Micro Shear Stress Sensor

SEM scan of a surface micromachined device designed at UCI to measure shear stress on wing surfaces during wind tunnel tests. Four micro springs (70 microns wide) hold the stress plate in position and the unit is read remotely using a laser. The part is made from silicon and gold and designed for aerospace applications.

Equipment used:

• Laurell Spinner to spin photoresist.
• Karl Suss MA6 Mask Aligner to UV expose and pattern the wafer.
• E-beam 1 Evaporator to deposit gold electrodes.
• STS Silicon Etcher to etch the patterned silicon wafer, Hitachi SEM to take SEM images.