	Plastic Packaging	196
10.4.2	Surface-Mount Packaging	196
10.4.3	Flip-Chip	196
10.4.4	Wafer-Level Packaging	198
10.5	Reliability Implications	199
10.5.1	Wafer-Level Sensor Reliability	202
10.6	Summary	203
	References	203
Chapter 1	Mechatronics and Sensing Systems	205
11.1	Introduction	205
11.1.1	Integration and Mechatronics	205
11.2	Smart-Power ICs	206
11.3	Embedded Sensing	208
11.3.1	Temperature Sensing	208
11.3.2	Current Sensing in Power ICs	211
11.3.3	Diagnostics	211
11.4	Sensing Arrays	215
11.4.1	Multiple Sensing Devices	215
11.4.2	Multiple Types of Sensors	218
11.4.3	An Integrated Sensing System	218
11.5	Other System Aspects	219
11.5.1	Batteries	219
11.5.2	Field Emission Displays	220
11.5.3	System Voltage Transients, ESD, and EMI	220
11.6	Summary	222
	References	222
Chapter 12	The Next Phase of Sensing Systems	225
12.1	Introduction	225
12.2	Future Semiconductor Capabilities	225
12.3	Future System Requirements	227
12.4	Not-So-Future Systems	228
12.4.1	Fabry-Perot Interferometer	228
12.4.2	HVAC Sensor Chip	229
12.4.3	Speech Recognition and Micro-Microphones	230
12.4.4	Microgyroscope	231
12.4.5	MCU with Integrated Pressure Sensor	231
12.5	Software, Sensing, and the System	231
12.6	Alternate Views of Smart Sensing	236
12.7	Summary	236
	References	238
	Smart Sensor Acronym Decoder and Glossary	241
	About the Author	259
	Index	261

Editorial Reviews

This volume provides an overview of smart sensor basics and advanced information regarding micromachining, the nature of semiconductor sensor output, transceivers, transponders, telemetry, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Also covered are the packaging, testing, and reliability of smart sensors, and the new IEEE standards for smart sensing. Frank is an application specialist in sensor technology who works as a technical marketing manager for ON Semiconductor. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews