Semiconductor integrated capacitive acceleration sensor and relative fabrication method

• US 6,104,073 A
• Filed: 07/30/1997
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.R.L. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.R.L. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Villa, Flavio, Ferrari, Paolo, Vigna, Benedetto, Foroni, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US08/903,511
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 257/417-419, 257/347, 257/350, 257/254, 438/50-53
• 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

Abstract

The acceleration sensor is formed in a monocrystalline silicon wafer forming part of a dedicated SOI substrate presenting a first and second monocrystalline silicon wafer separated by an insulting layer having an air gap. A well is formed in the second wafer over the air gap and is subsequently trenched up to the air gap to release the monocrystalline silicon mass forming the movable mass of the sensor; the movable mass has two numbers of movable electrodes facing respective pluralities of fixed electrodes. In the idle condition, each movable electrode is separated by different distances from the two fixed electrodes facing the movable electrode.

Claims

1. An integrated capacitive acceleration sensor comprising a semiconductor material body defining a movable mass presenting movable electrodes directly facing respective fixed electrodes, and a PN junction arranged to provide isolation for biasing of said movable and fixed electrodes;

said semiconductor material body including a monocrystalline sensor region forming said movable mass and said movable and fixed electrodes.

8. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixed and movable electrodes comprise semiconductor material walls arranged comb-fashion;

and each movable electrode is located, when idle, at two different distances from two fixed electrodes facing said movable electrode.

9. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said movable mass is beam-shaped, and has a first and a second side respectively including a first and a second plurality of movable semiconductor material walls forming said movable electrodes and arranged comb-fashion with a first and a second number of fixed semiconductor material walls forming said fixed electrodes;

each movable wall in said first plurality is a first distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in a first direction, and a second distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in a second direction opposite the first direction;

each movable wall in said second plurality has said second distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in said first direction and said first distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in said second direction.

10. A sensor as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first plurality of fixed walls is connected to a first contact to be biased at a first voltage;

said first and second pluralities of movable walls are connected to a contact to be biased at a second voltage higher than the first voltage; and

said second plurality of fixed walls is connected to a third contact to be biased at a third voltage higher than said second voltage.

11. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor material is silicon.

2. An integrated capacitive acceleration sensor comprising:

a dedicated SOI substrate including a first wafer of monocrystalline silicon, an insulating material layer over said first wafer, and a second wafer of monocrystalline semiconductor material over said insulating material layer;

said second wafer including a sensor region comprising movable electrodes directly facing fixed electrodes forming at least one capacitor; and

a PN junction arranged to provide isolation for biasing of said movable and fixed electrodes, said insulating material layer being interrupted at an air gap defined by said first and second wafers and by said insulating material layer.

3. A sensor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second wafer includes an upper surface and a lower surface at said air gap and has a first conductivity type;

and said sensor region comprises a well of a second conductivity type, extending in said second wafer between said upper surface of said second wafer and said air gap, and laterally delimited by an outer portion of said second wafer.

4. A sensor as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a number of isolation and release trenches extending through said well from said upper surface to said air gap.

5. A sensor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said isolation trenches have ends formed in said outer portion of said second wafer.

6. A sensor as claimed in claim 4 wherein said movable mass is laterally delimited by said isolation and release trenches, and is anchored to said well by elastic arms connected monolithically at end sides.

7. A sensor as claimed in claim 5 wherein said movable mass is laterally delimited by said isolation and release trenches, and is anchored to said well by elastic arms connected monolithically at end sides.

23. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fixed and movable electrodes comprise semiconductor material walls arranged comb-fashion;

and each movable electrode is located, when idle, at two different distances from two fixed electrodes facing said movable electrode.

24. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sensor region includes a first and a second side respectively including a first and a second plurality of movable semiconductor material walls forming said movable electrodes and arranged in comb-fashion with a first and a second number of fixed semiconductor material walls forming said fixed electrodes;

each movable wall in said first plurality is a first distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in a first direction, and a second distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in a second direction opposite the first direction;

each movable wall in said second plurality has said second distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in said first direction and said first distance from a fixed wall facing said movable wall in said second direction.

25. A sensor as claimed in claim 23, wherein said first plurality of fixed walls is connected to a first contact to be biased at a first voltage;

said first and second pluralities of movable walls are connected to a contact to be biased at a second voltage higher than the first voltage; and

said second plurality of fixed walls is connected to a third contact to be biased at a third voltage higher than said second voltage.

12. An integrated capacitive acceleration sensor comprising:

a first wafer of monocrystalline silicon;

a first layer of insulating material on said first wafer of monocrystalline silicon, said first layer of insulating material having a portion selectively removed therefrom; and

a second wafer of monocrystalline silicon bonded on said first layer of insulating material, said second wafer of monocrystalline silicon including at least one trench formed therein to define at least one movable and at least one fixed electrode, and a PN junction arranged to provide isolation for biasing of said movable and fixed electrodes.

13. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 12 further including a protective layer on said second wafer of monocrystalline silicon.

14. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 13 wherein said protective layer comprises a dielectric material.

15. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 12 wherein said first wafer of monocrystalline silicon, said first layer of insulating material, and said second wafer of monocrystalline silicon delimit an air gap.

16. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 12 wherein said second wafer of monocrystalline silicon is p-type.

17. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 12 wherein said second wafer of monocrystalline silicon includes an upper surface and a lower surface near said insulating material, and said PN junction extending from said upper surface to said first layer of insulating material.

26. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 12 wherein said at least one movable electrode includes a first and a second set of movable electrodes;

said at least one fixed electrode includes a first and a second set of fixed electrodes;

said first set of fixed electrodes biased at a first voltage;

said first and second set of movable electrodes biased at a second voltage higher than said first voltage;

said second set of fixed electrodes biased at a third voltage higher than said second voltage.

27. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 12 wherein said at least one movable and said at least one fixed electrode alternate in comb-fashion with each other.

28. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 27 wherein said at least one movable electrode is separated from said at least one fixed electrode in a first direction by a first distance and is separated from said at least one fixed electrode in a second direction by a second distance.

29. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 12 wherein said at least one movable electrode forms a parallel capacitor with said at least one fixed electrode.

18. An integrated capacitive acceleration sensor comprising:

a semiconductor material including a first layer, an insulating layer and a monocrystalline wafer attached to said insulating layer, said monocrystalline wafer having an upper surface and a lower surface partially in contact with said insulating layer and including at least one trench formed between said upper surface and said lower surface of said monocrystalline wafer to define at least one moveable and at least one fixed electrode; and

a PN junction arranged to provide isolation for biasing of said movable and fixed electrodes, wherein said at least one trench defines a movable structure.

19. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 18 wherein said movable structure includes a pair of arms to anchor said movable structure to said semiconductor body.

20. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 18 wherein at least one set of transverse walls extend from said movable structure.

21. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 20 wherein said at least one set of transverse walls define said at least one movable electrode.

22. The integrated capacitive acceleration sensor of claim 21 wherein said at least one set of transverse walls alternate comb-fashion with a second at least one set of transverse walls, said second at least one set of transverse walls defining said at least one fixed electrode.