Capacitive moisture sensor
First Claim
1. A capacitive moisture sensor comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film that is located on a surface of the substrate;
a pair of electrodes that is located on the first insulating film;
a second insulating film that is located on the electrodes to cover and protect the electrodes; and
a moisture-sensitive film having a dielectric constant that varies in response to ambient moisture, wherein the moisture-sensitive film is located on the second insulating film on the electrodes and is also located on one of the first insulating film and the second insulating film between the electrodes, wherein the semiconductor substrate has a hole under the electrodes to decrease the parasitic capacitance between each electrode and the semiconductor substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive moisture sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, which has a hole. A silicon oxide film is located to close the hole. A pair of electrodes is located on the silicon oxide film. Each electrode is in the shape of a comb, and the electrodes mesh with each other. A silicon nitride film is located on the electrodes to cover and protect the electrodes and on the silicon oxide film between the electrodes. A moisture-sensitive film, the dielectric constant of which varies in response to ambient moisture, is located on the silicon nitride film. The thickness of the substrate is substantially zero under the electrodes to eliminate the parasitic capacitance between each electrode and the substrate.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A capacitive moisture sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film that is located on a surface of the substrate;
a pair of electrodes that is located on the first insulating film;
a second insulating film that is located on the electrodes to cover and protect the electrodes; and
a moisture-sensitive film having a dielectric constant that varies in response to ambient moisture, wherein the moisture-sensitive film is located on the second insulating film on the electrodes and is also located on one of the first insulating film and the second insulating film between the electrodes, wherein the semiconductor substrate has a hole under the electrodes to decrease the parasitic capacitance between each electrode and the semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A capacitive moisture sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film that is located on a surface of the substrate;
a pair of electrodes that is located on the first insulating film;
a second insulating film that is located on the pair of electrodes to cover and protect the pair of electrodes; and
a moisture-sensitive film having a dielectric constant that varies in response to ambient moisture, the moisture-sensitive film located on the second insulating film above the pair of electrodes and also located on one of the first insulating film and the second insulating film between the pair of electrodes, wherein the thickness of the semiconductor substrate is substantially zero under the pair of electrodes for decreasing parasitic capacitance between each of the pair of electrodes and the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for manufacturing a capacitive moisture sensor, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a semiconductor substrate that has a front surface and a back surface;
forming a first insulating film on the front surface;
forming a pair of electrodes on the first insulating film;
forming a second insulating film on the electrodes;
etching anisotropically the semiconductor substrate from the back surface to form a hole in the semiconductor substrate under the pair of electrodes; and
forming a moisture-sensitive film, the dielectric constant of which varies in response to ambient moisture, on the second insulating film on the pair of electrodes and on one of the first insulating film and the second insulating film between the pair of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification