Silicon strain gage having a thin layer of highly conductive silicon

This invention relates to a silicon semiconductor strain gage, and in particular, to a silicon semiconductor strain gage comprising a thin layer of highly conductive silicon on a semi-insulating host substrate layer. A semiconductor strain gage having an electrically resistive substrate layer and a layer of electrically conductive silicon supported by the substrate layer. The silicon layer can be an epitaxial silicon layer grown on a surface of the substrate layer or a diffused or ion-implanted layer formed in the surface of the substrate layer. Also, a force measuring and detecting device including a force responsive member and the above-described semiconductor strain gage attached to the force responsive member, the strain gage measuring forces applied to the force responsive member.