TY - JOUR

T1 - Development, characterisation and high-temperature suitability of thin-film strain gauges directly deposited with a new sputter coating system

AU - Klaas, Daniel

AU - Ottermann, Rico

AU - Dencker, Folke

AU - Wurz, Marc Christopher

N1 - The development of the invented sputter coating system and parts of this work were funded by the German Research Foundation within the Collaborative Research Centre 653 “Gentelligent Components in their Lifecycle” within the sub-project S1 “Modular, Multifunctional Micro Sensors” at the Institute of Micro Production Technology, Centre for Production Technology, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany. The publication of this article was funded by the Open Access Fund of the Leibniz Universität Hannover.

PY - 2020/6/10

Y1 - 2020/6/10

N2 - New sensor and sensor manufacturing technologies are identified as a key factor for a successful digitalisation and are therefore economically important for manufacturers and industry. To address various requirements, a new sputter coating system has been invented at the Institute of Micro Production Technology. It enables the deposition of sensor systems directly onto technical surfaces. Compared to commercially available systems, it has no spatial limitations concerning the maximum coatable component size. Moreover, it enables a simultaneous structuring of deposited layers. Within this paper, characterisation techniques, results and challenges concerning directly deposited thin film strain gauges with the new sputter coating system are presented. Constantan (CuNiMn 54/45/1) and NiCr 80/20 are used as sensor materials. The initial resistance, temperature coefficient of resistance and gauge factor/k-factor of quarter-bridge strain gauges are characterised. The influence of a protective layer on sensor behaviour and layer adhesion is investigated as well. Moreover, the temperature compensation quality of directly deposited half-bridge strain gauges is evaluated, optimised with an external trimming technology and benchmarked against commercial strain gauges. Finally, the suitability for high-temperature strain measurement is investigated. Results show a maximum operation temperature of at least 400◦ C, which is above the current state-of-the-art of commercial foil-based metal strain gauges.

AB - New sensor and sensor manufacturing technologies are identified as a key factor for a successful digitalisation and are therefore economically important for manufacturers and industry. To address various requirements, a new sputter coating system has been invented at the Institute of Micro Production Technology. It enables the deposition of sensor systems directly onto technical surfaces. Compared to commercially available systems, it has no spatial limitations concerning the maximum coatable component size. Moreover, it enables a simultaneous structuring of deposited layers. Within this paper, characterisation techniques, results and challenges concerning directly deposited thin film strain gauges with the new sputter coating system are presented. Constantan (CuNiMn 54/45/1) and NiCr 80/20 are used as sensor materials. The initial resistance, temperature coefficient of resistance and gauge factor/k-factor of quarter-bridge strain gauges are characterised. The influence of a protective layer on sensor behaviour and layer adhesion is investigated as well. Moreover, the temperature compensation quality of directly deposited half-bridge strain gauges is evaluated, optimised with an external trimming technology and benchmarked against commercial strain gauges. Finally, the suitability for high-temperature strain measurement is investigated. Results show a maximum operation temperature of at least 400◦ C, which is above the current state-of-the-art of commercial foil-based metal strain gauges.

KW - Direct deposition

KW - Gauge factor

KW - Half-bridge

KW - High-temperature

KW - K-factor

KW - Micro strain gauges

KW - Quarter-bridge

KW - Sensors

KW - Sputtering

KW - Temperature coefficient of resistance

KW - Trimming

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086414691&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/s20113294

DO - 10.3390/s20113294

M3 - Article

C2 - 32531874

AN - SCOPUS:85086414691

VL - 20

SP - 1

EP - 15

JO - Sensors (Switzerland)

JF - Sensors (Switzerland)

SN - 1424-8220

IS - 11

M1 - 3294

ER -