Sealed-type remote pressure-monitoring device and method for fabricating the same

• US 6,287,256 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Yoon, Jun-Bo, Yoon, Euisik, Park, Eun-Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/382,353
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 438/50, 438/52, 438/53, 600/398
• US Class Current: 600/398
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/16 for measuring intraocular pressure, e.g. tonometers

Abstract

Disclosed are a remote pressure-monitoring device and a preparing method thereof. The device comprises a metal electrode on a glass substrate, a capacitive sensor made of a silicon diaphragm, and an electroplated inductor electrically connected, in parallel, with the sensor. The glass substrate and the silicon are electrically bonded to form an LC resonator. For the fabrication of the device, first, a metal electrode which plays a role as a lower electrode for a capacitive pressure sensor is deposited on the glass substrate with the same coefficient of thermal expansion as that of silicon. An inductor is formed at a thickness by copper electroplating, surrounding the metal electrode at a predetermined distance. A silicon substrate is anisotropically etched to form a space for enveloping the metal electrode at a central area and to form a groove around the space. Boron ions are diffused lightly into the space and deeply into the groove to form etch barriers thereat, followed by bonding the silicon substrate on the glass substrate through an electrical contact in such a way that the metal electrode and the inductor are enveloped in the space and the groove, respectively. Then, the silicon substrate is etched out from its rear side to the extent that the etch barriers are exposed.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a sealed-type device which remotely senses the internal pressure of animal organs, said method comprising the step of:

depositing a metal electrode on a central area of a glass substrate with a coefficient of thermal expansion as large as that of silicon, the metal electrode playing a role as a lower electrode for a capacitive pressure sensor;

forming a pattern of an inductor at a predetermined thickness by copper electroplating, said inductor surrounding the metal electrode at a predetermined distance;

etching a central area of a silicon substrate to form a space for enveloping the metal electrode;

forming a pattern of a groove around the space in the silicon substrate by a etching process;

diffusing boron ions shallowly into the space and deeply into the groove to form etch barriers thereat;

bonding the silicon substrate on the glass substrate through an anodic bonding in such a way that the metal electrode and the inductor are enveloped in the space and the groove, respectively; and

etching the silicon substrate from its rear side to the extent that the etch barriers are exposed.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the metal depositing step comprises etching a central area of the glass substrate, and depositing Au/Cr on the etched area.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inductor is formed by electroplating copper at a thickness of 30 μ

m and used to obtain a photoresist film in which the ratio of line to space is 15 μ

m/15 μ

m.

4. A method for fabricating a sealed-typed remote pressure-monitoring device, in which an inductor and a capacitive pressure sensor are integrated in a chip on a glass substrate with an electrical connection therebetween, to form a pressure sensor which is sealed per se, whereby no packages are needed for insertion into the body and a low parasite capacitance and a high Q value can be obtained.