Solid state: Silicon sensors meet integrated circuits: The combination of sensing and circuit technology in monolithic form is making transducers cheaper and more versatile

Advances in silicon sensor technology are now permitting a merger of sensors and integrated circuits into “integrated sensors” - single silicon chips containing both sensors and circuitry. As a result, the transducer industry stands at a threshold that was crossed by the microelectronics industry in the early 1960s. The next several years will see an explosion of sensors and sensor applications. Silicon sensors will be introduced both in applications where costly hand-assembled devices were previously used and in those where sensors have been too expensive. Used in conjunction with microprocessors, sensors will increasingly contribute to improved system performance, with decreased part count and decreased cost.