This paper reports the design, fabrication and calibration results of a miniature cross-shaped three-axial piezoresistive force sensor, which can simultaneously detect three force components in orthogonal directions. MEMS technology was used to fabricate the sensor structure and deposit a phosphosilicate layer on the silicon wafer to form piezoresistive resistors. Using the finite element simulation, the developed sensor performance characteristics, such as linearity, repeatability, sensitivity, and hysteresis, are analyzed for different arrangements of eight piezoresistors on the silicon beam surface. The sensor performance was experimentally validated by monitoring the voltage variation of Wheatstone bridge when a load-bearing rigid rod was loaded in three different directions by a set of weights. Calibration results exhibited linear output responses with the maximum linearity of 0.98 and small crosstalk below 7%. The MEMS sensor repeatability was tested with a commercial stepper motor by measuring a step function-varying profile force was applied to the sensor. Further optimization of the sensor design for sensing six degrees of freedom movement is envisaged with its sensitivity enhancement by the silicon substrate reduction.

中文翻译：

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微型三轴 MEMS 力传感器的设计和表征

本文报道了一种微型十字形三轴压阻式力传感器的设计、制造和校准结果，该传感器可以同时检测正交方向的三个力分量。MEMS 技术用于制造传感器结构并在硅晶片上沉积磷硅酸盐层以形成压阻电阻器。使用有限元模拟，针对硅梁表面上八个压敏电阻的不同排列方式，分析了开发的传感器性能特征，例如线性度、重复性、灵敏度和滞后性。当承载刚性杆通过一组重物在三个不同方向上加载时，通过监测惠斯通电桥的电压变化对传感器性能进行了实验验证。校准结果表现出线性输出响应，最大线性度为 0.98，串扰小低于 7%。MEMS 传感器的可重复性使用商用步进电机通过测量施加到传感器上的阶跃函数变化轮廓力进行测试。设想进一步优化用于感测六自由度运动的传感器设计，通过减少硅衬底来提高其灵敏度。