MEMS capacitive pressure sensor: analysis, theoretical modeling, simulation and performance comparison of the effect of a conical notch

Abstract Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) pressure sensors are widely used in various applications due to their high sensitivity, low power consumption, and compactness. This work involves the design and simulation of a MEMS-based Touch Mode Capacitive Pressure Sensor (TMCPS). The proposed sensor is based on a substrate with an integrated conical notch featuring a circular diaphragm, aiming to enhance the key performance parameters of the sensor. The integration of a conical notch in the substrate increases the touch area between the diaphragm and substrate compared to the literature, ensuring increased capacitance and capacitive sensitivity. In this work the mathematical analysis of deflection of a circular diaphragm employing thin plate theory, capacitance, and capacitive sensitivity, along with step-by-step explanations, is provided. The results are obtained from MATLAB simulations. The deflection of the diaphragm is validated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using COMSOL Multiphysics. The proposed work demonstrates a significant improvement in sensor sensitivity compared to the existing literature.