Semiconductor sensor for measuring a physical quantity and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,644,623 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2008
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Isobe, Yoshihiko, Yokura, Hisanori, Kawasaki, Eishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US12/010,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20080202249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 737/15, 737/26
• US Class Current: 73/726
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 5/52 with electrical conversion means for final indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2293 of the semi-conductor type semi-conductor devices controllable by variations of applied mechanical force H01L29/84
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0055 bonded on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/02166 Collar structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49103 Strain gauge making

Abstract

A semiconductor pressure sensing apparatus includes a metallic stem having a diaphragm and a semiconductor sensor bonded to the diaphragm. The semiconductor sensor includes a gauge section and first and second bonding pads. The gauge section is configured to be deformed according to a deformation of the diaphragm. The first and second bonding pads are respectively connected to different positions of the gauge section so that an electrical resistance between the first and second bonding pads can change with a change in the deformation of the diaphragm. The gauge section is formed to a semiconductor layer of an silicon-on-insulator substrate. The semiconductor sensor is directly bonded to the diaphragm by activating contact surfaces between the semiconductor sensor and the diaphragm.

Claims

1. A semiconductor sensor comprising:

a body including a hollow tube portion and a bottom portion for covering an opening of the tube portion, the bottom portion being thinned to a predetermined thickness that allows the bottom portion to be deformed according to pressured applied thereto;

an insulating layer; and

a semiconductor layer disposed on the insulating layer, the semiconductor layer having at least one gauge section including a sensing portion configured to be deformed according to an amount of physical quantity applied thereto, the gauge section further including first and second bonding pads respectively connected to different positions of the sensing portion,

wherein the gauge section is mounted to only the bottom portion of the body, and

wherein an electrical resistance between the first and second bonding pads changes with a change in the amount of the applied physical quantity.

2. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a base substrate disposed under the insulating layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer, the insulating layer, and the base substrate are configured as a silicon-on-insulator substrate.

3. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the semiconductor layer has a thickness of about between 1 micrometer and 2 micrometers, and

wherein the silicon-on-insulator substrate has a thickness less than about 10 micrometers.

4. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor layer has an impurity concentration of about between 1×

10¹⁹ per cubic centimeter and 1×

10²¹ per cubic centimeter.

5. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the gauge section has a plurality of straight and bent portions connected to each other to form a zigzag shape.

6. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electrically insulating film that covers the gauge section.

7. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first protection film disposed on the insulating film to protect the gauge section, the first protection film being used to mount the gauge section to the bottom portion.

8. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 7, further comprising:

a second protection film disposed between the insulating film and the first protection film to protect the gauge section.

9. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor layer having a plurality of gauge sections arranged in series.

10. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the physical quantity is pressure.

11. The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the physical quantity is a temperature.

12. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor sensor comprising:

preparing a silicon-on-insulator substrate that includes a base substrate, a buried insulating layer disposed on the base substrate, and a semiconductor layer disposed on the insulating layer;

forming a gauge section by etching the semiconductor layer, the gauge section including a sensing portion configured to deformed according to an amount of physical quantity applied thereto and first and second bonding pads connected to different positions of the sensing portion;

covering the gauge section with an electrical insulating film;

forming a first protection film on the insulating film to protect the gauge section;

eliminating the base substrate and the buried insulating layer from a back side of the silicon-on-insulator substrate;

preparing a body having a thinned portion; and

mounting the gauge section to the thinned portion by holding the first protection film.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

forming a second protection film between the insulating film and the first protection film to protect the gauge section.

14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor sensor, comprising:

preparing a silicon-on-insulator substrate that includes a base substrate, a buried insulating layer disposed on the base substrate, and a semiconductor layer disposed on the insulating layer;

forming a gauge section by etching the semiconductor layer, the gauge section including a sensing portion configured to deformed according to an amount of physical quantity applied thereto and first and second bonding pads connected to different positions of the sensing portion;

covering the gauge section with an electrical insulating film;

forming a first protection film on the insulating film to protect the gauge section;

forming a plurality of through holes extending from a top surface of the first protection film to a top surface of the buried insulating layer;

wet etching the buried insulating layer through the plurality of through holes to partially remove the buried insulating layer;

removing a remainder of the buried insulating layer and the base substrate by using a dicing saw;

preparing a body having a thinned portion; and

mounting the gauge section to the thinned portion by holding the first protection film.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

forming a second protection film between the insulating film and the first protection film to protect the gauge section.

16. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor sensor, comprising:

preparing a silicon-on-insulator substrate that includes a base substrate, a buried insulating layer disposed on the base substrate, and a semiconductor layer disposed on the insulating layer;

forming a gauge section by etching the semiconductor layer, the gauge section including a sensing portion configured to be deformed according to an amount of physical quantity applied thereto and first and second bonding pads connected to different positions of the sensing portion;

covering the gauge section with an electrical insulating film;

forming a first protection film on the insulating film to protect the gauge section;

forming a plurality of through holes extending from a top surface of the first protection film to a top surface of the buried insulating layer;

wet etching the buried insulating layer through the plurality of through holes to completely remove the buried insulating layer;

preparing a body having a thinned portion; and

mounting the gauge section to the thinned portion by holding the first protection film.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

forming a second protection film between the insulating film and the first protection film to protect the gauge section.