INTEGRATED SENSOR AND CIRCUITRY AND PROCESS THEREFOR
First Claim
1. A process of forming a micromachined sensor comprising a sensing structure and circuitry electrically coupled to the sensing structure, the process comprising:
- processing a first wafer to incompletely define the sensing structure in a first surface thereof;
processing a second wafer to define the circuitry on a surface thereof;
bonding the first and second wafers together; and
then etching the first wafer to complete the sensing structure by removing portions of the first wafer at a second surface thereof opposite the first surface to define a member and by removing portions of the first wafer at the first surface thereof to release the member relative to the second wafer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A micromachined sensor and a process for fabrication and vertical integration of a sensor and circuitry at wafer-level. The process entails processing a first wafer to incompletely define a sensing structure in a first surface thereof, processing a second wafer to define circuitry on a surface thereof, bonding the first and second wafers together, and then etching the first wafer to complete the sensing structure, including the release of a member relative to the second wafer. The first wafer is preferably a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, and the sensing structure preferably includes a member containing conductive and insulator layers of the SOI wafer. Sets of capacitively coupled elements are preferably formed from a first of the conductive layers to define a symmetric capacitive full-bridge structure.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A process of forming a micromachined sensor comprising a sensing structure and circuitry electrically coupled to the sensing structure, the process comprising:
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processing a first wafer to incompletely define the sensing structure in a first surface thereof; processing a second wafer to define the circuitry on a surface thereof; bonding the first and second wafers together; and
then etching the first wafer to complete the sensing structure by removing portions of the first wafer at a second surface thereof opposite the first surface to define a member and by removing portions of the first wafer at the first surface thereof to release the member relative to the second wafer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification