Method of manufacturing capacitive type dynamic quantity sensor

• US 6,984,541 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakai, Minekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US10/994,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20050087015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.2, 735/141.8, 738/626.26, 361/280, 438/50
• US Class Current: 438/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type

Abstract

In a capacitive type dynamic quantity sensor, a width of a beam in a beam portion extending in a direction that is perpendicular to a predetermined deformation direction and a gap disposed between a movable electrode and the fixed electrode in the predetermined deformation direction are approximately identical. Accordingly, manufacturing error is prevented from affecting the sensitivity of the capacitive type dynamic quantity sensor. For example, a manufacturing tolerance error of ±2.5% is allowed as a result of designing the width of the beam and the gap to be identical in length.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a capacitive type dynamic quantity sensor, wherein the capacitive type dynamic quantity sensor has a beam portion with a beam for deforming in a predetermined deformation direction based on physical force application, a movable electrode formed integrally with the beam portion to move therewith extending in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined deformation direction, and a fixed electrode facing and being separated from the movable electrode, wherein the method comprises forming a trench in a substrate to form the beam portion, the movable electrode and the fixed electrode simultaneously, wherein:

the forming of the trench forms the beam such that the beam extends in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined deformation direction and such that a width of the beam extends in the predetermined deformation direction, and the forming of the trench forms a gap disposed between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, the gap having a width in the predetermined deformation direction that is approximately identical to the beam width;

respective widths of the movable electrode, the fixed electrode and the gap are approximately identical; and

the beam of the beam portion includes two beam parts each having a width that is approximately the same as the width of the gap.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the trench includes forming the trench by etching the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the trench defines the width of the beam and the width of the gap so that one of which may differ by ±

2.5% from the other.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the two beam parts are parallel to one another and join with each other at end portions thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the forming of a trench further comprises forming a plumb portion integrally with the movable electrode and the beam portion;

the movable electrode includes comb-shaped electrodes located at two sides of the plumb portion; and

the fixed electrode includes comb-shaped first and second fixed electrodes extending in parallel with, and opposed to, respective comb-shaped electrodes of the movable electrode so as to form the gap therebetween.

6. A method of manufacturing a capacitive type dynamic quantity sensor comprising forming a trench in a substrate to form a beam portion, a movable electrode and fixed electrode simultaneously, wherein the forming of the trench forms the beam portion such that the beam extends in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined deformation direction and such that a width of the beam extends in the predetermined deformation direction, and the forming of the trench forms a gap disposed between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, the gap having a width in the predetermined deformation direction that is approximately identical to the width of the beam portion, wherein:

respective widths of the movable electrode, the fixed electrode and the gap are approximately identical; and

the beam portion includes two beams each having a width that is approximately the same as the width of the gap.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the two beams are parallel to one another and join with each other at end portions thereof.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

the forming of a trench further comprises forming a plumb portion integrally with the movable electrode and the beam portion;

the movable electrode includes comb-shaped electrodes located at two sides of the plumb portion; and

the fixed electrode includes comb-shaped first and second fixed electrodes extending in parallel with, and opposed, to respective comb-shaped electrodes of the movable electrode so as to form the gap therebetween.

9. A method of manufacturing a capacitive type dynamic quantity sensor, the method comprising

forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate having an opening portion to simultaneously form fixed electrode groups, which are positioned on respective opposing peripheral sides of the opening portion and extend over the opening portion, and a movable portion across the opening portion, wherein:

the movable portion is formed to include a rectangular plumb portion, beam portions, movable electrode groups extending from the plumb portion and being in parallel with and opposing the fixed electrode groups to define respective gaps therebetween, and anchor portions supporting the plumb portion at respective ends of the plumb portion;

the movable electrode groups are formed to be movable in a deformation direction of the beam portion above the opening portion upon application of a dynamic force to the beam portions; and

the fixed electrode groups, the beam portions and the gaps are formed to have approximately identical widths.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein each of the beam portions includes two beams, both of which extend in parallel with one another and join with each other at end portions thereof, a width of each of the beams being approximately the same as a width of each of the gaps.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein respective widths of the beam portions and the gaps are formed so that one may differ from another with an error tolerance of approximately ±

2.5%.