Capacitive moisture sensor

• US 6,628,501 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Toyoda, Inao
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ha, Nguyen
• Application Number:
  US10/151,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 361/303, 361/302, 361/286, 361/287, 361/311, 361/313, 357/25, 357/23.15, 357/23.14, 357/53, 357/57
• US Class Current: 361/303
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/225 by using hygroscopic materials

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.

Claims

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.

2. The capacitive moisture sensor as in claim 1, wherein the first insulating film is exposed at the bottom of the hole.

3. 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 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.

4. The capacitive moisture sensor as in claim 3, wherein the each of the pair of electrodes is in the shape of a comb and wherein the pair of electrodes mesh with each other.

5. The capacitive moisture sensor as in claim 3, wherein the first insulating film is made of silicon oxide.

6. The capacitive moisture sensor as in claim 3, wherein the second insulating film is made of silicon nitride.

7. The capacitive moisture sensor as in claim 3, wherein the moisture-sensitive film includes polyimide resin.

8. A method for manufacturing a capacitive moisture sensor, the method comprising steps of:

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.

9. The method as in claim 8 includes a step of forming a silicon nitride film on the back surface as an etching mask and another step of forming an opening in the silicon nitride film to etch the substrate through the opening.

10. The method in claim 8, wherein the etching anistropically of the semiconductor substrate further comprises etching until the first insulating film is exposed at the bottom of the hole.