Sensor device and production method therefor

• US 7,674,638 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yuji, Baba, Toru, Saijo, Takashi, Takegawa, Yoshiyuki, Gotou, Kouji, Kataoka, Kazushi, Okudo, Takafumi, Miyajima, Hisakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Calvin
• Application Number:
  US12/094,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20090152656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 257/48, 257/414, 257429-434, 257/17, 257/53, 257E21521-E21531
• US Class Current: 438/17
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0242 Gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00269 Bonding of solid lids or wafers to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0109 Bonding an individual cap on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/019 characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/038 Bonding techniques not provided for in B81C2203/031 - B81C2203/037
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0735 Post-CMOS, i.e. forming the micromechanical structure after the CMOS circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• 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 2015/0842 the mass being of clover leaf shape

Abstract

A compact sensor device having stable sensor characteristics and the production method are provided. The sensor device is formed with a sensor substrate and a pair of package substrates bonded to both surface of the sensor substrate. The sensor substrate has a frame with an opening, a movable portion held in the opening to be movable relative to the frame, and a detecting portion for outputting an electric signal according to a positional displacement of the movable portion. Surface-activated regions are formed on the frame of the sensor substrate and the package substrates by use of an atomic beam, an ion beam or a plasma of an inert gas. By forming a direct bonding between the surface-activated regions of the sensor substrate and each of the package substrates at room temperature, it is possible to avoid inconvenience resulting from residual stress at the bonding portion.

Claims

1. A method of producing a sensor device comprising the steps of:

providing a sensor substrate, which comprises a frame having an opening, a movable portion movably held in said opening, and a detection portion configured to output an electric signal according to a positional displacement of said movable portion, a first package substrate bonded to one of opposite surfaces of said sensor substrate, and a second package substrate bonded to the other surface of said sensor substrate;

forming a first surface-activated region on a surface of said frame facing the first package substrate over an entire circumference of said frame so as to surround said movable portion;

forming a second surface-activated region on a surface of said frame facing the second package substrate over an entire circumference of said frame so as to surround said movable portion;

forming a surface-activated region on each of the first package substrate and the second package substrate; and

forming a direct bonding between said first surface-activated region and said surface-activated region of the first package substrate, and a direct bonding between said second surface-activated region and said surface-activated region of the second package substrate at room temperature.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first surface-activated region, said second surface-activated region, the surface-activated regions of the first package substrate and the second package substrate are formed by use of any one of an atomic beam, an ion beam and a plasma of an inert gas.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steps of forming said first surface-activated region and said second surface-activated region, the step of forming the surface-activated region of each of the first package substrate and the second package substrate, and the direct bonding step are performed in a same chamber, and an interior of said chamber is controlled into a desired atmosphere prior to the direct bonding step.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor substrate comprises an integrated circuit operable in collaboration with said detecting portion, an outgoing wiring layer connected at its one end to a pad of said integrated circuit, a first metal layer for providing said first surface-activated region, and a second metal layer connected to the other end of said outgoing wiring layer, and used to connect with a through-hole wiring,

the first package substrate comprises said through-hole wiring, a bonding metal layer formed at a position facing said first metal layer by a same material as said first metal layer, and a wiring metal layer formed at an end portion facing said sensor substrate of said through-hole wiring by a same material as said second metal layer, and

a direct bonding between activated surfaces of said first metal layer and said bonding metal layer and a direct bonding between activated surfaces of said second metal layer and said wiring metal layer are simultaneously formed at room temperature.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said outgoing wiring layer, said first metal layer and said second metal layer are formed by a process comprising the steps of:

forming a lower metal layer as an etching stopper layer;

forming an upper metal layer on said lower metal layer by use of a metal material different from said lower metal layer; and

etching only said upper metal layer at regions corresponding to said first metal layer and said second metal layer until said lower metal layer is exposed.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first surface-activated region is formed by a process comprising the steps of:

forming a multilayer insulating film on said frame of said sensor substrate;

forming a flat surface of said multilayer insulating film by etching back a part of said multilayer insulating film;

forming a metal layer on the flat surface; and

irradiating an atomic beam, an ion beam or a plasma of an inert gas to a surface of said metal layer.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said multilayer insulating film comprises a first insulating film of a silicon oxide film formed on said frame, a second insulating film of a silicon nitride film formed on said first insulating film, a third insulating film of at least one interlayer insulating film formed on said second insulating film, and a fourth insulating film of a passivation film formed on said third insulating film, and

the flat surface is formed by performing etching back with use of the insulating film other than said fourth insulating film as an etching stopper layer.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the etching back is performed by use of the silicon nitride film of said second insulating film as the etching stopper layer.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the flat surface is formed by a process comprising:

a first etching back step using the silicon nitride film of said second insulating film as the etching stopper layer; and

a second etching back step performed after the first etching back step by use of the silicon oxide film of said first insulating film as the etching stopper layer.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor substrate comprises an integrated circuit operable in collaboration with said detecting portion, and a conductive layer formed at a position closer to said movable portion than said first surface-activated region, and electrically connected to said integrated circuit,

the first package substrate has a through-hole wiring, and a wiring layer electrically connected to said through-hole wiring, and

a direct bonding between said first surface-activated region and the surface-activated region of the first package substrate and a direct bonding between activated surfaces of said conductive layer and said wiring layer are simultaneously formed at room temperature.

