TU Delft: 40 Years of Sensor Development

When Simon Middelhoek first proposed smart silicon sensors, many did not take him seriously. He believed in the potential of silicon and also the benefits of integrating with the electronics. The group has since grown to incorporate all aspects of sensor systems. In the 1980s he founded DIMES and the cleanroom which is now the centre of sensor development in Delft. This presentation will give a brief look at Delft University and continue with current sensor developments and future directions. This will consider on the one side the technology development and on the other the new applications we can address.
Paddy French received his B.Sc. in mathematics and M.Sc. in electronics from Southampton University, UK, in 1981 and 1982, respectively. In 1986 he obtained his Ph.D., also from Southampton University, which was a study of the piezoresistive effect in polysilicon. After 18 months as a post doc at Delft University, The Netherlands, he moved to Japan in 1988. For 3 years he worked on sensors for automotives at the Central Engineering Laboratories of Nissan Motor Company. He returned to Delft University in May 1991 and is now a staff member of the Laboratory for Electronic Instrumentation with interests in micromachining and process optimisation related to sensors. In 1999 he was awarded the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek chair and in June 2002 he became head of the Electronic Instrumentation Laboratory. He is Editor-in-chief of Sensors and Actuators A and General Editor of Sensors and Actuators A&B.