Development of a cost-effective manufacturing process for a multiparameter disposable sensor microsystem

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 95.0502

Key words (English)

Sensor technology; ion sensors

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: BRPR-CT96-0190

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 2.1 Industrial and materials technologies

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Siemens (D), IMEC (B), Sorin (I), Meredos (D), Trace (D), Elex Sensors (B), Technische Universität Wien (A), Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (NL), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (B), Siemens-Elema (S), Pegasus Pharma (D)

Abstract (English)

Objective of the project is the development of a cost-effective manufacturing process for multiparameter micro sensor systems. To achieve this goal, the transfer of scientific know-how to high-volume production technology is essential.
The role of the Institute of Microtechnology (IMT) is twofold. The institute has a long experience in the manufacturing of chemical sensors and is therefore consulting on the transfer of technology to a CMOS process including the adaptation of non-standard processing steps. The second task is the implementation of further sensor parameters to enlarge the scope of possible applications for the sensor systems.
From the start, IMT has assisted Siemens, IMEC, Elex and KU Leuven with the definition of the process and the implementation of the design for the on-chip electronics. During the various phases of the project (realization of batch 1, 2, 2.5 and 3) IMT has continued to support the manufacturing partners with trouble shooting and process improvement. In addition to that the development of the galvanic deposition of silver and subsequent chloridation on wafer level has been performed at the IMT, plating, chloridation and trouble shooting on this subject has been done by the IMT during the whole duration of the project.
The second activity at IMT has been the development of technology for ion-selective membranes for the sensors. The work has led to improvements in the membrane deposition technology and the adhesion of the membrane to the sensor surface. The method to improve the membrane adhesion resulted in a patent application (Fr. pat. appl. no. 99 04926, 16 Apr.1999). This method is thought to be generally applicable for PVC-ionophore membrane mixtures.
Besides potassium that was certain from the beginning, the consortium decided to choose also ammonium and nitrate as important parameters to be determined. Of lesser priority but also of interest are sodium and calcium. A further study on the implementation of more anion sensors showed that only nitrite was feasible, for which no interest was found amongst the partners. Despite a strong interest in heavy metal ions like cadmium; this was thought to be too risky. At the moment of writing this report, the status of these ion-selective membranes is that their functionality has been tested, but it is still planned to perform tests with the latest version (batch 3) of the sensors.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 95.0502