11. A sensor device comprising:

a sensor substrate comprising a frame having an opening, a movable portion movably held in said opening, and a detecting portion configured to output an electric signal according to a positional displacement of said movable portion;

a first package substrate bonded to one of opposite surfaces of said sensor substrate;

a second package substrate bonded to the other surface of said sensor substrate;

wherein said frame has a first surface-activated region formed on a surface facing the first package substrate over an entire circumference thereof so as to surround said movable portion, and a second surface-activated region formed on a surface facing the second package substrate over an entire circumference thereof so as to surround said movable portion,

the bonding between said sensor substrate and the first package substrate is a solid-phase direct bonding without diffusion between said first surface-activated region and a surface-activated region formed on the first package substrate, and

the bonding between said sensor substrate and the second package substrate is a solid-phase direct bonding without diffusion between said second surface-activated region and a surface-activated region formed on the second package substrate.

12. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said first surface-activated region, said second surface-activated region, the surface-activated region of the first package substrate, and the surface-activated region of the second package substrate are any one of a plasma-treated surface, an ion-beam irradiated surface, and an atomic-beam irradiated surface.

13. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein at least one of the bonding between said first surface-activated region and the surface-activated region on the first package substrate and the bonding between said second surface-activated region and the surface-activated region on the second package substrate is any one of the solid-phase direct bonding between Si and Si, the solid-phase direct bonding between Si and SiO₂, and the solid-phase direct bonding between SiO₂ and SiO₂.

14. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein at least one of the bonding between said first surface-activated region and the surface-activated region on the first package substrate and the bonding between said second surface-activated region and the surface-activated region on the second package substrate is any one of the solid-phase direct bonding between Au and Au, the solid-phase direct bonding between Cu and Cu, and the solid-phase direct bonding between Al and Al.

15. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein at least one of said first surface-activated region and said second surface-activated region comprises a ring-like outer surface-activated region formed in over the entire circumference of said frame so as to surround said movable portion, and a ring-like inner surface-activated region formed at an inner side of said outer surface-activated region over the entire circumference of said frame so as to surround said movable portion.

16. The sensor device as set forth in claim 15, further comprising an auxiliary sealing region for connecting between said outer surface-activated region and said inner surface-activated region, and wherein said auxiliary sealing region is formed at plural locations spaced from each other by a predetermined distance in the circumferential direction of said frame.

17. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein each of said first surface-activated region of said sensor substrate and the surface-activated region of the first package substrate is an activated surface of an Au film having a thickness of 500 nm or less.

18. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said sensor substrate has an integrated circuit operable in collaboration with said detecting portion, and said integrated circuit is disposed adjacent to said opening of said frame, and electrically connected to a through-hole wiring formed in the first package substrate.

19. The sensor device as set forth in claim 18, wherein said integrated circuit is disposed so as to surround said opening of said frame.

20. The sensor device as set forth in claim 18, wherein said through-hole wiring is formed in a tapered shape in the first package substrate such that an end portion facing said sensor substrate has a larger area than the other end portion.

21. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein an acceleration sensor is mounted on said sensor substrate,

said movable portion comprises a weight and a beam portion extending between said frame and said weight, and

said detecting portion comprises at least one piezoresistive element formed on said beam portion.

22. The sensor device as set forth in claim 21, wherein said sensor substrate is formed by use of an SOI substrate having a silicon layer on a silicon substrate through an insulating layer.

23. The sensor device as set forth in claim 22, wherein said sensor substrate has an integrated circuit operable in collaboration with said detecting portion, and said piezoresistive element and said integrated circuit are formed on the silicon layer of said SOI substrate.

24. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein a gyro sensor is mounted on said sensor substrate,

said movable portion comprises a first mass body vibrated by a vibrating means, and a second mass body coupled to the first mass body, and

said detecting portion is configured to convert a positional displacement of the second mass body caused when a rotational force is added during the vibration of the first mass body into an electrical signal.

25. The sensor device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said sensor substrate has a conductive layer formed at a position closer to said movable portion than said first surface-activated region, and electrically connected to said detecting portion,

the first package substrate has a through-hole wiring, and a wiring layer electrically connected to said through-hole wiring, and

the bonding between the first package substrate and said sensor substrate further comprises a solid-phase direct bonding without diffusion between an activated surface of said conductive layer and an activated surface of said wiring layer.