• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2010

In this paper, we propose a sensor design by using a polysilicon strain gauge bonded to a metal diaphragm. The fabrication process of the thin polysilicon strain gauges having thicknesses of $50\;{\mu}m$ was established using conventional MEMS technologies; further, the technique of glass frit bonding of the polysilicon strain gauge to the stainless steel diaphragm was established. Performance of the polysilicon strain gauge bonded to the metal cantilever beam was evaluated. The gauge factor, temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), nonlinearity, and hysteresis of the polysilicon strain gauge were measured. The results demonstrate that the resistance increases linearly with tensile stress, while it decreases with compressive stress. The value of the gauge factor, which represents the sensitivity of strain gauges, is 34.0; this value is about 7.15 times higher than the gauge factor of a metal-foil strain gauge. The resistance of the polysilicon strain gauge decreases linearly with an increase in the temperature, and TCR is $-328\;ppm/^{\circ}C$. Further, nonlinearity and hysteresis are 0.21 % FS and 0.17 % FS, respectively.