ULTRA LOW PRESSURE SENSOR AND METHOD OF FABRICATION OF SAME
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A sensor including:
- a backplate including a plurality of backplate holes;
a diaphragm of electrically conductive or semi-conductive material that is connected to, and insulated from the backplate, the diaphragm defining a flexible member and an air gap associated with the flexible member;
a bond pad formed on an area of the back plate surrounding the cavity; and
a bond pad formed on an area of the diaphragm surrounding the air gap;
wherein the flexible member and air gap defined by the diaphragm extend beneath the plurality of backplate holes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor including: a backplate of electrically conductive or semi-conductive material, the backplate including a plurality of backplate holes; a diaphragm of electrically conductive or semi-conductive material that is connected to, and insulated from the backplate, the diaphragm defining a flexible member and an air gap associated with the flexible member; a bond pad formed on an area of the backplate surrounding the cavity; and a bond pad formed on an area of the diaphragm surrounding the air gap; wherein the flexible member and air gap defined by the diaphragm extend beneath the plurality of backplate holes.
32 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A sensor including:
-
a backplate including a plurality of backplate holes; a diaphragm of electrically conductive or semi-conductive material that is connected to, and insulated from the backplate, the diaphragm defining a flexible member and an air gap associated with the flexible member; a bond pad formed on an area of the back plate surrounding the cavity; and a bond pad formed on an area of the diaphragm surrounding the air gap; wherein the flexible member and air gap defined by the diaphragm extend beneath the plurality of backplate holes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12)
-
-
8. A method of manufacturing a sensor including:
-
providing a first wafer including a layer of heavily doped silicon, a layer of silicon and an intermediate oxide layer, the layer of heavily doped silicon defining a first major surface of the first wafer and the layer of silicon defining a second major surface of the first wafer; providing a second wafer of heavily doped silicon having a first major surface and a second major surface; forming a layer of oxide on at least the first major surface of the first wafer; forming a layer of oxide on at least the first major surface of the second wafer; patterning and etching a cavity through the oxide layer on the first major surface of the first wafer and into the layer of heavily doped silicon of the first wafer; patterning and etching contact cavities through the oxide layer on the first major surface of the first wafer and through the layer of heavily doped silicon of the first wafer; bonding the first major surface of the first wafer to the first major surface of the second wafer such that the cavity formed in the first major surface of the first wafer defines an air gap between the first wafer and the second wafer; patterning and etching a cavity into the layer of silicon defining the second major surface of the first wafer thereby forming a flexible member from the layer of heavily doped silicon of the first wafer, the flexible member being associated with the air gap formed between the first wafer and the second wafer; thinning the second wafer at its second major surface; patterning and etching a plurality of holes in the second major surface of the second wafer, the plurality of holes being associated with the air gap formed between the first wafer and the second wafer; and forming at least one bond pad on the layer of heavily doped silicon of the first wafer and at least one bond pad on the second wafer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
-
Specification