PARTICLE DETECTION SENSOR, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING PARTICLE DETECTION SENSOR, AND METHOD FOR DETECTING PARTICLE USING PARTICLE DETECTION SENSOR

• US 20100141278A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: TATEISHI, Fuminori, IZUMI, Konami, YAMAGUCHI, Mayumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,492,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/691
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1023 Microstructural devices for non-optical measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1031 by measuring electrical or magnetic effects

Abstract

A compact sensor with which particles floating in the air can be easily detected. A sensor having a microstructure which detects a detection object by contact is used. A microstructure has an opening to be a detection hole corresponding to the size of a detection object, and a pair of electrodes having a bridge structure are provided thereabove or thereunder so as to partially contact with each other.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor, comprising:

forming an insulating layer;

forming a first electrode over the insulating layer;

forming a second electrode so as to overlap with a part of the first electrode; and

forming an opening in a part of the insulating layer which is under a region where the first electrode and the second electrode overlap.

11. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the opening is formed by dry etching or wet etching.

2. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor, comprising:

forming a semiconductor layer in a first region;

forming an insulating layer in the first region and a second region;

forming a first electrode in the second region over the insulating layer;

forming a second electrode so as to overlap with a part of the first electrode; and

forming an opening in a part of the insulating layer which is under a region where the first electrode and the second electrode overlap.

12. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the opening is formed by dry etching or wet etching.

3. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor, comprising:

forming an insulating layer;

forming a first electrode over the insulating layer;

forming a sacrificial layer over the first electrode;

forming a second electrode over the sacrificial layer so as to overlap with a part of the first electrode;

forming an opening in a part of the insulating layer which is under a region where the first electrode and the second electrode overlap; and

removing the sacrificial layer.

7. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 3,

wherein the sacrificial layer is removed by dry etching or wet etching.

13. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 3,

wherein the opening is formed by dry etching or wet etching.

4. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor, comprising:

forming an insulating layer;

forming a first electrode over the insulating layer;

forming a sacrificial layer over the first electrode;

forming a second electrode over the sacrificial layer so as to overlap with a part of the first electrode;

forming an opening in a part of the insulating layer which is under a region where the first electrode and the second electrode overlap; and

removing the sacrificial layer thereby contacting the first electrode and the second electrode.

8. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 4,

wherein the sacrificial layer is removed by dry etching or wet etching.

14. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 4,

wherein the opening is formed by dry etching or wet etching.

5. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor, comprising:

forming a semiconductor layer over the first electrode;

forming a conductive layer in the first region and a second region;

processing the conductive layer thereby forming a gate electrode in the first region and forming a first sacrificial layer in the second region;

forming an insulating layer so as to cover the gate electrode and the first sacrificial layer;

forming a first electrode over the insulating layer;

forming a second sacrificial over the first electrode;

forming a second electrode over the second sacrificial layer so as to overlap with a part of the first electrode;

forming an opening in a part of the insulating layer which is under a region where the first electrode and the second electrode overlap;

removing the second sacrificial layer thereby contacting the first electrode and the second electrode; and

removing the first sacrificial layer.

9. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 5,

wherein the first sacrificial layer or the second sacrificial layer is removed by dry etching or wet etching.

15. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 5,

wherein the opening is formed by dry etching or wet etching.

6. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor, comprising:

forming a semiconductor layer over the first electrode;

forming a conductive layer in the first region and a second region;

processing the conductive layer thereby forming a gate electrode in the first region and forming a first sacrificial layer in the second region;

forming an insulating layer so as to cover the gate electrode and the first sacrificial layer;

forming a first electrode over the insulating layer;

forming a second sacrificial over the first electrode;

forming a second electrode over the second sacrificial layer so as to overlap with a part of the first electrode;

forming an opening in a part of the insulating layer which is under a region where the first electrode and the second electrode overlap;

removing the second sacrificial layer thereby contacting the first electrode and the second electrode; and

removing the first sacrificial layer thereby forming a connection hole.

10. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 6,

wherein the first sacrificial layer or the second sacrificial layer is removed by dry etching or wet etching.

16. A method for manufacturing a particle detection sensor according to claim 6,

wherein the opening is formed by dry etching or wet etching.

17. A detection method using a particle detection sensor comprising a detector comprising a pair of electrodes and a base with an opening over the pair of electrodes, parts of the pair of electrodes overlapping under the opening, for detecting a detection object by determining whether the pair of electrodes are electrically in contact or out of contact,

wherein the number of detection objects is counted using a state where the pair of electrodes are in contact and a state where the pair of electrodes are detached when detection objects are adsorbed to the opening.

21. A detection method using a particle detection sensor according to claim 17,

wherein the detector comprises a detection element comprising the base and the pair of electrodes, and

a resistance value of the detection element in the state where the pair of electrodes are in contact is lower than a resistance value in the state where the pair of electrodes are detached, and the number of the detection objects is counted using relative change in the resistance values.

18. A detection method using a particle detection sensor comprising an intake unit and a detector comprising a pair of electrodes and a base with an opening over the pair of electrodes, parts of the pair of electrodes overlapping under the opening, for detecting a detection object by determining whether the pair of electrodes are electrically in contact or out of contact,

wherein the number of detection objects is counted using a state where the pair of electrodes are in contact and a state where pressure is reduced by the intake unit and the pair of electrodes are detached when detection objects are adsorbed to the opening.

22. A detection method using a particle detection sensor according to claim 18,

wherein the detector comprises a detection element comprising the base and the pair of electrodes, and

a resistance value of the detection element in the state where the pair of electrodes are in contact is lower than a resistance value in the state where the pair of electrodes are detached, and the number of the detection objects is counted using relative change in the resistance values.

19. A detection method using a particle detection sensor comprising a detector comprising a pair of electrodes and a base with an opening over the pair of electrodes, parts of the pair of electrodes overlapping under the opening, for detecting a detection object by determining whether the pair of electrodes are electrically in contact or out of contact,

wherein the number of detection objects is counted using a state where the pair of electrodes are detached and a state where the pair of electrodes are in contact when detection objects are adsorbed to the opening.

23. A detection method using a particle detection sensor according to claim 19,

wherein the detector comprises a detection element comprising the base and the pair of electrodes, and

a resistance value of the detection element in the state where the pair of electrodes are in contact is lower than a resistance value in the state where the pair of electrodes are detached, and the number of the detection objects is counted using relative change in the resistance values.

20. A detection method using a particle detection sensor comprising an intake unit and a detector comprising a pair of electrodes and a base with an opening over the pair of electrodes, parts of the pair of electrodes overlapping under the opening, for detecting a detection object by determining whether the pair of electrodes are electrically in contact or out of contact,

wherein the number of detection objects is counted using a state where the pair of electrodes are detached and a state where pressure is reduced by the intake unit and the pair of electrodes are in contact when detection objects are adsorbed to the opening.

24. A detection method using a particle detection sensor according to claim 20,

wherein the detector comprises a detection element comprising the base and the pair of electrodes, and

a resistance value of the detection element in the state where the pair of electrodes are in contact is lower than a resistance value in the state where the pair of electrodes are detached, and the number of the detection objects is counted using relative change in the resistance values.