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Experimental study of chromium oxide thin films as an intermediate layer for Pt-based temperature sensor applications

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Abstract

This paper reports, the impact of high-temperature annealing on temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of platinum thin films, by using chromium oxide as an intermediate adhesion layer. Chromium oxide thin films were prepared by using the RF magnetron sputtering technique. These thin films were then characterized with the scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to optimize thickness and identify their elemental compositions. Thin film platinum resistance temperature detector (RTD) prototype devices, with sensing element of width ~ 40 µm and thickness of ~ 164 nm were fabricated and their TCR values were evaluated with and without thermal annealing treatment. The average value of temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) was observed to be ~ 1976 ppm/°C without annealing, which increased to ~ 2839 ppm/°C with annealing up to 1000 °C. Finally, for practical applications, an electronic interface circuit for the resistance temperature detector (RTD) device was used, to demonstrate the functioning of the devices for their end application in temperature sensing. These results clearly demonstrate that chromium oxide can be used as an alternate adhesion layer, for enhancement in TCR of platinum thin films that are required for various MEMS applications.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for providing their facility of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for characterization of the chromium oxide thin films and Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), Delhi for providing the facility of the high temperature annealing experiments. We acknowledge Prof. Konandur Rajanna, IISc Bangalore for providing all technical support and providing the lab facilities for this work. We also acknowledge all the support received from all other group member of MEMS fabrication division for their technical inputs. We extend our acknowledgement to AMNSD group members and GH-VMFG, Shri Manoj Wadhwa for this work at SCL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Semi-Conductor Laboratory Department of Space, Mohali, Punjab, India

    Manoj Kandpal, Jaspreet Singh, British Ashok Sontakke, Alok Jejusaria, Satay Pal Singh Arora & Surinder Singh

  2. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

    Vijay Shirhatti

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Contributions

Manuscript conceptualization, drafting manuscript, design of experiments, sample preparation and analysis of characterized results (First Author, Corresponding Author): MK. XPS spectroscopy and deposition of Chromium oxide/Pt thin films (Co-Author): VS. Technical discussion of analysed data and proof reading of manuscript (Co-Author): JS. Help during the optimisation of aqua regia experiments for Pt etching thin film (Co-Author): AJ. Help in electrical characterization (Co-Author): SA. LTspice simulation studies for end application in temperature sensing (Co-Author): BS. Supervision and scientific discussions (Co-Author): SS. The submitted final manuscript has been approved by all authors.

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Correspondence to Manoj Kandpal.

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Kandpal, M., Shirhatti, V., Singh, J. et al. Experimental study of chromium oxide thin films as an intermediate layer for Pt-based temperature sensor applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 21287–21296 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-08915-1

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