This book on mechanical microsensors is based on a course organized by
the Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology (FSRM) in
Neuchatel, Swit- zerland, and developed and taught by the authors.
Support by FSRM is herewith gratefully acknowledged. This book attempts
to serve two purposes. First it gives an overview on me- chanical
microsensors (sensors for pressure, force, acceleration, angular rate
and fluid flow, realized by silicon micromachining). Second, it serves
as a textbook for engineers to give them a comprehensive introduction on
the basic design issues of these sensors. Engineers active in sensor
design are usually educated either in electrical engineering or
mechanical engineering. These classical educa- tional pro grams do not
prepare the engineer for the challenging task of sensor design since
sensors are instruments typically bridging the disciplines: one needs a
rather deep understanding of both mechanics and electronics.
Accordingly, the book contains discussion of the basic engineering
sciences relevant to mechanical sensors, hopefully in a way that it is
accessible for all colours of engineers. Engi- rd th neering students in
their 3 or 4 year should have enough knowledge to be able to follow the
arguments presented in this book. In this sense, this book should be
useful as textbook for students in courses on mechanical microsensors
(as is CUf- rently being done at the University ofTwente).