Piezoresistive snap-through detection for bifurcation-based MEMS sensors

We report on the piezoresistive method for detecting stability loss events in microelectromechanical sensors based on bifurcation. The method involves measuring the resistivity changes of an entire beam to detect snap-through transitions in an electrostatically actuated, bistable double-clamped crystalline silicon (Si) microbeam. The applicability of the suggested approach in two types of sensors—an ambient air temperature sensor or a mean air velocity sensor, is demonstrated. In both cases, the bistable beam, serving as the sensing element, is affected by the electrothermal Joule's heating and air cooling. The measured signal is obtained by monitoring the critical voltages of the snap-through transitions. Piezoresistive sensing is especially suitable for the response monitoring of the exposed to the environment, free-standing heated microbeam sensors, where optical, piezoelectric, or electrostatic interrogation methods are not applicable. The approach can be implemented in various bifurcation microsensors and for response monitoring of bistable actuators.