Oxidation sensor for an electrical circuit and a method of manufacture therefor
First Claim
1. An oxidation sensor for an electrical circuit, comprising:
- at least two conductors located on an insulating substrate;
a sensor trace located on the insulating substrate and located between the at least two conductors, wherein the sensor trace is configured to have a positive potential greater than a potential of the at least two conductors when a voltage is applied to the sensor trace;
an oxidizable electrical component associated with the sensor trace, wherein the sensor trace is configured to oxidize at a rate greater than the electrical component when the sensor trace and the electrical component are exposed to a same oxidizing environment; and
wherein the oxidation sensor is capped by a grounded roof layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an oxidation sensor for an electrical circuit or MEMS device that includes a conductor located on an insulating substrate and a sensor trace located on the insulating substrate adjacent the conductor. The sensor trace is located on the insulating substrate adjacent the conductor and is configured to oxidize at a rate greater than an electrical component associated with the sensor trace on the electrical circuit or MEMS device when the sensor trace and the electrical component are exposed to a same oxidizing environment. By oxidizing and thus becoming an open circuit more rapidly than any structure on a electrical circuit or MEMS device at a given relative humidity (i.e. in the same package), the oxidation sensor is designed to provide early warning of oxidation. Thus, the present invention serves as a sensor that will give advance warning of a leaky package and associated oxidation.
26 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An oxidation sensor for an electrical circuit, comprising:
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at least two conductors located on an insulating substrate;
a sensor trace located on the insulating substrate and located between the at least two conductors, wherein the sensor trace is configured to have a positive potential greater than a potential of the at least two conductors when a voltage is applied to the sensor trace;
an oxidizable electrical component associated with the sensor trace, wherein the sensor trace is configured to oxidize at a rate greater than the electrical component when the sensor trace and the electrical component are exposed to a same oxidizing environment; and
wherein the oxidation sensor is capped by a grounded roof layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
titanium, copper, tungsten, aluminum, and tantalum.
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6. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor trace comprises silicon.
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7. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 1 further including bonds pads connected to the sensor trace.
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8. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor trace has a serpentine configuration.
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9. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 8 wherein the serpentine configuration includes a pattern of angles.
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10. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 9 wherein the angles range from about 25 degrees to about 175 degrees.
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11. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor trace and the at least two conductors have a serpentine configuration.
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12. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor trace is unpassivated.
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13. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the oxidizing environment includes a relative humidity of greater than 50% and voltages of greater than 10 volts.
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14. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor trace has a width less than 2 microns.
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15. A method of manufacturing an oxidation sensor for an electrical circuit, comprising:
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forming at least two conductors on an insulating substrate; and
forming a sensor trace located on the insulating substrate and located between the at least two conductors, wherein the sensor trace is configured to have a positive potential greater than a potential of the at least two conductors when a voltage is applied to the sensor trace;
associating an oxidizable electrical component with the sensor trace, wherein the sensor trace is configured to oxidize at a rate greater than the electrical component when the sensor trace and the electrical component are exposed to a same oxidizing environment and wherein the oxidation sensor is capped by a grounded roof layer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
titanium, copper, tungsten, aluminum, and tantalum.
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19. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein forming the sensor trace includes forming the sensor trace so that the sensor trace comprises silicon.
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20. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein forming a sensor trace includes forming bonds pads connected to the sensor trace.
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21. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein forming the sensor trace includes forming the sensor trace with a serpentine configuration.
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22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein forming the sensor trace with a serpentine configuration includes forming a pattern of angles.
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23. The method as recited in claim 22 wherein forming a pattern of angles includes forming a pattern of angles so that the angles range from about 25 degrees to about 175 degrees.
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24. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein forming the sensor trace and the at least two conductors include forming the sensor trace and the at least two conductors include forming them into a serpentine configuration.
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25. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein forming the sensor trace includes forming an unpassivated sensor trace.
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26. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein exposing the sensor trace and the electrical component to an oxidizing environment includes a relative humidity of greater than 50% and voltages of greater than 10 volts.
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27. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein forming the sensor trace includes forming the sensor trace such that a width of the sensor trace is less than 2 microns.
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28. A micro-electromechanical device, comprising:
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an actuator;
an actuation mechanism;
an oxidizable electrical component; and
an oxidation sensor, comprising;
at least two conductors located on an insulating substrate;
a sensor trace located on the insulating substrate and located between the at least two conductors, wherein the sensor trace is configured to have a positive potential greater than a potential of the at least two conductors when a voltage is applied to the sensor trace and configured to oxidize at a rate greater than the electrical component trace when the sensor trace and the electrical component are exposed to a same oxidizing environment and wherein the oxidation sensor is capped by a rounded roof layer. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
titanium, copper, tungsten, aluminum, and tantalum.
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32. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 28 wherein the sensor trace comprises silicon.
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33. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 28 further including bonds pads connected to the sensor trace.
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34. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 28 wherein the sensor trace has a serpentine configuration.
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35. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 34 wherein the serpentine configuration includes a pattern of angles.
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36. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 35 wherein the angles range from about 25 degrees to about 175 degrees.
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37. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 28 wherein the sensor trace and the at least two conductors have a serpentine configuration.
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38. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 28 wherein the electrical component and the sensor trace are unpassivated.
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39. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 28 wherein the oxidizing environment includes a relative humidity of greater than 50% and voltages of greater than 10 volts.
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40. The oxidation sensor as recited in claim 28 wherein the sensor trace has a width less than 2 microns.
Specification