Integrated differential pressure sensor and manufacturing process thereof

• US 7,763,487 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Corona, Pietro, Barlocchi, Gabriele, Villa, Flavio Francesco, Baldo, Lorenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Maldonado; Julio J
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCARLETT, SHAKA S
• Application Number:
  US11/417,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20060260408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 438/50, 438/53, 438/509
• US Class Current: 438/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 13/025 using diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0045 Diaphragm associated with a buried cavity

Abstract

A process for manufacturing an integrated differential pressure sensor includes forming, in a monolithic body of semiconductor material having a first face and a second face, a cavity extending at a distance from the first face and delimiting therewith a flexible membrane, forming an access passage in fluid communication with the cavity, and forming, in the flexible membrane, at least one transduction element configured so as to convert a deformation of the flexible membrane into electrical signals. The cavity is formed in a position set at a distance from the second face and delimits, together with the second face, a portion of the monolithic body. In order to form the access passage, the monolithic body is etched so as to form an access trench extending through it.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing an integrated differential pressure sensor, comprising:

forming a cavity in a monolithic body of semiconductor material having a first face and a second face, the cavity extending into the monolithic body a distance from said first face and terminating in the monolithic body a distance from said second face, the cavity delimited at the first face by a flexible membrane integrally formed with the monolithic body and formed in part by epitaxial growth from the monolithic body and in part by thermal annealing following the epitaxial growth, and forming said cavity comprises;

digging trenches within said monolithic body, the trenches delimiting structures of semiconductor material;

growing a closing layer of semiconductor material from said structures to close said trenches; and

performing the thermal annealing such as to cause migration of the semiconductor material of said structures to the flexible membrane and transform said trenches into said cavity;

forming an access passage in the monolithic body that is in fluid communication with said cavity, including etching said monolithic body to form an access trench extending through said monolithic body; and

forming in said flexible membrane at least one transduction element configured to convert a deformation of said flexible membrane into electrical signals.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein etching said monolithic body comprises performing an etching from said second face as far as said cavity.

3. The process according to claim 2, further comprising, prior to forming the access passage:

forming an oxidation trench extending between said first face and said cavity; and

oxidizing walls of said cavity through said oxidation trench to form a stop oxide layer therein.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein forming the access passage further comprises forming a connection channel buried within said monolithic body, laterally with respect to, and in fluid communication with, said cavity, prior to etching said monolithic body.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein etching said monolithic body comprises performing an etching from said second face as far as said connection channel.

6. The process according to claim 4, wherein etching said monolithic body comprises performing an etching from said first face as far as said connection channel.

7. The process according to claim 6, further comprising:

arranging said monolithic body in a first portion of a package, the package having a second portion that defines with said first portion an internal space that faces the flexible membrane; and

mechanically coupling said first portion to said second portion so as to fluidally connect said internal space to a first opening of said package and to provide a fluid-tight insulation between said first opening and said access trench.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein mechanically coupling comprises fluidally connecting said access trench to a second opening of said package.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein forming at least one transduction element comprises forming piezoresistive elements or capacitive elements.

10. A process for manufacturing an integrated differential pressure sensor using a monolithic body of semiconductor material having a first face and a second face, the process comprising:

forming a cavity having internal walls within the monolithic body, the cavity delimited at the first face by a flexible membrane integrally formed with the monolithic body and formed in part by epitaxial growth from the monolithic body and in part by thermal annealing that follows the epitaxial growth and the cavity delimited before the second face by a portion of the monolithic body, and forming the cavity comprises;

forming trenches within the monolithic body, the trenches delimiting structures of semiconductor material;

growing a closing layer of semiconductor material from the structures to close the trenches; and

performing the thermal annealing to cause migration of the semiconductor material of the structures and transform the trenches into the cavity.

forming an oxidation trench in the monolithic body that is in communication with the cavity;

oxidizing the internal walls of the cavity through the oxidation trench to form a stop oxide layer thereon;

forming an access passage in the monolithic body that is in fluid communication with the cavity; and

forming in the flexible membrane at least one transduction element configured to convert a deformation of the flexible membrane into electrical signals.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein forming an access passage comprises etching an access trench in the monolithic body, the access trench extending from the second face of the monolithic body to the cavity.

12. The process according to claim 10, wherein forming at least one transduction element comprises forming a piezoresistive element.