The techniques of micromachining silicon are used for the manufacture of an anemometer with low electric consumption and great sensitivity. To reduce the energy consumption, a suspended membrane of silicon rich silicon nitride SiNx makes it possible to carry out the heat insulation between the heater and the substrate. Platinum (Pt) thin film (3000 Angstrom) with titanium (300 Angstrom) adhesion layer on SiNx/Si substrate is used for the hot resistor. Among the methods of Pt deposition tested, electron beam evaporation gives the best results for the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of Pt. Its response time is about 6 ms. Sensitivity in laminar and turbulent flow range are respectively 4.80 mV/(m/s)(0.45)/mW and of 0.705 mV/(m/s)(0.8)/mW for about 20 mW power supplied. The experiments show that the temperature rise of the sensor is not sensitive to the ambient temperature. Moreover, sensor response shows no significant changes according to parallel or perpendicular orientation of the gas flow. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 14]
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