Magnetic and Piezoelectric Material Selection for MEMS Current Sensor

SiliconPro是一家总部位于渥太华的公司，在复杂FPGA和ASIC设备的架构，设计和验证方面与客户合作。他们开发了高性能前向纠错（FEC）的硅IP，并试图在无线和光学市场上利用它作为改善通信渠道的一种手段。该技术的第一个实施例将是一种用于电网电力监测的新型低功耗传感器网络。SiliconPro已经为该应用开发了基于压电陶瓷的传感器宏原型，并正在与MEMS行业合作伙伴合作，将其重新设计成具有成本效益的MEMS规模版本，类似于UofA MEMS/NEMS高级设计实验室（ADL）设想的概念设计。目前商业化的一个障碍是缺乏一个标准的MEMS工艺来生产高强度的稀土微磁铁，这些微磁铁可以在MEMS规模上可重复地图案化和制造。同样，很少有MEMS代工厂拥有成熟的压电材料沉积工艺，可以生产对施加应变高频变化敏感的MEMS级压电元件。SiliconPro正在寻找研究合作伙伴，他们可以为传感器的这两个关键元素开发解决方案，使用的材料最终可以引入或转移到商业晶圆厂，以实现大批量，低成本的制造。

SiliconPro is an Ottawa-based company partnering with customers in the architecture, design and verification of complex FPGA and ASIC devices. They have developed Silicon IP in high performance Forward Error Correction (FEC) and are attempting to exploit it in the wireless and optical markets as a means of improving communication channels. The first embodiment of this technology will be a novel, low-power sensor network to be employed in power monitoring in the Electric Power Grid. SiliconPro has developed a PZT-based macro prototype of the sensor for this application and is working with MEMS industry partners to redesign it into a cost effective MEMS-scale version, similar to the conceptual design envisioned by the UofA MEMS/NEMS Advanced Design Lab (ADL). One current roadblock to commercialization is the lack of a standard MEMS process for the production of high strength, rare earth micromagnets that can be reproducibly patterned and fabricated at the MEMS scale. Similarly, few MEMS foundries have a proven piezoelectric material deposition process that can produce a MEMS-scale piezoelectric element sensitive to high frequency variations in applied strain. SiliconPro is searching for research partners who can develop solutions for these two key elements of the sensor using materials that can eventually be introduced or transferred into a commercial fab for high volume, low cost fabrication.