Semiconductor acceleration sensor with movable electrode

• US 5,572,057 A
• Filed: 12/21/1994
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kano, Kazuhiko, Takeuchi, Yukihiro, Ohtsuka, Yoshinori, Yamamoto, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): MINTEL, WILLIAM A
• Application Number:
  US08/360,940
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 257/417, 257/418, 257/419, 257/420, 73/536, 73/629, 73/632, 73/634, 73/722, 73/728, 73/517 R, 73/517 A, 73/517 AV, 73/514.21, 73/514.22, 73/514.18, 73/514.29 , 73/514.36, 73/514.37, 73/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 257/417
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0828 the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 73/01 Vibration

Abstract

Adverse effects due to electrostatic force between a semiconductor substrate and a movable electrode are avoided with a new structure. A movable electrode of beam structure is disposed at a specified interval above a p-type silicon substrate. Fixed electrodes, each composed of an impurity diffusion layer, are disposed on both sides of the movable electrode on the p-type silicon substrate; these fixed electrodes are self-aligningly with respect to the movable electrode. The movable electrode is displaced in accompaniment to the action of acceleration, and acceleration is detected by change (fluctuation) in current between the fixed electrodes generated by means of this displacement. Additionally, an electrode for movable electrode upward-movement use is disposed above the movable electrode, a potential difference is given between the movable electrode and the electrode for movable electrode upward-movement use, and attractive force of the movable electrode to the silicon substrate is alleviated.

Claims

1. A semiconductor acceleration sensor comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a beam structure supported by said semiconductor substrate and having a electrode disposed at a predetermined interval above said semiconductor substrate;

fixed electrodes disposed on said semiconductor substrate and provided with respect to said movable electrode so that a sensing portion is constituted by said movable electrode and said fixed electrodes and acceleration is detected by changes in current between said fixed electrodes generated by means of a displacement of said movable electrode caused by an acceleration on said sensing portion; and

an electrode for movable electrode upward-movement use disposed at a height at least equal to a height at which said movable electrode is disposed, said electrode for movable electrode upward-movement use being given a potential difference against said movable electrode so as to counteract an attractive force of said movable electrode toward said semiconductor substrate,

wherein said electrode for movable electrode upward-movement use includes an impurity diffusion layer formed on a high-resistance silicon substrate disposed above said movable electrode, said impurity diffusion layer opposing said movable electrode.

3. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein said beam structure includes a beam portion supported by said semiconductor substrate and a weight suspended by said beam portion.

4. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 3, wherein said weight has a penetrating hole defined therein.

5. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 3, wherein said weight has a lattice configuration.

6. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 5, wherein a lattice width in said lattice configuration is identical to a width of said beam portion.

7. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 5 wherein a lattice width in said lattice configuration is identical to a minimum width of said beam portion.

8. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein said beam structure has a doubly supported beam structure.

9. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein said beam structure is structured so as to be supported from at least three directions.

10. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claims 1, further comprising a stopper member fixed to said semiconductor substrate and disposed proximate to said movable electrode, whereby a movement range of said movable electrode is restricted by means of said stopper member.

11. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 10, wherein said stopper member is composed of a material identical to said beam structure.

12. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 10, wherein said stopper member restricts displacement of said movable electrode in a horizontal direction.

13. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 10, wherein said stopper member restricts displacement of said movable electrode away from said semiconductor substrate.

14. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 8, wherein said sensing portion is disposed symmetrically with respect to said beam structure in a direction perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of said beam structure to said semiconductor substrate.

2. A semiconductor acceleration sensor comprising;

a semiconductor substrate;

a beam structure supported by said semiconductor substrate and having a movable electrode disposed of a predetermined interval above said semiconductor substrate;

fixed electrodes disposed on said semiconductor substrate and provided with respect to said movable electrode so that a sensing portion is constituted by said movable electrode and said fixed electrodes and acceleration is detected by changes in current between said fixed electrodes generated by means of a displacement of said movable electrode caused by an acceleration on said sensing portion; and

an electrode for movable electrode upward-movement use disposed at a height identical to a height at which said movable electrode is disposed, said electrode for movable electrode upward-movement use being given a potential difference against said movable electrode so as to counteract an attractive force of said movable electrode toward said semiconductor substrate.

15. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 2, wherein said beam structure includes a beam portion supported by said semiconductor substrate and a weight suspended by said beam portion.

16. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 15, wherein said weight has a penetrating hole defined therein.

17. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 16, wherein said weight has a lattice configuration.

18. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 17, wherein a lattice width in said lattice configuration is identical to a width of said beam portion.

19. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 17, wherein a lattice width in said lattice configuration is identical to a minimum width of said beam portion.

20. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 2, wherein said beam structure has a doubly supported beam structure.

21. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 2, wherein said beam structure is structured so as to be supported from at least three directions.

22. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 2, further comprising a stopper member fixed to said semiconductor substrate and disposed proximate to said movable electrode, whereby a movement range of said movable electrode is restricted by means of said stopper member.

23. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 22, wherein said stopper member is composed of a material identical to said beam structure.

24. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 22, wherein said stopper member restricts displacement of said movable electrode in a horizontal direction.

25. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 22, wherein said stopper member restricts displacement of said movable electrode away from said semiconductor substrate.

26. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 20, wherein said sensing portion is disposed symmetrically with respect to said beam structure in a direction perpendicular to a span direction of said beam structure to said semiconductor substrate.

27. A semiconductor acceleration sensor comprising:

a supporting substrate;

a beam structure supported by said supporting substrate and having a movable electrode disposed above said supporting substrate of a predetermined interval;

an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration applied to said sensor based on a displacement of said movable electrode displaced along a horizontal direction with respect to said supporting substrate; and

a control electrode disposed at a height of at least equal to a height at which said movable electrode is disposed, said central electrode being located relative to said movable electrode and a potential being applied thereto for causing an electrostatic force to act on said movable electrode so as to keep said predetermined interval between said movable electrode and said supporting substrate constant.

28. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 27, wherein said control electrode is located above said movable electrode with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween.

29. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 28, wherein said predetermined interval between said movable electrode and said supporting substrate is equal to said predetermined gap between said movable electrode and said control electrode.

30. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 29, wherein said acceleration detector applies on said supporting substrate a constant potential with respect to said movable electrode, and said potential provided on said control electrode is equal to said constant potential applied to said supporting substrate.

31. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 30, wherein said supporting substrate is of a semiconductor substrate, and said acceleration detector includes a movable gate electrode horizontally protruding from said movable electrode along a direction parallel to a displacement direction of said movable electrode and a pair of fixed electrodes disposed on said supporting substrate wherein a channel current between said fixed electrodes varies in accordance with said displacement of said movable electrode due to said acceleration, said channel current being determined by a width of current passage between said fixed electrodes which varies with said displacement.

32. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 31, wherein said constant potential applied between said supporting substrate and said movable electrode is a potential which makes an insulated gate field effect transistor constituted of said movable gate electrode and fixed electrodes turn on.

33. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 28, wherein said beam structure has a doubly supported beam structure.

34. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 33, wherein said supporting substrate is a semiconductor substrate, and said acceleration detector includes a movable gate electrode horizontally protruding from said movable electrode along a direction parallel to a displacement direction of said movable electrode and a pair of fixed electrodes disposed on said supporting substrate, wherein a channel current between said fixed electrodes varies in accordance with said displacement of said movable electrode due to said acceleration said channel current being determined by a width of a current passage between said fixed electrodes which varies with said displacement.

35. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 34, wherein said acceleration detector is disposed symmetrically with respect to said beam structure in a direction perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of said beam structure.

36. A semiconductor acceleration sensor comprising:

a supporting substrate;

a beam structure supported by said supporting substrate at least at three anchor potions at corner portions thereof and having a movable electrode disposed above said supporting substrate at a predetermined interval;

an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration applied thereon based on a displacement of said movable electrode due to an acceleration, applied thereto said displacement of said movable electrode being perpendicular to said supporting substrate; and

a control electrode disposed at a height at least equal to a height at which said movable electrode is disposed, said control electrode being located relative to said movable electrode and a potential being applied thereto for causing an electrostatic force to act on said movable electrode so as to cancel out an attractive force of said movable electrode toward said supporting substrate.

37. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 36, wherein said control electrode is located above said movable electrode with predetermined gap interposed therebetween.

38. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 37, wherein said predetermined interval between said movable electrode and said supporting substrate is equal to said predetermined gap between said movable electrode and said control electrode.

39. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 37, wherein said acceleration detector applies on said supporting substrate a constant potential with respect to said movable electrode and whereby said attractive force is generated, and wherein said potential applied on said control electrode is equal to said constant potential applied on said supporting substrate.

40. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 39, wherein said supporting substrate is a semiconductor substrate, and said acceleration detector includes a movable gate electrode horizontally protruding from said movable electrode and a pair of fixed electrodes disposed on said supporting substrate so as to cause said predetermined interval to vary in accordance with said displacement of said movable electrode due to said acceleration applied thereto and wherein said acceleration detector senses said applied application by changes in current between said fixed electrodes.

41. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 40, wherein said constant potential applied between said supporting substrate and said movable electrode is a potential which makes an insulated gate field effect transistor constituted of said movable gate electrode and fixed electrodes turn on.

42. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 36, wherein said control electrode is disposed at a height identical to a height at which said movable electrode is disposed.

43. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 42, wherein said acceleration detector applies on said supporting substrate a constant potential with respect to said movable electrode and whereby said attractive force is generated, and wherein said potential provided on said control electrode is a constant potential which generates said electrostatic force to cancel out said attractive force.

44. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 43, wherein said supporting substrate is a semiconductor substrate, and said acceleration detector includes a movable gate electrode horizontally protruding from said movable electrode and a pair of fixed electrodes disposed on said supporting substrate so as to cause said predetermined interval to vary in accordance with said displacement of said movable electrode due to said acceleration applies thereto, and wherein said acceleration detector senses said applied acceleration by changes in current between said fixed electrodes.

45. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 44, wherein said constant potential applied between said supporting substrate and said movable electrode is a potential which makes an insulated gate field effect transistor constituted of said movable gate electrode and fixed electrodes turn on.

46. A semiconductor acceleration sensor comprising:

a supporting substrate;

a beam structure supported by said supporting substrate and having a movable electrode disposed above said supporting substrate at a predetermined interval;

an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration applied thereon based on a displacement of said movable electrode due to an acceleration, said acceleration detector including an insulated gate type field effect transistor structure which is formed between said movable electrode and said supporting substrate; and

a control electrode provided at a portion other than under said movable electrode on said supporting substrate and to which is applied a constant voltage for cancelling out an attractive electrostatic force acting between said movable electrode and said supporting substrate during a period wherein said insulated gate type field effect transistor structure is turned on.

47. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 46, wherein said control electrode is disposed at a height equal to or greater than a height at which said movable electrode is disposed.

48. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 47, wherein said supporting substrate is a semiconductor substrate, and said insulated gate type field effect transistor structure of said acceleration detector includes a movable gate electrode horizontally protruding from said movable electrode and a pair of fixed electrodes disposed on said supporting substrate in correspondence with said movable gate electrode so as to sense said acceleration based on changes in current between said fixed electrodes which vary in accordance with said displacement of said movable electrode due to said acceleration.

49. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 48, wherein said control electrode is located above said movable electrode with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween.

50. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 49, wherein said predetermined interval between said movable electrode and said supporting substrate is equal to said predetermined gap between said movable electrode and said control electrode.

51. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 49, wherein said acceleration detector applies on said supporting substrate a constant potential with respect to said movable gate electrode which makes said insulated gate type field effect transistor structure turn on and whereby said attractive electrostatic force is generated, and wherein said constant voltage applied to said control electrode is equal to said constant potential provided on said supporting substrate.

52. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 48, wherein said control electrode is disposed at a height identical to a height at which said movable electrode is disposed.

53. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 52, wherein said acceleration detector applies on said supporting substrate a constant potential with respect to said movable gate electrode which makes said insulated gate type field effect transistor structure turn on and whereby said attractive electrostatic force is generated.

54. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 46, Wherein said beam structure includes a beam portion supported by said supporting substrate and a weight suspended by said beam portion.

55. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 54, wherein said weight has a penetrating hole defined therein.

56. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 54, wherein said weight has a lattice configuration.

57. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 56, wherein a lattice width in said lattice configuration is identical to a width of said beam portion.

58. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 56, wherein a lattice width in said lattice configuration is identical to a minimum width of said beam portion.

59. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 46, wherein said beam structure has a doubly supported beam structure.

60. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 46, wherein said beam structure is structured so as to be supported from at least three directions.

61. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 46, further comprising a stopper member fixed to said supporting substrate and disposed proximate to said movable electrode, whereby a movement range of said movable electrode is restricted by means of said stopper member.

62. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 61, wherein said stopper member is composed of a material identical to said beam structure.

63. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 61, wherein said stopper member restricts displacement of said movable electrode in a horizontal direction with respect to said supporting substrate.

64. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 61, wherein said stopper member restricts displacement of said movable electrode away from said supporting substrate.

65. A semiconductor acceleration sensor according to claim 59, wherein at least one pair of said insulated gate type field effect transistor effect transistor structures is disposed symmetrically with respect to said beam structure in a direction perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of said beam structure.