CAPACITIVE SENSOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110154905A1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chen, Sheah, HSU, Yu Wen, Huang, Chao Ta, Lin, Jing Yuan
• Granted Patent: US 8,104,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/724
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0073 using a semiconductive diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/04 Microphones H04R19/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A capacitive sensor includes a substrate, at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode, a sensing device, at least one anchor base, at least one movable frame, and a plurality of spring members. The first and second electrodes are disposed on the substrate, and the anchor base surrounds the first and second electrodes and is disposed on the substrate. The movable frame surrounds the sensing device. Some of the spring members connect the movable frame and the sensing device, and the other spring members connect the movable frame and the anchor base. The sensing device and the first electrode are both sensing electrodes. The movable frame is disposed above the second electrode, and cooperates with the second electrode to act as a capacitive driver.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of electrodes, including;

at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode respectively disposed on the substrate, wherein the second electrode surrounds the first electrode;

at least one anchor base disposed on the substrate and around the electrodes;

a sensing device disposed above the first electrode;

at least one movable frame surrounding the sensing device and disposed above the second electrode; and

a plurality of spring members, including;

a plurality of first spring members connecting the anchor base and the movable frame;

a plurality of second spring members connecting the sensing device and the movable frame.

2. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spring members further include a plurality of third spring members, the at least one movable frame includes a first movable frame and a second movable frame, and the first movable frame and the second movable frame are connected by the third spring members.

3. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the movable frame is smaller than the thickness of the anchor bases, and is greater than the thickness of the sensing device.

4. The capacitive sensor of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the first movable frame adjacent to the anchor base is greater than the thickness of the second movable frame adjacent to the sensing device.

5. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the clearance between the movable frame and the substrate is smaller than the clearance between the sensing device and the substrate.

6. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the first spring members includes a first connecting segment, a first suspension segment, a transition segment, a second suspension segment and a second connecting segment sequentially connected.

7. The capacitive sensor of claim 6, wherein the transition segment connects one end of the first suspension segment and one end of the second suspension segment along a radial direction.

8. The capacitive sensor of claim 7, wherein the sensing device is circular, and the first suspension segment and the second suspension segment are cantilever beams respectively with the same arc angle and different radiuses.

9. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes an opening and the first electrode includes a plurality of holes.

10. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes an opening, the first electrode includes a hole, and the sensing device senses changes in pressure.

11. The capacitive sensor of claim 2, wherein the second spring members and the third spring members are continuous elastomers.

12. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the thicknesses of the spring members are different.

13. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the second spring members are provided at positions asymmetric to the center of mass of the sensing device, and connect the sensing device.

14. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer covering the second electrodes.

15. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer interposed between the substrate and the electrodes.

16. The capacitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a silicon layer, a plurality of conductive layers, a plurality of insulating layers and at least one circuit area.

17. A method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor, comprising:

providing a first wafer-based substrate having a surface on which a base layer is disposed;

etching the base layer to form a plurality of cavities sequentially, wherein the depths of the cavities are different;

providing a second wafer-based substrate on which a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed;

bonding the unetched surface of the base layer to the second substrate;

removing the first substrate; and

etching the base layer to form a sensing device, at least one movable frame, a plurality of spring members, and at least one anchor base, wherein the anchor base surrounds the first and second electrodes and is disposed on the second substrate, the movable frame surrounds the sensing device, some of the spring members connect the movable frame and the sensing device, and the other spring members connect the movable frame and the anchor base.

18. The method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor of claim 17, wherein the first substrate includes a silicon layer and an insulating layer.

19. The method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor of claim 17, further comprising a step of overlaying an insulating layer on the second electrode after the step of providing the first substrate.

20. The method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor of claim 17, wherein the unetched surface of the base layer is bonded to the second substrate by a bonding layer.

21. The method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor of claim 18, wherein the combination of the first substrate and the base layer is an SOI wafer.

22. The method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor of claim 17, wherein the cavities include a first cavity, a second cavity, and a third cavity, and the depths of the first cavity, the second cavity and the third cavity measured from the unetched surface of the base layer are gradually increased.

23. The method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor of claim 17, further comprising a step of forming an opening on the second substrate after the step of providing the second substrate.

24. The method for manufacturing a capacitive sensor of claim 23, further comprising a step of forming at least one hole on the first electrode after the step of forming the opening on the second substrate.