Semiconductor device and magneto-resistive sensor integration

• US 7,239,000 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Amundson, Mark D., Witcraft, William F., Berg, Lonny L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cuong
• Application Number:
  US10/754,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 257421-430, 324/127
• US Class Current: 257/425
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/09 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/096 anisotropic magnetoresistance sensors

Abstract

A magnetic-sensing apparatus and method of making and using thereof is provided. The sensing apparatus may be fabricated from semiconductor circuitry and a magneto-resistive sensor. A dielectric may be disposed between the semiconductor circuitry and the magneto-resistive sensor. In one embodiment, the semiconductor circuitry and magneto-resistive sensor are formed into a single package or, alternatively, monolithically formed into a single chip. In another embodiment, some of the semiconductor circuitry may be monolithically formed on a first chip with the magneto-resistive sensor, while other portions of the semiconductor circuitry may be formed on a second chip. As such, the first and second chips may be placed in close proximity and electrically connected together or alternatively have no intentional electrical interaction, Exemplary semiconductor devices that might be implemented include, without limitation, capacitors, inductors, operational amplifiers, set/reset circuitry for the magneto-resistive sensors, accelerometers, pressure sensors, position sensing circuitry, compassing circuitry, etc.

Claims

1. A single-package sensing apparatus comprising:

semiconductor circuitry farmed on a chip;

a magneto-resistive sensor formed over the semiconductor circuitry; and

a metal-insulator-metal capacitor formed adjacent to the magneto-resistive sensor on the same chip.

2. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a shield disposed between the semiconductor circuitry and tie magneto-resistive sensor.

3. The sensing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shield comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal and magnetic materials.

4. The sensing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shield is adapted to prevent the semiconductor circuitry from undesirably affecting an operation of the magneto-resistive sensor.

5. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric disposed between the semiconductor circuitry and the magneto-resistive sensor, and a shield disposed in the dielectric.

6. The sensing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the shield is adapted to prevent the semiconductor circuitry from undesirably affecting an operation of the magneto-resistive sensor.

7. A monolithically formed sensing apparatus comprising;

a first part having semiconductor circuitry disposed thereon;

a second part having a magneto-resistive sensor disposed thereon;

a dielectric layer disposed between said first and second parts;

wherein the first part is fabricated before the second part, wherein the second part comprises;

magneto-resistive structures;

at least one first metallization;

at least one first contact coupled to the at least one first metallization;

a second dielectric layer disposed over at least the dielectric layer;

at least one second metallization coupled to the at least one first contact;

at least one second contact coupled to the at least one second metallization;

a third dielectric layer disposed over at least the second dielectric layer;

at least one third metallization coupled to the at least one second contact;

at least one third contact coupled to the at least one third metallization; and

a fourth dielectric layer disposed over at least the third dielectric layer.

8. The sensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the dielectric layer is formed over the first part before the second part is formed.

9. The sensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first part is formed using any of Complementary-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor(CMOS), bipolar, Gallium-Arsenide, Germanium, bipolarCMOS (BiCMOS), and Indium Phosphide (InP), and Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technologies.

10. The sensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second part further comprises a metal-insulator-metal capacitor disposed between the at least one first metallization and the at least one first contact.

11. The sensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the dielectric comprises contact glass, and wherein the contact glass comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon-nitride (Si3N4) borophosillicate glass (BPSG), and silicon-oxide (SiO2).

12. A method at making a sensing apparatus, the method comprising

forming semiconductor circuitry;

forming a magneto-resistive sensor over the semiconductor circuitry; and

forming a metal-insulator-metal capacitor within layers forming the magneto-resistive sensor, wherein the semiconductor circuitry and magneto-resistive sensor are formed into a single package.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the steps of forming semiconductor circuitry and forming a magneto-resistive sensor over the semiconductor circuitry comprises forming the semiconductor circuitry physically separate from the magneto-resistive sensor to prevent undesired interaction between the semiconductor circuitry and magneto-resistive sensor.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising forging a shield between the semiconductor circuitry and the magneto-resistive sensor.