Reduced stress pressure sensor

• US 10,161,817 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InvenSense International, LLC
• Original Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Mayer, Felix, Von Waldkirch, Marc, Buhler, Johannes, Hummel, Rene, Braun, Stephan, Hermersdorf, Marion, Lin, Chung-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woodward, Nathaniel T
• Application Number:
  US14/521,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20150122038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 73715
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0264 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/012 the micromechanical device and the control or processing electronics being separate parts in the same package
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/096 through the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0054 between other parts not provided for in B81B7/0048 - B81B7/0051
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0792 Forming interconnections between the electronic processing unit and the micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/146 using flexible element between the transducer and the support
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/022 constructional details, e.g. mounting of elastically-deformable gauges G01L7/041, G01L7/061, G01L7/082, G01L7/102, G01L7/163, G01L7/182 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/024 with mechanical transmitting or indicating means G01L7/043, G01L7/063, G01L7/084, G01L7/104, G01L7/166, G01L7/185 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76 Making of isolation regions between components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

A pressure sensor comprises a first substrate containing a processing circuit integrated thereon and a cap attached to the first substrate. The cap includes a container, a holder, and one or more suspension elements for suspending the container from the holder. The container includes a cavity and a deformable membrane separating the cavity and a port open to an outside of the pressure sensor. The container is suspended from the holder such that the deformable membrane faces the first substrate and such that a gap is provided between the deformable membrane and the first substrate which gap contributes to the port. Sensing means are provided for converting a response of the deformable membrane to pressure at the port into a signal capable of being processed by the processing circuit.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor, comprising:

a first substrate containing layers for CMOS processing,

a cap attached to a front side of the first substrate from its front side, wherein the cap includes a container, a holder, and two or more suspension elements to concentrically suspend the holder, wherein the two or more suspension elements are disposed on a back side of the cap for suspending the container from the holder, the container includes a cavity and a polysilicon layer, wherein the cavity is formed on a front side of the container and between the polysilicon layer of the container and a deformable membrane and wherein the cavity is closed by the deformable membrane, wherein the deformable membrane separates the cavity and a port that is positioned on the back side of the cap and is open to an outside of the pressure sensor, the container being suspended form the holder such that the deformable membrane faces the first substrate and such that a gap is provided between the deformable membrane and the first substrate which gap contributes to the port, and wherein the back side of the cap includes a recess formed on a back side of the container, and wherein a permeable protection membrane is disposed on the back side of the cap and covers the recess that is permeable to pressure medium, and

sensing means for converting a response of the deformable membrane to pressure at the port into a signal capable of being processed by the processing circuit.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the cap has a plane extension and wherein the holder encircles the container in the plane of the cap, wherein between the holder and the container are the two or more suspension elements and one or more grooves alternate.

3. The sensor of claim 2, wherein the first substrate is a semiconductor substrate, wherein the cap contains a second substrate and each groove is arranged orthogonal to the plane of the cap in the second substrate for separating the container from the holder.

4. The sensor of claim 3, wherein the second substrate contains a bulk material and layers stacked on the bulk material, wherein the cavity is a recess exclusively arranged in one or more of the layers of the second substrate, wherein the deformable membrane is made from a third substrate attached to the layers of the second substrate, and wherein the one or more grooves extend into the third substrate for separating the deformable membrane from a portion of the third substrate contributing to the holder.

5. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the sensing means contains a first electrode formed by the deformable membrane and a second electrode formed by one of the layers of the second substrate.

6. The sensor of claim 5, wherein the second electrode is made of polysilicon.

7. The sensor of claim 5, wherein the container is suspended from the holder with at least two suspension elements, and wherein the sensor further comprises at least two electrical connections between the cap and the first substrate,

wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the processing circuit via a suspension element of the at least two suspension elements and at least one of the electrical connections,

wherein the second electrode is electrically connected to the processing circuit via another suspension element of the at least another two suspension elements and at least another one of the electrical connections.

