Abstract
Micro-Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) technology has enabled silicon sensors to evolve from simple transduction elements to microsystems (micro-instruments) that include readout circuits, self-test and auto-zeroing facilities. Moreover, it has paved the way for the emergence of micro-and nanostructures that open a wide range of new applications. This paper discusses the impact of MEMS in the Instrumentation and Measurement (I & M) field. In electrical metrology the mechanical material properties of silicon in combination with the photolithographically defined structural dimensions are especially important, as this enables the reproducible fabrication of highly stable reference elements. In addition the on-chip co-integrated silicon microsystem concept offers huge opportunities for integration of the entire metrology system. Devices discussed here are electrostatic RMS-to-DC converters and DC voltage references based on the pull-in of a microbeam.
