COINTEGRATED MEMS SENSOR AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A MEMS sensor comprising:
- a first layer,a base layer,a first insulating layer disposed between the first layer and the base layer, anda cavity that has been formed in any of the foregoing layers, such that the first layer is the substrate of the semiconductor electrical circuit and as the active MEMS element.
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Abstract
Described herein is a method for integrating MEMS with submicron semiconductor electrical circuits such as CMOS to provide more complex signal processing, on-chip calibration and integration with RF technologies. A MEMS sensor is provided having an upper layer, an insulating layer into which a cavity has been formed and a handle layer. The upper layer acts as both the substrate of the semiconductor electrical circuit and as the active MEMS element. The remainder of the circuitry is fabricated either in or on the upper layer. In a preferred method of the present invention a first wafer assembly and a second wafer assembly are fabricated such that a MEMS sensor and the substrate of at least one semiconductive electrical circuit is formed.
21 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A MEMS sensor comprising:
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a first layer, a base layer, a first insulating layer disposed between the first layer and the base layer, and a cavity that has been formed in any of the foregoing layers, such that the first layer is the substrate of the semiconductor electrical circuit and as the active MEMS element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for fabricating a MEMS sensor, comprising the steps of:
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forming an insulating layer on top of a handle wafer; creating at least one depression in any of the layers; bonding a thin semiconductive layer to the insulating layer; forming implant areas in the thin semiconductive layer; and forming the gate or electrically active areas of semiconductor electrical circuits between the implant areas. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for fabricating a MEMS sensor, comprising the steps of:
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forming an insulating layer on top of a handle wafer; creating at least one cavity; bonding an SOI wafer to the insulating layer, wherein the silicon top layer of the SOI is the layer of the SOI that is bonded to the insulating layer; forming implant areas in the silicon top layer; and forming electrical connections between the implant areas. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method of sensing an environmental variable comprising:
integrating an semiconductor electrical circuit with a MEMS device having a cavity therein, wherein the active MEMS element acts as a diaphragm and moves in response to an environmental change of the variable, and the semiconductor electrical circuit measures the change in current caused by the environmental change on the diaphragm.
Specification