Sensor having switch function, manufacturing method thereof and electronic device having sensor built therein

• US 7,649,150 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gunma Prefecture, Nittei Musen Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gunma Prefecture, Nittei Musen Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Masuda, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US10/592,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.45 R, 200/61.48, 200/61.51, 200/61.52, 200/61.53, 734/88, 735/140.1, 735/141.6, 735/143.5, 735/143.2, 735/143.6, 735/143.7, 735/143.8
• US Class Current: 200/61.45R
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/10 by using rolling bodies , e.g. spheres, cylinders, mercury droplets
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/124 by semiconductor devices comprising at least one PN junction, e.g. transistors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/135 by making use of contacts which are actuated by a movable inertial mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/141 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

There are provided a sensor which is small, suitable for reflow soldering by automatic cleaning and automatic mounting, can be manufactured in batch, and has a switch function, and a manufacturing method of the sensor, and a portable telephone having the sensor built therein.

There are provided a sensor having a switch function, the sensor being composed of a first substrate composed of a semiconductor by which a conducting part of the switch is formed, a second substrate composed of the semiconductor by which a conducting part of the switch is formed or an insulator by which the conducting part of the switch is formed, and a moving member having conductivity, wherein any of the first substrate and the second substrate has a cavity-shaped portion and the moving member having conductivity is confined by the first substrate and the second substrate, and a manufacturing method of the sensor, and an electronic device having the sensor built therein.

Claims

1. A sensor having a switch function manufactured by using a semiconductor integrated circuit technology, comprising:

a first substrate made from a semiconductor material on which a conducting part of the switch is formed;

a second substrate made from a semiconductor material or an insulating material on which a conducting part of the switch is formed; and

a moving member made from a conducting material;

wherein

either the first or the second substrate has a cavity-shaped portion on a surface of which the conducting part is formed;

the conducting part of either the first or the second substrate forms a flat surface electrode; and

the moving member is movably held between the first and the second substrate;

wherein

the conducting part of the first or the second substrate having the cavity-shaped portion forms;

a cavity-shaped electrode along a side surface part and a flat surface part of the cavity-shaped portion;

a side surface electrode and a flat surface electrode on the side surface part and the flat surface part respectively;

the side surface electrode only;

or

the flat surface electrode only;

wherein

each of the cavity-shaped electrode, the side surface electrode or the fiat surface electrode contains an electrode extraction part;

wherein

the electrode extraction part formed on the semiconductor includes a diffusion layer; and

the conducting part of the first or the second substrate not having the cavity-shaped portion holding the moving member forms;

the flat surface electrode having an electrode extraction part;

or

the flat surface electrode only.

2. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 1, wherein each of the cavity-shaped electrode, the side surface electrode, or the flat surface electrode formed by the conducting part of the first and the second substrate forms a single electrode or a plurality of divided electrodes.

3. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 2, wherein the flat surface part of the cavity-shaped portion and/or the flat surface electrode of the first or the second substrate not having the cavity-shaped portion comprise(s) a convex part or a concave part so as to have a stability point at which the moving member stands still.

4. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 2, wherein the flat surface part of the cavity-shaped portion and/or the flat surface electrode of the first or the second substrate not having the cavity-shaped portion have(has) the plurality of electrodes;

wherein

grooves are provided among the plurality of adjacent electrodes through which the moving member can move, wherein the grooves are horizontal or inclined to the surface on which the switch function of the first or the second substrate is not formed.

5. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 1, comprising a three dimensional-shaped side surface electrode provided with the same function of the conducting part of the switch as the side surface electrode.

6. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate is a semiconductor having the conducting part formed on an insulator.

7. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 1, wherein the sensor having the switch function and a semiconductor integrated circuit are formed in the same process.

8. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 1, which has a normally-on or a normally-off function when the surface on which the switch function of the first or the second substrate is not formed is in a horizontal position.

9. The sensor having the switch function according to claim 1, wherein each sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, an arbitrary combination of each sensor or a combination thereof, and has complex functions.

10. A manufacturing method of the sensor having the switch function according to claim 1, wherein the method contains a process of separating all at once each of a sensor having the switch function or a sensor having a switch function integrated with the semiconductor integrated circuit, after a process of holding the conductive moving member by the first and the second substrate.

11. An electronic device incorporating therein the sensor having the switch function according to claim 1.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the device is a portable terminal.