Ultra thin surface mount wafer sensor structures and methods for fabricating same

• US 6,210,989 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Original Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Inventors: Ned, Alexander, Kurtz, Anthony D., Goodman, Scott J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, ANH D
• Application Number:
  US09/398,969
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 438/51, 438/53, 438/55, 438/15, 438/64, 438/118, 438/455, 438/456, 338/2, 338/3, 338/4, 338/5, 73/721, 73/746, 257/419
• US Class Current: 438/51
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0084 to the outside of the housing other details about the housing see G01L19/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0055 bonded on a diaphragm

Abstract

There is disclosed a semiconductor sensor device comprising a semiconductor diaphragm member having a top surface coated with an oxide layer; P+ sensor elements fusion bonded to the oxide layer at a relatively central area of the diaphragm; P+ finger elements fusion bonded to the oxide layer extending from the sensors to an outer contact location of the diaphragm for each finger; and an external rim of P+ material fusion bonded to the oxide layer and surrounding the sensors and fingers. A first glass wafer member is electrostatically bonded at a bottom surface to the fingers and rim to hermetically seal the sensors and fingers of the diaphragm member. The first glass wafer includes a depression above the sensors and has a plurality of apertures, where each aperture is associated with a separate finger at the contact location and each aperture being smaller than the associated finger lining up with the contact location wherein each contact location can be accessed via the associated aperture in the first glass wafer member. A second glass wafer member is sealingly coupled to a top surface of the first glass wafer and has a plurality of apertures aligned with the plurality of apertures of the first glass wafer member and containing a group of hermetically sealed pins for coupling to the contact locations.

Claims

1. A method in which a semiconductor sensor device is made comprising:

coating a semiconductor diaphragm with an oxide layer;

fusion bonding P+ sensor elements to said oxide layer at a relatively central area of said diaphragm;

fusion bonding P+ finger elements to said oxide layer extending from said sensors to an outer contact location outside of the active portion of said diaphragm for each finger;

fusion bonding an external rim of P+ material to said oxide layer and surrounding said sensors and said fingers;

electrostatically bonding a first glass wafer to said fingers and said rim to hermetically seal said sensors and said fingers of said diaphragm member at a top surface, said glass member made with a depression above said sensors and having a plurality of apertures, each aperture associated with a separate finger wherein the apertures are made smaller than the width of such fingers and being aligned with said fingers wherein each aperture associated with a separate finger at said contact location can be accessed via said associated aperture in said glass member;

sealingly coupling a second glass wafer member to a top surface of said first glass wafer and having a plurality of apertures aligned with said plurality of apertures of said first glass wafer member and containing a group of hermetically sealed pins for coupling to said contact locations.

2. The method according the claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a layer of sputtered silicon disposed directly adjacent and engaging each of said first and second glass wafer members wherein said first and second wafers are electrostatically bonded to one another via said sputtered silicon to provide a hermetic seal therebetween.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of depositing a conductive glass frit mixture in said aperture of said first glass wafer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor sensor chip includes providing a semiconductor sensor chip having semiconductor device which comprises a semiconductor pressure transducer.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said semiconductor pressure transducer includes a diaphragm made from semiconductor material which flexes in response to an applied force, said diaphragm having at least one sensor element disposed on said surface for gaging the flexing of said diaphragm, said at least one contact coupled to said at least one sensor element for enabling an electrical connection to be made to said at least one sensor element.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a dielectric layer is disposed between said diaphragm and said at least one sensor element for electrically isolating said at least one sensor element from said diaphragm.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said at least one sensor element comprises at least one piezoresistive sensor element.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein said conductive glass frit includes gold particles.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of depositing a thin layer of a glass frit disposed directly adjacent and engaging each of said first and second glass wafer members and wherein the pins of said second glass member inserted into the unfired glass metal frit and firing the structure so as to seal the sensor to the first and second glass wafer members and affix the pins of the structure to the sensor structure.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second glass wafer further includes a first plurality of depressions on a top surface for providing layers for resistors and interconnect structures and a second plurality of depressions on said top surface for sealing the header portions of said pins for coupling to said semiconductor chip.

11. A method for making a semiconductor sensor device comprising:

coating a semiconductor diaphragm with an oxide layer;

fusion bonding P+ sensor elements to said oxide layer at a relatively central area of said diaphragm;

fusion bonding P+ finger elements to said oxide layer extending from said sensors to an outer contact location outside of the active portion of said diaphragm for each finger;

fusion bonding an external rim of P+ material to said oxide layer and surrounding said sensors and said fingers;

electrostatically bonding a first glass wafer to said fingers and said rim to hermetically seal said sensors and said fingers of said diaphragm member at a top surface, said glass wafer having a plurality of apertures, each aperture associated with a separate finger, wherein the apertures are tapered and made smaller than the width of such fingers; and

sealingly coupling a second glass wafer member to a top surface of said first glass wafer and having a plurality of apertures aligned with said plurality of apertures of said first glass wafer member and containing a group of hermetically sealed pins for coupling to said contact locations, wherein such apertures are filled almost to a top surface with an unfired metal glass frit and wherein metal spheres are inserted into said frit such that a portion of said sphere protrudes past the top surface of said wafer and firing said semiconductor device to make an electrical contact between said spheres and said metalized regions on said fingers, wherein said metal spheres are hermetically isolated from said diaphragm structure.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including the step of depositing a conductive glass frit mixture in said apertures of said single glass wafer.