Method for manufacturing an accelerometer sensor of crystalline material

• US 5,792,675 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Offenberg
• Original Assignee: Michael Offenberg
• Inventors: Offenberg, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUTTON, BRIAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/730,257
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 437/182, 437/228 SEN, 437/901, 437/921, 437/927, 148/DIG. 159, 148/DIG. 73, 438/50, 438/52
• US Class Current: 438/52
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0118 Cantilevers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0136 Comb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0035 Constitution or structural means for controlling the movement of the flexible or deformable elements
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0078 Constitution or structural means for improving mechanical properties not provided for in B81B3/007 - B81B3/0075
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0086 Electrical characteristics, e.g. reducing driving voltage, improving resistance to peak voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00595 Control etch selectivity
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0107 Sacrificial metal
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0109 Sacrificial layers not provided for in B81C2201/0107 - B81C2201/0108
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/016 Passivation
• 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

Abstract

In an accelerometer sensor of crystalline material, whose components are composed partly of monocrystalline and partly of polycrystalline material, a band-shaped seismic mass preferably is composed of polycrystalline material, whose suspension by means of suspension segments of monocrystalline material at the end regions permits a movement in the longitudinal direction upon the occurrence of an acceleration. Parallel plates extend from this mass at right angles to their longitudinal direction and, together with additional plates, which run parallel to said plates and are anchored at a base, form a capacitor arrangement and are composed, in particular, of monocrystalline material. At least the monocrystalline material is doped to attain an electric conductivity. When lightly doped, the long and thin plates and suspension segments have a high conductivity, given a very small mechanical prestressing, and can easily be isotropically undercut. The polycrystalline formation of the seismic mass can be designed to be very wide and large by etching away an underlying sacrificial oxide.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a sensor, comprising the steps of:

applying a sacrificial layer to a monocrystalline silicon base;

arranging a polysilicon starting layer on the sacrificial layer;

creating at least one polycrystalline silicon region by depositing a silicon layer as a polycrystalline silicon layer over the sacrificial layer;

creating at least one monocrystalline silicon region by depositing a silicon layer as a monocrystalline silicon layer over a portion of the monocrystalline silicon base not covered by the sacrificial layer;

creating a sensor structure in the silicon layer via an etching of trenches, the sensor structure including at least one portion of the at least one monocrystalline silicon region and at least one portion of the at least one polycrystalline silicon region;

etching a portion of the monocrystalline silicon base under the at least one portion of the at least one monocrystalline silicon region; and

etching a portion of the sacrificial layer under the at least one portion of the at least one polycrystalline silicon region.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

prior to applying the sacrificial layer to the monocrystalline silicon base, applying a thermal oxide layer to the monocrystalline silicon base and applying a hydrofluoric-acid-resistant layer over the thermal oxide layer; and

performing an etching process such that portions of the thermal oxide layer and the hydrofluoric-acid-resistant layer are removed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the etching of trenches is performed using a resist mask.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

passivating perpendicular side walls formed during the etching of trenches.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

doping a crystalline region.