Microwave bonding of MWNTs and fabrication of a low-cost, high-performance polymer pressure sensor

This paper describes the fabrication of a simple, low-cost pressure sensor that can be readily mass produced. Microwave-induced heating is used to bond a multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT) network to a poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate that serves as a pressure diaphragm. The MWNT network can be patterned with a damascene process and used as the sensor material. The pressure diaphragm with the MWNT network can be bonded with any flexible substrate pre-drilled with a cavity that allows a deflection of the diaphragm. Design and fabrication considerations for the sensor are discussed and its performance is demonstrated and evaluated. The sensor is thermally stable and has a much higher sensitivity and gauge factor than polysilicon sensors. In addition to the simple fabrication process, the sensor can be widely applied and integrated into microfluidic systems or biochips where pressure information is required.