Acceleration sensor

• US 7,650,787 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Company Limited (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ino, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US11/306,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20060196270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.3, 735/143.6, 735/143.8
• US Class Current: 73/514.33
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/123 by piezo-resistive elements, e.g. semiconductor strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/084 the mass being suspended at more than one of its sides, e.g. membrane-type suspension, so as to permit multi-axis movement of the mass
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 MEMS

Abstract

An acceleration sensor has a semiconductor acceleration sensor chip and a case. The semiconductor acceleration sensor chip has a fixed portion, a plummet portion surrounding the fixed portion without contacting the fixed portion, and a beam portion connecting the fixed portion and the plummet portion, the thickness of the beam portion being thinner than the thickness of the fixed portion. The case has a cavity housing the semiconductor acceleration sensor chip, and a projection portion formed on the bottom face of the cavity, the bottom face of the fixed portion being fixed to the top face of the projection portion.

Claims

1. An acceleration sensor comprising:

a case that includes;

a bottom wall that is made from a predetermined material, the bottom wall having a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the bottom wall having a central region and a peripheral region that surrounds central region;

a projection portion that is attached to the top side of the bottom wall and that is located at the central region of the top side of the bottom wall, the projection portion being made of the predetermined material and having a top surface that is disposed higher than the peripheral region of the top side of the bottom wall; and

a side wall attached to the bottom wall and extending upward from the bottom wall in a height direction;

a semiconductor acceleration sensor chip supported on the projection portion, the sensor chip including;

a fixed portion mounted on the top surface of the projection portion;

a plummet portion surrounding the fixed portion without contacting the fixed portion, the plummet portion being shaped as an approximately square column and having an approximately square cavity for housing the fixed portion, the plummet portion being disposed outward of the projection portion and above the peripheral region of the top side of the bottom wall; and

beam portions extending along diagonals of the cavity of the plummet portion and connecting the fixed portion and the plummet portion, the beam portions having a thickness that is thinner than the thickness of the fixed portion;

terminals outside the case; and

wiring that electrically connects at least some of the terminals to the sensor chip.

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

a plurality of first electrodes disposed on a surface of the fixed portion,

wherein the wiring comprises a bonding wire that is electrically connected to one of the first electrodes.

3. The acceleration sensor according to claim 2, wherein

the bonding wire is a gold wire and bonded to one of the first electrodes and the wiring conductor by means of an ultrasonic concomitant thermocompression bonding method.

4. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the shape of the fixed portion is an approximately square column.

5. The acceleration sensor according to claim 4, wherein

the shape of the projection portion is an approximately square column.

6. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined material is a ceramic material.

7. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the shape of the fixed portion is an approximately cylindrical column.

8. The acceleration sensor according to claim 7,

wherein the shape of the projection portion is an approximately cylindrical column.

9. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an integrated circuit fixed on the top side of the bottom wall, the integrated circuit being electrically connected to the semiconductor acceleration sensor chip.

10. The acceleration sensor according to claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of first electrodes formed on the surface of the fixed portion.

11. The acceleration sensor according to claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of second electrodes formed on the surface of the integrated circuit.

12. The acceleration sensor according to claim 11, further comprising:

a first bonding wire electrically connecting one of the first electrodes and one of the second electrodes.

13. The acceleration sensor according to claim 12,

wherein the first bonding wire is a gold wire that is bonded to one of the first electrodes and one of the second electrodes by means of an ultrasonic concomitant thermocompression bonding method.

14. The acceleration sensor according to claim 12,

wherein the wiring comprises a second bonding wire that is electrically connected to one of the first electrodes and one of the terminals outside the case, and

wherein the acceleration sensor further comprises a third bonding wire electrically connecting one of the second electrodes and another one of the terminals outside the case.

15. The acceleration sensor according to claim 14, wherein

the shape of the fixed portion is an approximately square column.

16. The acceleration sensor according to claim 15, wherein

the shape of the projection portion is an approximately square column.

17. The acceleration sensor according to claim 9,

wherein the predetermined material is a ceramic material.

18. The acceleration sensor according to claim 9,

wherein the predetermined material is a ceramic material.

19. The acceleration sensor according to claim 9,

wherein the shape of the fixed portion is an approximately cylindrical column.

20. The acceleration sensor according to claim 19,

wherein the shape of the projection portion is an approximately cylindrical column.

21. The acceleration sensor chip according to claim 1, wherein the bottom wall has an opening and the wiring extends through the opening.

22. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the wiring has a portion that is embedded in the side wall and extends in the height direction of the side wall.

23. The acceleration sensor according to claim 22, wherein one of the terminals is disposed on the bottom side of the bottom wall at a position aligned with the portion of the wiring that is embedded in the side wall and that extends in the height direction of the side wall.

24. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the plummet portion has a flat bottom side, wherein the fixed portion also has a flat bottom side, and wherein the bottom sides of the plummet portion and the fixed portion lie substantially in a common plane.

25. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the beam portions are straight.