Method of manufacturing a force sensor having an electrode which changes resistance or electrostatic capacitance in response to force

• US 6,159,761 A
• Filed: 04/03/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wacoh Company
• Original Assignee: Wacoh Company
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dutton, Brian
• Application Number:
  US09/054,573
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 438/53, 438/462, 73/514.32, 73/514.33, 73/514.34
• US Class Current: 438/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/123 by piezo-resistive elements, e.g. semiconductor strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/084 the mass being suspended at more than one of its sides, e.g. membrane-type suspension, so as to permit multi-axis movement of the mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0842 the mass being of clover leaf shape

Abstract

A first substrate of the three layer structure composed of a lower layer portion consisting of silicon, a middle layer portion consisting of SiO₂ and an upper layer portion consisting of silicon is prepared. Impurity is doped into the lower layer portion so that it has conductivity. The lower surface of the lower layer portion is etched to form a diaphragm portion and a pedestal portion, and then a second substrate consisting of glass is joined to the portion therebelow. By the electrodes on the second substrate and the diaphragm portion, capacitance elements are formed. Grooves are dug by a dicing blade from the upper surface of the upper layer portion thereafter to downwardly dig the bottom portions of the grooves by etching until the upper surface of the lower layer portion is exposed. When the respective unit areas are cut off, there is obtained a structure in which a weight body is positioned at the central portion of the diaphragm portion and a pedestal is formed at the periphery thereof. Piezo resistance elements may be used in place of the capacitance elements.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a sensor utilizing change of electrostatic capacitance, the method comprising:

a step of preparing a first substrate where a working area is defined at a central portion thereof, a flexible area is defined at a periphery of the working area and a fixed area is defined at a periphery of the flexible area, and preparing a second substrate for being disposed in a manner opposite to a lower surface of the first substrate;

a step of implementing processing to either the lower surface of the first substrate or an upper surface of the second substrate, or both of the surfaces so that a cavity portion of a capacitance element can be formed between said working and flexible areas of the first substrate and an opposite ares of the second substrate;

a step of providing electrodes so that the capacitance element can be formed between the lower surface of the first substrate constituting an upper wall surface of said cavity portion for said capacitance element and the upper surface of the second substrate constituting a lower wall surface of said cavity portion for the capacitance element;

a step of joining the lower surface of the fixed area of the first substrate to the upper surface of the second substrate so as to form said cavity portion for said capacitance element;

a step of digging a portion of at least the flexible area of the first substrate from the upper surface to thereby form grooves having a first depth; and

a step of implementing etching to bottom portions of the grooves until their depths reach a second depth so that a flexible portion is formed by a portion of the flexible area of the first substrate, a weight body is formed by a portion of the working area of the first substrate and a pedestal is formed by a portion of the fixed area of the first substrate thus to form a sensor structural body wherein bending takes place in the flexible portion on the basis of force applied to the weight body;

to manufacture a sensor having a function to measure physical action on the basis of change of electrostatic capacitance values of the capacitance elements.

2. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 1, the method further comprising:

a step of preparing a third substrate for being disposed in a manner opposite to the upper surface of the first substrate; and

a step of joining an upper surface of the pedestal to a lower surface of the third substrate in the state where a space is provided between the pedestal and the third substrate, the weight body being permitted to undergo displacement with a degree of freedom within said space.

3. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 1:

wherein etching is implemented to either the lower surface of the first substrate or the upper surface of the second substrate to thereby carry out processing for forming the cavity portion for capacitance element.

4. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 1:

wherein a lower layer portion of the first substrate is constituted by a conductive layer and the cavity portion for said capacitance element is provided in said lower layer portion so that the upper wall surface of said cavity portion for the capacitance element has conductivity to constitute an electrode of the capacitance element by said upper wall surface.

5. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 4:

wherein a substrate having three layer structure of an upper layer portion, a middle layer portion and a lower layer portion is used as the first substrate, and the middle layer portion is constituted by material having an etching characteristic different from that of the upper layer portion and the lower layer portion;

wherein grooves shallower than a thickness of the upper layer portion are dug as the grooves of the first depth; and

wherein when the bottom portions of the grooves formed on the upper layer portion are dug to the second depth, two stages of a former stage and a latter stage are carried out so that the upper layer portion is dug by using first etching liquid or gas in the former stage and the middle layer portion is dug by using second etching liquid or gas in the latter stage.

6. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 5:

wherein, after the cavity portion for the capacitance element is formed on the lower layer portion, a portion of the upper wall surface of the cavity portion for the capacitance element is further removed by etching so as to form a slit penetrated through the lower layer portion to allow the flexible portion to have sufficient flexibility in measurement.

7. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 5:

wherein the upper layer portion is constituted by a silicon, the middle layer portion is constituted by silicon compound, and the lower layer portion is constituted by silicon having conductivity by addition of impurity.

8. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 5:

wherein the middle layer portion is constituted by insulating material.

9. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 1:

wherein plural unit areas are defined on the first substrate or the body substrate, and a working area, a flexible area and a fixed area are defined for the respective unit areas, at a central portion of the unit area, at a periphery of the working area and at a periphery of the flexible area; and

wherein individual steps are executed for the respective unit areas to form respectively independent sensor structural bodies in the respective unit areas thereafter to cut the substrates into the respective unit areas so as to manufacture plural independent sensors.

10. A manufacturing method for sensor as set forth in claim 9:

wherein when the grooves having the first depth are dug, grooves continuous over the plural unit areas are dug.

11. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 1:

wherein the grooves having the first depth are formed by mechanically digging the upper surface of the first substrate.

12. A method of manufacturing a sensor utilizing change of electrostatic capacitance, the method comprising:

a step of preparing a first substrate where a working area is defined at a central portion thereof, a flexible area is defined at a periphery of the working area and a fixed area is defined at a periphery of the flexible area, and preparing a second substrate for being disposed in a manner opposite to a lower surface of the first substrate;

a step of implementing processing to either the lower surface of the first substrate or an upper surface of the second substrate, or both of the surfaces so that a cavity portion for capacitance element can be formed between said working and flexible areas of the first substrate and an opposite area of the second substrate;

a step of providing electrodes so that capacitance element can be formed between a surface of the first substrate constituting an upper wall surface of said cavity portion for said capacitance element and a surface of the second substrate constituting a lower wall surface of said cavity portion for said capacitance element;

a step of joining the lower surface of the fixed area of the first substrate to the upper surface of the second substrate so as to form said cavity portion for said capacitance element;

a step of digging the fixed area and the flexible area of the first substrate from the upper surface to thereby form grooves having a first depth; and

a step of implementing etching to bottom portions of the grooves until their depths reach a second depth so that a flexible portion is formed by a portion of the flexible area of the first substrate and a weight body is formed by a portion of the working area of the first substrate thus to form a sensor structural body wherein bending takes place in the flexible portion on the basis of force applied to the weight body;

to manufacture a sensor having a function to measure physical action on the basis of change of electrostatic capacitance values of the capacitance element.

13. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 12, the method further comprising:

a step of preparing a third substrate, a cavity portion for weight body being provided on a lower surface of said third substrate for forming a space within which the weight body is permitted to undergo displacement with a degree of freedom; and

a step of joining the lower surface of the third substrate to the fixed area of an upper surface of the first substrate so as to cover the weight body by a wall surface of said cavity portion for weight body.

14. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 13:

wherein the cavity portion for said capacitance element and the cavity portion for the weight body have a structure which can be sealed from the exterior and both the cavity portions are sealed while carrying out vacuum suction.

15. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 12:

wherein etching is implemented to either the lower surface of the first substrate or the upper surface of the second substrate to thereby carry out processing for forming the cavity portion for the capacitance element.

16. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 12:

wherein a lower layer portion of the first substrate is constituted by conductive layer and the cavity portion for the capacitance element is provided in said lower layer portion so that the upper wall surface of said cavity portion for the capacitance element has conductivity to constitute an electrode of the capacitance elements by said upper wall surface.

17. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 16:

wherein a substrate having three layer structure of an upper layer portion, a middle layer portion and a lower layer portion is used as the first substrate, and the middle layer portion is constituted by material having an etching characteristic different from that of the upper layer portion and the lower layer portion;

wherein grooves shallower than a thickness of the upper layer portion are dug as the grooves of the first depth; and

wherein when the bottom portions of the grooves formed on the upper layer portion are dug to the second depth, two stages of a former stage and a latter stage are carried out so that the upper layer portion is dug by using first etching liquid or gas in the former stage and the middle layer portion is dug by using second etching liquid or gas in the latter stage.

18. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 17:

wherein, after the cavity portion for the capacitance element is formed on the lower layer portion, a portion of the upper wall surface of the cavity portion for capacitance element is further removed by etching so as to form a slit penetrated through the lower layer portion to allow the flexible portion to have sufficient flexibility in measurement.

19. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 17:

wherein the upper layer portion is constituted by silicon, the middle layer portion is constituted by a silicon compound, and the lower layer portion is constituted by silicon having conductivity by addition of a impurity.

20. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 17:

wherein the middle layer portion is constituted by insulating material.

21. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 12:

wherein plural unit areas are defined on the first substrate or the body substrate, and a working area, a flexible area and a fixed area are defined for the respective unit areas, at a central portion of the unit area, at a periphery of the working area and at a periphery of the flexible area; and

wherein individual steps are executed for the respective unit areas to form respectively independent sensor structural bodies in the respective unit areas thereafter to cut the substrates into the respective unit areas so as to manufacture plural independent sensors.

22. A manufacturing method for sensor as set forth in claim 21:

wherein when the grooves having the first depth are dug, grooves continuous over the plural unit areas are dug.

23. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 12:

wherein the grooves having the first depth are formed by mechanically digging the upper surface of the first substrate.

24. A method of manufacturing a sensor utilizing a piezo resistance element, the method comprising:

a step of preparing a body substrate wherein a working area is defined at a central portion, a flexible area is defined at a periphery of the working area, and a fixed area is defined at a periphery of the flexible area;

a step of forming piezo resistance elements in the flexible area on a lower surface of the body substrate so that resistance values of said piezo resistance elements change on the basis of mechanical deformation;

a step of digging a portion of at least the flexible area of the body substrate from an upper surface to thereby form grooves having a first depth; and

a step of implementing etching to bottom portions of the grooves until their depths reach a second depth so that a flexible portion is formed by a portion of the flexible area of the body substrate, a weight body is formed by a portion of the working area of the body substrate and a pedestal is formed by a portion of the fixed area of the body substrate thus to form a sensor structural body wherein bending takes place in the flexible portion on the basis of force applied to the weight body;

to manufacture said sensor having a function to measure physical action on the basis of change of resistance values of the piezo resistance elements.

25. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 24, the method further comprising:

a step of preparing a cover substrate for being disposed in a manner opposite to the upper surface of the body substrate; and

a step of joining an upper surface of the body substrate to a lower surface of the cover substrate in the state where a space is provided between the upper surface of the body substrate and the lower surface of the cover substrate, the weight body being permitted to undergo displacement with degree of freedom within said space.

26. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claims 24, the method further comprising:

a step of preparing a supporting substrate for being disposed in a manner opposite to the lower surface of the body substrate;

a step of implementing processing to either the lower surface of the body substrate or an upper surface of the supporting substrate, or both of the surfaces so that a cavity portion said resistance element can be formed between said working and flexible areas of the body substrate and an opposite area of the supporting substrate; and

a step of joining the lower surface of the fixed area of the body substrate to the upper surface of the supporting substrate so as to form said cavity portion said resistance element.

27. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 24:

wherein a substrate having three layer structure of an upper layer portion, a middle layer portion and a lower layer portion is used as the body substrate, and the middle layer portion is constituted by material having an etching characteristic different from that of the upper layer portion and the lower layer portion;

wherein grooves shallower than a thickness of the upper layer portion are dug as the grooves of the first depth; and

wherein when the bottom portions of the grooves formed on the upper layer portion are dug to the second depth, two stages of a former stage and a latter stage are carried out so that the upper layer portion is dug by using first etching liquid or gas in the former stage and the middle layer portion is dug by using second etching liquid or gas in the latter stage.

28. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claims 27:

wherein the piezo resistance element is to be provided in the lower layer portion and there is further provided a step of removing by etching a portion of an area where the piezo resistance element is not formed of the lower layer portion so as to form a slit penetrated through the lower layer portion to allow the flexible portion to have sufficient flexibility in measurement.

29. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 27:

wherein the upper layer portion and the lower layer portion are constituted by silicon, the middle layer portion is constituted by silicon oxide and the piezo resistance elements are constituted by silicon having conductivity by addition of impurity.

30. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 24:

wherein plural unit areas are defined on the first substrate or the body substrate, and a working area, a flexible area and a fixed area are defined for the respective unit areas, at a central portion of the unit area, at a periphery of the working area and at a periphery of the flexible area; and

wherein individual steps are executed for the respective unit areas to form respectively independent sensor structural bodies in the respective unit areas thereafter to cut the substrates into the respective unit areas so as to manufacture plural independent sensors.

31. A method manufacturing method for sensor as set forth in claim 30:

wherein when the grooves having the first depth are dug, grooves continuous over the plural unit areas are dug.

32. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 24:

wherein the grooves having the first depth are formed by mechanically digging the upper surface of the first substrate.

33. A method of manufacturing a sensor utilizing a piezo resistance elements, the method comprising:

a step of preparing a body substrate wherein a working area is defined at a central portion, a flexible area is defined at a periphery of the working area, and a fixed area is defined at a periphery of the flexible area;

a step of forming piezo resistance elements in the flexible area on a lower surface of the body substrate so that resistance values of said piezo resistance elements change on the basis of mechanical deformation;

a step of digging the fixed area and the flexible area of the body substrate from an upper surface to thereby form grooves having a first depth; and

a step of implementing etching to bottom portions of the grooves until their depths reach a second depth so that a flexible portion is formed by a portion of the flexible area of the body substrate and a weight body is formed by a portion of the working area of the body substrate thus to form a sensor structural body wherein bending takes place in the flexible portion on the basis of force applied to the weight body;

to manufacture said sensor having a function to measure physical action on the basis of change of said resistance values of the piezo resistance elements.

34. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 33, the method further comprising:

a step of preparing a cover substrate, a cavity portion for weight body being provided on a lower surface of said cover substrate for forming a space within which the weight body is permitted to undergo displacement with a degree of freedom; and

a step of joining the lower surface of the cover substrate to the fixed area of an upper surface of the body substrate so as to cover the weight body by a wall surface of said cavity portion for weight body.

35. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 33, the method further comprising:

a step of preparing a supporting substrate for being disposed in a manner opposite to the lower surface of the body substrate;

a step of implementing processing to either the lower surface of the body substrate or an upper surface of the supporting substrate, or both of the surfaces so that a cavity portion for one of said resistance elements can be formed between said working and flexible areas of the body substrate and an opposite area of the supporting substrate; and

a step of joining the lower surface of the fixed area of the body substrate to the upper surface of the supporting substrate so as to form said cavity portion for said one of said resistance elements.

36. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 33:

wherein a substrate having three layer structure of an upper layer portion, a middle layer portion and a lower layer portion is used as the body substrate, and the middle layer portion is constituted by material having an etching characteristic different from that of the upper layer portion and the lower layer portion;

wherein grooves shallower than a thickness of the upper layer portion are dug as the grooves of the first depth; and

wherein when the bottom portions of the grooves formed on the upper layer portion are dug to the second depth, two stages of a former stage and a latter stage are carried out so that the upper layer portion is dug by using first etching liquid or gas in the former stage and the middle layer portion is dug by using second etching liquid or gas in the latter stage.

37. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 36:

wherein the piezo resistance elements are to be provided in the lower layer portion and there is further provided a step of removing by etching a portion of an area where the piezo resistance elements are not formed of the lower layer portion so as to form a slit penetrated through the lower layer portion to allow the flexible portion to have sufficient flexibility in measurement.

38. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 36:

wherein the upper layer portion and the lower layer portion are constituted by silicon, the middle layer portion is constituted by silicon oxide and the piezo resistance elements are constituted by silicon having conductivity by addition of an impurity.

39. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 33:

wherein plural unit areas are defined on the first substrate or the body substrate, and a working area, a flexible area and a fixed area are defined for the respective unit areas, at a central portion of the unit area, at a periphery of the working area and at a periphery of the flexible area; and

wherein individual steps are executed for the respective unit areas to form respectively independent sensor structural bodies in the respective unit areas thereafter to cut the substrates into the respective unit areas so as to manufacture plural independent sensors.

40. A manufacturing method for sensor as set forth in claim 39:

wherein when the grooves having the first depth are dug, grooves continuous over the plural unit areas are dug.

41. A method of manufacturing a sensor as set forth in claim 33:

wherein the grooves having the first depth are formed by mechanically digging the upper surface of the first substrate.