Semiconductor transducer
First Claim
1. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
- a substrate having a well formed in one surface thereof;
a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded to said substrate about the periphery of said well, said layer forming a diaphragm over said well;
a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal, said pedestal having one or more side walls being substantially orthogonal to said second surface;
integrated circuit means for transducing deflections of said diaphragm into an electrical signal and being formed at said first surface within said diaphragm, said integrated circuit means having means for sensing deflections of said diaphragm and means responsive to said sensing means for developing said electrical signal as a function of the deflection of said diaphragm; and
means for electrically conducting said signal to a point on said substrate exteriorly of said semiconductor layer.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor transducer (10) including a substrate having a well (18) formed in one surface thereof and a semiconductor layer (14) having a first surface (26) bonded to the substrate about the periphery of the well to form a diaphragm (30) and a second surface (28) which is substantially coplanar to the first surface and has a pedestal (16) projecting therefrom which is disposed above the well. The side walls (32) of the pedestal are substantially orthogonal to the second surface of the semiconductor layer. Means (34) are provided for sensing the deflection of the diaphragm as a function of force applied to the pedestal. The substrate includes protrusions (38) which extend upward from the bottom of the well to limit the deflection of the diaphragm.
83 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having a well formed in one surface thereof; a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded to said substrate about the periphery of said well, said layer forming a diaphragm over said well; a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal, said pedestal having one or more side walls being substantially orthogonal to said second surface; integrated circuit means for transducing deflections of said diaphragm into an electrical signal and being formed at said first surface within said diaphragm, said integrated circuit means having means for sensing deflections of said diaphragm and means responsive to said sensing means for developing said electrical signal as a function of the deflection of said diaphragm; and means for electrically conducting said signal to a point on said substrate exteriorly of said semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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- 10. means for selectively turning on said transistor switch.
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11. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having a well formed in one surface thereof; a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded to said substrate about the periphery of said well, said layer forming a diaphragm over said well; a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal; integrated circuit means for transducing deflections of said diaphragm into an electrical signal, said integrated circuit means including means for developing said electrical signal, said developing means being disposed at said first surface substantially underneath said pedestal; and means for electrically conducting said signal to a point on said substrate exteriorly of said semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 15)
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16. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having a substantially rectangular well formed in one surface thereof; a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded to said substrate about the periphery of said well, said layer forming a diaphragm over said well; a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal; integrated circuit means for transducing deflection of said diaphragm into an electrical signal, said integrated circuit means including means for developing said electrical signal, said developing means being disposed at said first surface substantially underneath said pedestal, and said integrated circuit means also including means for sensing deflections of said disphragm, said sensing means being selectively disposed in regions of maximum stress and strain caused by deflection of said diaphragm and including first and second resistors each having a resistance which is a function of delections of said diaphragm, said first resistor being a series connection of two diffused resistors disposed proximate to first opposite peripheral edges of said well at substantially the midpoint of each said peripheral edge, and said second resistor being a series connection of diffused resistors disposed proximate to second opposite edges of said well at substantially the midpoint of each said peripheral edge; and means for electrically conducting said signal to a point on said substrate exteriorly of said semiconductor layer, wherein said peripheral edges of said well include notches extending outwardly from said well disposed substantially at the midpoint of said peripheral edges, said diffused resistors being disposed in said diaphragm within said notches. - View Dependent Claims (18, 20)
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21. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having well formed in one surface thereof; a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded proximate to the periphery of said well, said layer forming a diaphragm over said well, said first surface having a channel therein disposed over the periphery of said well and substantially conforming to the shape of the periphery of said well; a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal; and means for sensing the deflection of said diaphragm.
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22. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having a well formed in one surface thereof;
a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded proximate to the periphery of said well, said layer forming a diaphragm over said well;a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal; means for limiting the maximum deflection of said diaphragm into said well; and means for sensing the deflection of said diaphragm, wherein said limiting means includes; a plurality of structures extending from the bottom surface of said well and having an upper surface elevationally commensurate with the surface of said substrate; a plurality of recesses formed in said first surface of said semiconductor layer, each of said recesses being associated with one of said structures and being dimensioned for receiving a portion of said structures, the depth of said recesses determining the maximum deflection of said diaphgram into said well. - View Dependent Claims (24, 26)
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23. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having a well formed in one surface thereof and at least one notch disposed about the periphery of said well; a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded proximate to the periphery of said well to define a clamp edge, said layer forming a diaphragm each over said well, said diaphragm having an extended portion over each said notch in which stress and strains caused by deflections of said diaphragm are concentrated; a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal; and means for sensing the deflection of said diaphragm including a piezoresistive sensing element disposed in each said extended portion and means for developing an electrical signal in response to changes of said piezoresistive elements.
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25. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having a well formed in one surface thereof; a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surface being bonded proximate to the periphery of said well, said semiconductor layer forming a diaphragm over said well, said semiconductor layer further including a channel in said first surface being disposed over the periphery of said well; a pedestal projecting outwardly from said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphram in response to a force applied to said pedestal, said pedestal having one or more side walls substantially orthogonal to said second surface; and means for sensing the deflection of said diaphragm. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A semiconductor transducer comprising:
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a substrate having a well formed in one surface thereof; a semiconductor layer having first and second substantially parallel surfaces, the edge portions of said first surfaces being bonded proximate to the periphery of said well, said layer forming a diaphragm over said well; a pedestal projecting outwardly form said second surface and being disposed above said well for deflecting said diaphragm in response to a force applied to said pedestal, said pedestal having one or more sidewalls substantially orthogonal to said second surface; means for sensing the deflections of said diaphragm; and means for limiting the maximum deflection of said diaphragm into said well, including a plurality of structures extending from the bottom surface of said well and having an upper surface elevationally commensurate with the surface of said substrate, and a plurality of recesses formed in said first surface of said semiconductor layer, each of said recesses being associated with one of said structures and being dimensioned for receiving a portion of said structures, the depth of said recesses determining the maximum deflection limit of said diaphragm ino said well.
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Specification