High performance low-firing temperature thick-film pressure sensors on steel

Performance of piezoresistive thick-film pressure sensors on steel substrates is hindered by the high required firing temperatures of the layers, which cause degradation of the substrate mechanical properties. Special steels or alloys that are relatively unaffected by these temperatures are available, but their cost is very high. A much more promising alternative is the reduction of the thick-film firing temperature, in order to allow application of the standard high-strength steels used in thin-film cells. Therefore, a series of thick-film materials systems (dielectrics, resistors and conductors) firing at low temperatures (