Miniaturized ceramic DSC device with strain gauge-based mass detection—First steps to realize a fully integrated DSC/TGA device

•Miniaturized differential scanning calorimeter has been realized in LTCC technology.•Device of 11 mm × 40 mm × 1.3 mm contains oven and temperature sensors.•Strain gauge was integrated to determine masses during heating and cooling.•Fully integrated DSC/TGA device is envisaged.•Development based on FE modeling.

An existing miniaturized differential scanning calorimeter chip (DSC Chip) with a size of only 11 mm × 40 mm × 1.3 mm and a thermal resolution, which is comparable with conventional devices, served as a basis for this study. Due to its small dimensions and the high stability of the Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics-based material (LTCC), fast heating rates up to 850 °C/min can be realized. Focus of this study are first approaches to integrate a mass sensing system onto the DSC chip, which allows determining mass specific thermal properties as well as mass changes during thermal analysis. By FEM analysis, the optimum position of the strain gauges was identified and the sensitivity of the mass sensing system was estimated in advance. The strain gauges were screen-printed and post-fired onto the structure. First tests show promising results in a mass measurement range of 8–200 mg.