Objective Sensors such as accelerometers are important components in the automotive industry. To compete on the world market, a new class of sensors is required with better performance, reliability, system (bus) compatibility, interchangeability, and at lower cost levels. The main objectives of MAXIMA are to: - establish the compatibility of micromachining techniques with existing industrial IC fabrication lines - develop a complete process flow for monolithic integrated smart sensors (MISS) - develop material characterisation methods, design rules and software tools for MISS - establish basic sensor technologies for a broad field of MISS applications - make MISS technologies for a broad field of MISS application - make MISS technologies available for SMEs - strengthen the position of the automotive industry.Processes for the deposition and wet etching of various oxides as the sacrificial layer and for deposition and dry etching of polysilicon from 1 micron up to 10 micron thickness have been developed. Relevant parameters for accelerometer designs have been determined with specially designed test structures and equipment. Two different process flows for the integration of the sensors into a bipolar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (BICMOS) process have been developed, 24 different capacitive sensors for x, y and z axis measurement without on-chip electronics were fabricated with subsets of the integrated process flows. Different approaches for sensor signal detection and force feedback have been investigated in detail. Various single chip three-axis accelerometers with on-chip electronics were designed and fabricated with the developed process flows. Application specific tests were performed at SEAT.Silicon-based sensors using micromachining technologies to create the sensor function are the most promising candidates to fulfil these requirements. Monolithic integration with microelectronic circuits creates a unique possibility to achieve an improved quality of sensor systems. A demonstrator 3-D accelerometer will be fabricated and tested in the automotive environment. Applications are expected in four major areas: air-bag and safety restraint systems; adaptive and active suspension systems; braking and tracking control; and navigation and guidance. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwarenatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryinorganic compoundsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorssmart sensorsengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringautomotive engineeringnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivity Programme(s) FP3-ESPRIT 3 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of information technologies, 1990-1994 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderungder Angewandten Forschung e.V. Address Dillenburgerstrasse 14199 Berlin Germany See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AMBIT Greece EU contribution € 0,00 Address Polemiston, 5 16452 Athenes See on map Centro Nacional de Microelectronica Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Campus uab 08193 Bellaterra See on map ROBERT BOSCH GMBH Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Tuebinger strasse 123 72762 Reutlingen See on map SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE AUTOMOVILES DE TURISMO Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Passo de la castellana, 278 28046 Madrid See on map UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Diagonal 647 08028 Barcelona See on map UNIVERSITY OF UPPSALA Sweden EU contribution € 0,00 Address 75121 Uppsala See on map
