Thin film technology applied to the development of a multilayer pressure sensor device

Thin film technology has been applied to the development of high-performance sensing devices based on nickel-chromium piezoresistive thin films. These sensing devices combine the high stability piezoresistive properties of an optimized NiCr metallic alloy with the high dielectric performance of a silicon dioxide thin layer, coating a stainless steel substrate. A complete production process, based on sputtering and photolithographic techniques, is proposed. The mechanical and electrical properties of the sensing device have been simultaneously optimized in order to obtain a highly reliable transducer.