A New Technology of Ultrathin AlN Piezoelectric Sensor for Pulse Wave Measurement

Abstract

In this study the design and characterization of a new technology of ultrathin AlN piezoelectric sensors able to measure micro-deformations is reported. The sensors are fabricated using a CMOS compatible clean room process in which the sensitive part is embedded into a thin bio-compatible and conformal layer of parylene (total thickness below 10 μm). That makes the sensors very flexible and sensitive to micro-deformation measurements. In this study, this technology is applied to monitor heart activity: heart rate, blood pulse wave, pulse wave velocity. Blood pulse wave could be measured with a very good accuracy; this technology could thus be used for the prediction of cardiovascular diseases by analyzing the pulse wave shape.