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Piezoresistive pressure sensor simulation

This example models a piezoresistive pressure sensor using the Mechanical analysis module of IntelliSuite. The
device consists of a membrane, fixed around the edges, with a trace wire on the surface. The wire is made of a
piezoresistive material (a material whose resistance is a function of strain).
When a pressure is applied to the back of the membrane, the membrane (and the wire on it) deform, changing the
resistance of the wire. By measuring the resistance of the wire, one can measure the pressure causing the
deformation.

Analysis
Click

StartProgramsIntelliSuiteThermoElectroMechanical

The Mechanical analysis module will appear. The model that will be used for this analysis has already been
created.
Click

FileOpen

Select pzr_sensor.save from the \IntelliSuite\Training\TEM\Piezo-resistive-pressure_sensor\directory.

Click Open.

Figure 131 Piezoresistive pressure sensor model

Simulation Setting
Click

Simulation Simulation Setting

Set the Calculation Type to Static and the Analysis Type to Stress/Displacement. In the Piezo Material section of

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the window, check the Piezoresistive Transducer Assembly.

Figure 132 Simulation Setting Dialog

Boundary conditions
The four lateral faces of the membrane must be fixed. To make the sides easier to see,
Click

ViewZoomDefine

Set the Z scale factor to 10. Click OK.

Click

BoundaryFixed

Select each of the four side faces of the membrane. Two of the faces are shown in Figure 133.

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Figure 133 Two of the 4 lateral faces for fixed boundary condition

Material properties
The resistivity values of the membrane and the resistor must be adjusted.
Click

MaterialCheck/Modify

Select the green (membrane) entity

Double Click

RESIST

Set the resistivity to 2.5 ohm.cm. Click OK twice.

The initial resistivity of the wire must then be set. Select the yellow (resistor) entity
Double Click

RESIST

Set the resistivity to 5e-5 ohm.cm. Click OK twice.

Piezoresistive properties must now be applied to the resistor wire to define how the wire resistance will change
as a function of strain.
Click

MaterialCheck/ Modify Select the yellow (resistor) entity. Select Piezoresistive

Coeff and check the values and modify accordingly. Click OK to accept the default values.

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Figure 134 Piezoresistive properties dialog box

Transducer analysis (pressure = 0)

For the initial simulation, no pressure will be applied, so that the baseline electrical response of the wire can be
measured. The stresses in the full transducer model must be calculated first (even if there will be no external
loading applied).
Click

AnalysisStart Static Analysis

All results should be zero (0).

Prepare resistor submodel

The piezoresistive analysis can now be set up.
Click

MeshExtract Resistor Mesh

Only the resistor wire should now be shown in the software window, as in Figure 135.

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Figure 135 Piezoresistor model

Refine the resistor mesh

Click

MeshAuto

Enter a maximum mesh size of 5 mm.

Apply electrothermal loads
Click

LoadsCurrentFace

Select the left (input) electrical contact face (see Figure 136a) and enter a value of 1e-3 A/mm2. This corresponds
to a 5 mA current.

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(a)

(b)
Figure 136 Left (input) and right (output) electrical contacts
Click

LoadsVoltageFace

Select the right (output) electrical contact face (see Figure 136 b) and enter a value of 0 V. This will serve as the
reference voltage for the solution.
Click

LoadsTemperatureFace

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Select the bottom face of the wire (see Figure 137) and enter a value of 20 deg C. This represents a heat sink
boundary condition, in which the wire sits on the membrane, which is always at 20 deg C.

Figure 137 Bottom face for temperature load

Resistor analysis
Click

AnalysisStart Static Analysis

When the simulation is finished,

Click

ResultPotential

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Figure 138 Electrical potential

The potential at the input is 0.6616 V. As the current was 5 mA, this corresponds to a resistance of 132.32 Ohm.
View the other results (Current Density, Temperature).

Transducer analysis (pressure = 0.5 MPa)

The second simulation will use the same model and properties, this time with a 0.5 MPa pressure load applied to
the back of the membrane. To return to the model of the entire device,
Click
Click

SimulationPiezoresistiveShow Transducer
SimulationSimulation Setting

Set the Analysis Type to Stress/Displacement. Click OK.

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Figure 139 Simulation Setting Dialog

Loads
Click

Loads Pressure Face

Select the bottom face of the membrane (see Figure 140) and enter a pressure of 0.5 MPa.

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Figure 140 Bottom face of membrane

Click

AnalysisStart Static Analysis

View the results (Z displacement, Stresses, etc.). If the z-scale factor is still set to 10, the deformation will appear
larger than it actually is.

Figure 141 z-displacement results (scaling factor=10)

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The piezoresistive analysis must now be set up again with the new stresses.

Resistor analysis
We can now run the piezoresistor analysis again without any additional setup required.
Click

SimulationPiezoresistiveShow Resistor

Click

AnalysisStart Static Analysis

When the simulation is finished,

Click

ResultPotential

Figure 142 Electrical potential

The potential at the input is 0.6571 V. As the current was 5 mA, this corresponds to a resistance of 131.42 Ohm.
View the other results (Current Density, Temperature).