8. The sensor of claim 7, wherein spacer elements are arranged between the first substrate and the third or the, second substrate for building the gap, and wherein the electrical connections are provided by at least some of the spacer elements.

9. The sensor of claim 1, wherein each suspension element contains a groove between the holder and the container, and wherein each suspension element has a shape allowing for a deviation of the container in at least one direction in the plane of the cap.

10. The sensor of claim 1, wherein a height of the container is less than a height of the holder orthogonal to the plane of the cap thereby forming a recess on a backside of the cap opposite to the side of the cap the deformable membrane is arranged.

11. The sensor of claim 10, wherein the recess is covered by a protection membrane.

12. A method for manufacturing a pressure sensor comprising:

providing a first substrate with a processing circuit integrated thereon;

providing a second substrate;

providing a third substrate;

manufacturing a cavity in the second substrate and one or more trenches around a first, portion of the second substrate containing the cavity;

mounting said third substrate to said second substrate to form a container, a holder, and two or more suspension elements to concentrically suspend the holder, wherein the two or more suspension elements are disposed on a back side of the second substrate for suspending the container from the holder, and wherein the holder includes the cavity and a polysilicon layer, wherein the cavity is closed on a front side of the container and between the polysilicon layer of the container and further closed by a deformable membrane, wherein the deformable membrane is configured for sensing a pressure applied to the deformable membrane, wherein the deformable membrane separates the cavity and a port that is positioned on the back side of the second substrate and is open to an, outside of the pressure sensor, and wherein a permeable protection membrane that is permeable to pressure is disposed on the back side of the second substrate and covers a recess formed on a back side of the container; and

mounting the assembly of the second substrate and the third substrate to the first substrate with the deformable membrane facing the first substrate and providing a gap between the deformable membrane and the first substrate wherein the deformable membrane faces the first substrate and wherein the gap contributes to the port.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein manufacturing the cavity in the second substrate includes manufacturing the cavity in one or more layers stacked on a bulk material of the second substrate, and wherein manufacturing the one or more trenches in the second substrate includes manufacturing the one or more trenches through the layers stacked on the bulk material and through at least a portion of the bulk material.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more trenches are manufactured through the entire bulk material.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more trenches are manufactured by etching.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein mounting said third substrate to said second substrate to form the deformable membrane includes attaching a silicon-on-insulator substrate to a top layer of the second substrate, removing a bulk material and an insulating layer of the silicon-on-insulator substrate and leaving a silicon layer as deformable membrane spanning the cavity in the second substrate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, mounting said third substrate to said second substrate includes in a portion of the third substrate outside the deformable membrane

etching through the third substrate for manufacturing one or more contact windows in the second substrate,

metalizing the one or more contact windows, and

laying open the one or more trenches in the second substrate by opening the third substrate at the location of the trenches.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the recess is manufactured on the backside of the second substrate opposite a side the deformable membrane is attached to, wherein the recess is manufactured at a depth for laying open the one or more trenches previously manufactured into a portion of the bulk material and to form one or more grooves through the second substrate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein after mounting the assembly of the second substrate and the third substrate to the first substrate and prior to manufacturing the recess in the backside of the second substrate, the second substrate is thinned and a hard mask is applied to the backside of the second substrate omitting an area for manufacturing the recess, and wherein after manufacturing the recess a protection membrane is applied to the hard mask for covering the recess, wherein the protection membrane is the permeable protection membrane.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the gap between the first substrate and the assembly of the second and third substrate is manufactured by applying spacer elements between the first substrate and the assembly.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein electrically conducting vias are built through the first substrate for electrically connecting the processing circuit to electrical contact structures on a backside of the first substrate opposite the side facing the deformable membrane.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the vias are built after having mounted the assembly of the second substrate and the third substrate to the first substrate and prior to manufacturing the recess in the backside of the second substrate.