Semiconductor physical-quantity sensor having a locos oxide film, for sensing a physical quantity such as acceleration, yaw rate, or the like

• US 6,137,150 A
• Filed: 10/11/1995
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Hattori, Tadashi, Takeuchi, Yukihiro, Yamamoto, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Hardy, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US08/540,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 257/415, 257/417, 257/418, 257/419
• US Class Current: 257/417
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/124 by semiconductor devices comprising at least one PN junction, e.g. transistors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/131 with electrostatic counterbalancing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type

Abstract

The present invention provides a semiconductor physical-quantity sensor which can perform measurement of high accuracy without occurrence of deformation or displacement of a fixed electrode for vibration use even if voltage applied to the fixed electrode for vibration use is changed, and which can increase a dielectric breakdown voltage between the fixed electrode for vibration use and a substrate without varying a thickness of an insulative sacrificial layer or causing sacrificial-layer etching time to be affected. A semiconductor physical-quantity sensor according to the present invention forms an electrode-anchor portion on a sufficiently thick insulation film and causes dielectric breakdown voltage with a semiconductor substrate to be increased. In particular, the sufficiently thick insulation film is given by a LOCOS oxide film formed during sensor detection-circuit fabrication or separation of a diffusion electrode.

Claims

1. A semiconductor physical-quantity sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a movable member having an anchor portion which anchors said movable member to said semiconductor substrate, wherein said movable member is displaced by and detects a physical quantity acting from both a direction parallel to said semiconductor substrate and a direction non-parallel on relative to said semiconductor substrate on said movable member;

an oxide film formed on said semiconductor substrate; and

a fixed member including an anchor portion which anchors said fixed member to said semiconductor substrate by said oxide film, said fixed member extending above said semiconductor substrate and said oxide film to a height above a height of said movable member, and including a communication portion that extends outwardly at a height corresponding to a height of said movable member to facilitate communication between said movable member and said fixed member, said communication portion defining a gap across which an electrostatic force is generated by a voltage applied therebetween.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein said fixed member defines an air gap between said fixed member and said oxide film.

5. The sensor of claim 3, wherein said fixed member is a fixed electrode.

7. The semiconductor physical-quantity sensor of claim 1, wherein the movable member further detects a yaw rate.

2. A semiconductor physical-quantity sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a movable member having an anchor portion which anchors said movable member to said semiconductor substrate, said movable member being displaced by and detecting a physical quantity acting from both a direction parallel to said semiconductor substrate and a direction non-parallel to said semiconductor substrate;

an oxide film formed on said semiconductor substrate; and

a fixed member including an anchor portion by which said fixed member is fixed to said semiconductor substrate by said oxide film said oxide film having a center thickness in proximity to said anchor portion that tapers to a peripheral thickness less than the center thickness to thereby inhibit breakdown of said oxide film when a voltage is applied between said movable member and said fixed member.

4. The sensor of claim 2, wherein said fixed member defines an air gap between said fixed member and said oxide film.

6. The sensor of claim 4, wherein said fixed member is a fixed electrode.

8. The semiconductor physical-quantity sensor of claim 2, wherein the movable member further detects a yaw rate.

9. A semiconductor physical-quantity sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a movable member having an anchor portion which anchors said movable member to said semiconductor substrate;

an oxide film formed on said semiconductor substrate; and

a fixed member including an anchor portion which anchors said fixed member to said semiconductor substrate by said oxide film, said fixed member extending above said semiconductor substrate and said oxide film to a height above a height of said movable member, and including a communication portion that extends outwardly at a height corresponding to a height of said movable member to facilitate communication between said movable member and said fixed member, said communication portion defining a gap across which an electrostatic force is generated by a voltage applied therebetween.

10. The sensor of claim 9, wherein said fixed member defines an air gap between said fixed member and said oxide film.

11. The sensor of claim 9, wherein said fixed member is a fixed electrode.

12. The semiconductor physical-quantity sensor of claim 9, wherein the movable member further detects a yaw rate.

13. A semiconductor physical-quantity sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a movable member having an anchor portion which anchors said movable member to said semiconductor substrate;

an oxide film formed on said semiconductor substrate; and

a fixed member including an anchor portion by which said fixed member is fixed to said semiconductor substrate by said oxide film, said oxide film having a center thickness in proximity to said anchor portion that tapers to a peripheral thickness less than the center thickness to thereby inhibit breakdown of oxide film when a voltage is applied between said movable member and said fixed member.

14. The sensor of claim 13, wherein said fixed member defines an air gap between said fixed member and said oxide film.

15. The sensor of claim 13, wherein said fixed member is a fixed electrode.

16. The semiconductor physical-quantity sensor of claim 13, wherein the movable member further detects a yaw rate.