Aluminum nitride based 3D, piezoelectric, tactile sensor

A 3D tactile sensing element concept based on tridimensional piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN) membranes is presented. Detection modes for normal and shear forces are investigated by FEM simulations. Based on these results a design of a functionalized sensing system is performed. The simulation focuses on the mechanical response of pyramidal structures on force transmission across the whole membrane surface. Therefore, an embedded device configuration is defined. The overall aim of these investigations is to find an optimized sensor electrode configuration and to verify the ability to detect normal and shear forces with one element. Additionally, first high aspect ratio pyramidal AlN membrane structures have been successfully fabricated.