Acceleration sensor and process for the production thereof

• US 6,244,112 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Fujii, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Application Number:
  US09/457,350
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 735/141.8, 735/142.3, 735/143.2, 735/142.1, 735/143.6, 361/280, 361/283.1, 361/283.3
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0817 for pivoting movement of the mass, e.g. in-plane pendulum

Abstract

A single crystal silicon substrate (1) is bonded through an SiO₂ film (9) to a single crystal silicon substrate (8), and the single crystal silicon substrate (1) is made into a thin film. A cantilever (13) is formed on the single crystal silicon substrate (1), and the thickness of the cantilever (13) in a direction parallel to the surface of the single crystal silicon substrate (1) is made smaller than the thickness of the cantilever in the direction of the depth of the single crystal silicon substrate (1), and movable in a direction parallel to the substrate surface. In addition, the surface of the cantilever (13) and the part of the single crystal silicon substrate (1), opposing the cantilever (13), are, respectively, coated with an SiO₂ film (5), so that an electrode short circuit is prevented in a capacity-type sensor. In addition, a signal-processing circuit (10) is formed on the single crystal silicon substrate (1), so that signal processing is performed as the cantilever (13) moves.

Claims

1. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor comprising:

a first layer formed of a silicon material which is used as a conductive material;

a second layer provided under said first layer;

said first layer including;

a support beam having a mass portion forming capacitive electrodes for displacement in a substantially parallel direction to a surface of said second layer according to the degree of mechanical force, a fixed portion for fixing said support beam to said second layer and a support portion for intermediately supporting said mass portion to said fixed portion,

an insulating groove extending through a thickness of said first layer around said support beam, and

stationary block forming capacitive electrodes defined by said insulating groove separately across said insulating groove and fixed to said second layer;

wiring layers derived from said stationary block and said support beam; and

said second layer being separated from said first layer by an insulating layer which is at least provided on the lower side of said fixed portion and said stationary block.

2. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 1, wherein said insulating groove defines a narrow detection groove between said mass portion of said support beam and said stationary block, and movable and stationary electrodes are formed on lateral side surfaces of said support beam and said stationary block in face to face relation with each other across said detection groove.

3. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 1, wherein said support beam is securely fixed to said second layer at a fixed end, and reduced in a width in said support portion to provide at least one support for said mass portion in a fore free end portion to be displayed horizontally according to the degree of mechanical force in the fashion of at least one fulcrum point type mechanical sensor.

4. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 3, wherein said width of said support portion is smaller than a thickness of said fixed portion and said support beam provides a cantilever type support.

5. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 1, wherein said first layer is formed of silicon material with a (100) crystal face.

6. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 5, wherein said first layer is formed of a n-type silicon material.

7. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 1, wherein said second layer is formed of a silicon material having a surface covered with an insulating oxidation film.

8. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor according to claim 1, wherein said support beam has a first thickness along said direction parallel to a surface of said first layer and a second thickness in a direction perpendicular to said surface of said first layer, said first thickness being smaller than said second thickness.

9. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein said support beam or said stationary block comprise an impurity-doped region to form said capacitive electrodes.

10. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein said stationary block includes first, second, third and fourth blocks, each of which is formed of a part of said first layer, and said support beam include a first branch and a second branch, said first branch being interposed between said first block and said second block with a first air gap defined therebetween, said second branch being interposed between said third block and said fourth block with a second air gap defined therebetween, said first block and said third block being electrically connected with each other, said second block and said fourth block being electrically connected with each other.

11. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having an insulating material thereon;

a support beam which includes a mass portion forming a predetermined mass and first capacitive electrodes on side surfaces of said mass portion, a fixed portion for fixing said support beam to said substrate and a narrow support portion for intermediately connecting between said mass portion and said fixed portion, stationary blocks arranged on a side of said mass portion separately across an air gap and fixed to said substrate, said stationary blocks provided with second capacitive electrodes on the opposite sides of said first capacitive electrodes of said mass portion;

said mass portion being displaced in a substantially parallel direction to a surface of said substrate according to the degree of mechanical force and said support beam and said stationary blocks being formed of a silicon material which is used as a conductive material and electrically insulated from said substrate; and

wiring layers derived from said stationary block and said support beam.

12. A semi-conductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

gap means forming a gap space in order to space said mass portion and said narrow support portion from the surface of said substrate, and

wherein said gap means is formed of an insulating layer at least between said substrate and said fixed portion of the support beam and said stationary blocks.

13. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 11, wherein said first and second capacitive electrodes are formed on lateral side surfaces of said mass portion and said stationary blocks in face to face relation with each other across said gap.

14. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 11, wherein a width of said narrow support portion is smaller than a thickness of said fixed portion.

15. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 11, wherein said support beam and said stationary blocks are formed of an n-type silicon material with a (100) crystal face.

16. A semiconductor capacitance-type sensor as defined in claim 11, wherein said substrate is formed of a silicon material.