Device Rotation
In the previous analysis, the resistance change is small due to the default crystalline orientation. That is, the
layout of the resistors is aligned along the <100> orientation of a p-type <110> oriented silicon wafer.
The user can rotate the mask layout in Blueprint or 3D structure in 3DBuilder by 45 so that the resistors will be
aligned the <110> orientation. In that case, the resistance change will increase significantly.
Click

FileOpen

Select pzr_sensor_45.save from the \IntelliSuite\Training\TEM\Piezo-resistive-pressure_sensor\

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directory. Click Open.

Compared to the previous 3D model, this structure is rotated counterclockwise around z-asix by 45 .

Figure 143 Rotated piezoresistive pressure sensor model

Simulation Setting
Click

SimulationSimulation Setting

Set the Calculation Type to Static and the Analysis Type to Stress/Displacement. In the Piezo Material section of
the window, check the Piezoresistive Transducer Assembly.

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Figure 144 Simulation Setting Dialog

Boundary conditions
The four lateral faces of the membrane must be fixed. To make the sides easier to see,
Click

ViewZoomDefine

Set the Z scale factor to 10. Click OK.

Click

BoundaryFixed

Select each of the four side faces of the membrane. Two of the faces are shown in Figure 145.

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Figure 145 Two of the 4 lateral faces for fixed boundary condition

Material properties
The resistivity values of the membrane and the resistor must be adjusted.
Click

Material Check/Modify

Select the gray (membrane) entity,

Double Click

RESIST

Set the resistivity to 2.5 ohm.cm. Click OK twice.

The initial resistivity of the wire must then be set. Select the green (resistor) entity,
Double Click

RESIST

Set the resistivity to 5e-5 ohm.cm. Click OK twice.

Piezoresistive properties must now be applied to the resistor wire to define how the wire resistance will change
as a function of strain.
Click

Material Check/ Modify and Select the green (resistor) entity, then select

Piezoresistive Coeff to check the valuesand modify accordingly. Click OK to accept the default values.

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Figure 146 Piezoresistive properties dialog box

Transducer analysis (pressure = 0)

For the initial simulation, no pressure will be applied, so that the baseline electrical response of the wire can be
measured. The stresses in the full transducer model must be calculated first (even if there will be no external
loading applied).
Click

AnalysisStart Static Analysis

All results should be zero (0).

Prepare resistor submodel

The piezoresistive analysis can now be set up.
Click

Mesh Extract Resistor Mesh

Only the resistor wire should now be shown in the software window, as in Figure 147.

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Figure 147 Piezoresistor model

Refine the resistor mesh

Click

Mesh Auto

Enter a maximum mesh size of 5 mm.

Apply electrothermal loads
Click

Loads Current Face

Select the left (input) electrical contact face (see Figure 148a) and enter a value of 1e-3 A/mm2. This corresponds
to a 5 mA current.

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(a)

(b)
Figure 148 Left (input) and right (output) electrical contacts
Click

Loads Voltage Face

Select the right (output) electrical contact face (see Figure 148 b) and enter a value of 0 V. This will serve as the
reference voltage for the solution.
Click

Loads Temperature Face

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Select the bottom face of the wire (see Figure 149) and enter a value of 20 deg C. This represents a heat sink
boundary condition, in which the wire sits on the membrane, which is always at 20 deg C.

Figure 149 Bottom face for temperature load

Resistor analysis
Click

Analysis Start Static Analysis

When the simulation is finished,

Click

Result Potential

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Figure 150 Electrical potential

The potential at the input is 0.6616 V. As the current was 5 mA, this corresponds to a resistance of 132.32 Ohm.
View the other results (Current Density, Temperature).

Transducer analysis (pressure = 0.5 MPa) (COPY)

The second simulation will use the same model and properties, this time with a 0.5 MPa pressure load applied to
the back of the membrane. To return to the model of the entire device,
Click
Click

SimulationPiezoresistiveShow Transducer
SimulationSimulation Setting

Set the Analysis Type to Stress/Displacement. Click OK.

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Figure 151 Simulation Setting Dialog

Loads
Click

Loads Pressure Face

Select the bottom face of the membrane (see Figure 152) and enter a pressure of 0.5 MPa.

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Figure 152 Bottom face of membrane

Click

Analysis Start Static Analysis

View the results (Z displacement, Stresses, etc.). If the z-scale factor is still set to 10, the deformation will appear
larger than it actually is.

Figure 153 z-displacement results (scaling factor=10)

The piezoresistive analysis must now be set up again with the new stresses.

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Resistor analysis
We can now run the piezoresistor analysis again without any additional setup required.
Click

SimulationPiezoresistiveShow Resistor

Click

AnalysisStart Static Analysis

When the simulation is finished,

Click

ResultPotential

Figure 154 Electrical potential

The potential at the input is 0.7321 V. As the current was 5 mA, this corresponds to a resistance of 146.42 Ohm.
This resistance change is much larger than the previous case.
View the other results (Current Density, Temperature).