Foundry compatible process for manufacturing a magneto meter using lorentz force for integrated systems

• US 8,236,577 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Movella Incorporated (Movella Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: mCube, Inc.
• Inventors: Hsu, George, Yang, Xiao “Charles”
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDELAZIEZ, YASSER A
• Application Number:
  US13/007,574
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 438/3
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00238 Joining a substrate with an electronic processing unit and a substrate with a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/00 Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices referred to in the other groups of this subclass testing, calibrating or compensating compasses G01C17/38
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0283 in which a current or voltage is generated due to relative movement of conductor and magnetic field

Abstract

A method for fabricating an integrated electronic compass and circuit system. The fabrication method begins with providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a surface region. One or more CMOS integrated circuits are then formed on one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. Once the CMOS circuits are formed, a thickness of dielectric material is formed overlying the one or more CMOS integrated circuits. A substrate is then joined overlying the thickness of the dielectric material. Once joined, the substrate is thinned to a predetermined thickness. Following the thinning process, an electric compass device is formed within one or more regions of the predetermined thickness of the substrate. Other mechanical devices or MEMS devices can also be formed within one or more regions of the thinned substrate.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an integrated electronic compass and circuit device comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a surface region;

forming one or more CMOS integrated circuits formed on one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate;

forming a thickness of dielectric material overlying the one or more CMOS integrated circuits;

joining a substrate overlying the thickness of dielectric material;

thinning the substrate to a predetermined thickness; and

forming an electronic compass device within one or more regions of the predetermined thickness of the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming an accelerometer device within one or more regions of the predetermined thickness of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic compass device comprises one or more moving plates operably coupled between at least a pair of electrodes, the one or more moving plates being configured with an oscillating current signal, the one or more moving plates being subjected to an external magnetic field to cause output of a capacitance measurement between the pair of electrodes.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the external magnetic field causes the one or more moving plates to deflect in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field and the oscillating current signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic compass device is a micro-mechanical electrical system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic compass device comprises a micro-mechanical electronic system coupled to one or more amplifier devices.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic compass device comprises a movable plate for outputting a reference current, the reference current being provided to one or more sensing devices.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic compass device comprises a movable plate for outputting a reference current, the reference current being provided to one or more sensing devices, the one or more sensing devices being coupled to one or more amplifiers device configured to output one or more DC signals.

9. A method of fabricating an integrated electronic compass and circuit device comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a surface region;

forming one or more CMOS integrated circuits formed on one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate;

forming a thickness of dielectric material overlying the one or more CMOS integrated circuits;

joining a substrate overlying the thickness of dielectric material;

thinning the substrate to a predetermined thickness;

forming one or more material layers overlying the thinned substrate; and

etching the one or more material layers to form and electronic compass device having one or more electronic compass elements.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming an accelerometer device within one or more regions of the predetermined thickness of the substrate.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic compass device comprises one or more moving plates operably coupled between at least a pair of electrodes, the one or more moving plates being configured with an oscillating current signal, the one or more moving plates being subjected to an external magnetic field to cause output of a capacitance measurement between the pair of electrodes.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the external magnetic field causes the one or more moving plates to defect in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field and the oscillating current signal.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic compass device is a micro-mechanical electrical system.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic compass device comprises a micro-mechanical electronic system coupled to one or more amplifier devices.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic compass device comprises a movable plate for outputting a reference current, the reference current being provided to one or more sensing devices.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic compass device comprises a movable plate for outputting a reference current, the reference current being provided to one or more sensing devices, the one or more sensing devices being coupled to one or more amplifiers device configured to output one or more DC signals.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more electronic compass elements comprise a frame, one or more movable plates, one or more anchors, and one or more electrodes.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more electronic compass elements comprise a frame, one or more movable plates, one or more springs, and one or more electrodes.

19. The method of claim 9 further comprising coupling a resonator to the electronic compass device.

20. A method of fabricating an integrated electronic compass and circuit device comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a surface region;

forming one or more CMOS integrated circuits formed on one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate;

forming a thickness of dielectric material overlying the one or more CMOS integrated circuits;

joining a substrate overlying the thickness of dielectric material;

thinning the substrate to a predetermined thickness;

forming one or more material layers overlying the thinned substrate;

etching the one or more material layers to form an electronic compass device having one or more electronic compass elements;

coupling a resonator device to the electronic compass devices;

integrating the electronic compass device with at least one MEMS device; and

packaging the electronic compass device and the MEMS device(s).