Diaphragm isolation forming through subtractive etching

• US 8,240,217 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kavlico Corporation (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Kavlico Corporation (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Inventors: Guziak, Robert, Gandaria, Enrique
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US11/872,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/715
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/02 Electroplating of selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0042 Constructional details associated with semiconductive diaphragm sensors, e.g. etching, or constructional details of non-semiconductive diaphragms details about the integration or bonding of piezoresistor in or on the diaphragm G01L9/0052 and G01L9/0057 respectively
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0467 By separating products from each other

Abstract

Described herein is a housing comprising an inside and at least one sidewall, wherein the at least one sidewall comprises inner and outer surfaces. An etch stop deposit is disposed over at least a portion of the housing, and a diaphragm material deposit is disposed over at least a portion of the etch stop deposit.

Claims

1. A housing comprising:

at least one sidewall, wherein the sidewall comprises inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining a portion of a boundary of an inside of the housing,

an etch stop deposit disposed over at least a portion of the housing, and

a diaphragm material deposit disposed over at least a portion of the etch stop deposit,

wherein the at least a portion of the housing defines an etching such that at least part of the etch stop deposit is exposed to one of an outside of the housing or the inside of the housing through the etching.

2. The housing of claim 1, further comprising a protective deposit disposed over at least a portion of the diaphragm material deposit.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein the part of the at least a portion of the housing has been removed, thereby exposing the etch stop deposit to the inside.

4. The housing of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the sidewall has been removed.

5. The housing of claim 3, further comprising at least one end, wherein at least a portion of the end has been removed.

6. The housing of claim 1, wherein the part of the at least a portion of the housing has been removed, thereby exposing the etch stop deposit to an exterior of the housing.

7. The housing of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the sidewall has been removed.

8. The housing of claim 6, further comprising at least one end, wherein at least a portion of the end has been removed.

9. The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing has a substantially round cross-section.

10. The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing is an implantable medical device.

22. The housing of claim 1, wherein the etch stop deposit is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, or rhodium.

11. A structure comprising:

front and back surfaces,

a plurality of etch stop deposits disposed over at least a portion of the front surface, and

a plurality of diaphragm material deposits each disposed over at least a portion of one of the etch stop deposits,

wherein the structure defines etchings from the back surface to the front surface of the structure such that at least a part of each of the plurality of etch stop deposits is exposed from the back surface through the etchings.

21. A method of forming a plurality of plates, the method comprising:

providing the structure of claim 11; and

cutting the structure to provide a plurality of plates.

12. A method of isolating a diaphragm on a housing, the method comprising:

depositing an etch stop deposit on at least a portion of the housing,

depositing a diaphragm material deposit on at least a portion of the etch stop deposit, and

removing at least a part of the at least the portion of the housing over which the etch stop deposit is deposited to expose the etch stop deposit to either an inside or an outside of the housing.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising etching at least a portion of an inner surface of the housing, thereby exposing at least a portion of the etch stop deposit to the inside of the housing.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising etching at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing, thereby exposing at least a portion of the etch stop deposit to the exterior of the housing.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein depositing the etch stop deposit comprises electroplating the etch stop deposit onto the housing.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein depositing the diaphragm material deposit comprises electroplating the diaphragm material deposit on at least a portion of the etch stop deposit.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising depositing a protective deposit on at least a portion of the diaphragm material deposit.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing is a sensor.

19. A plate comprising:

front and back surfaces,

an etch stop deposit disposed on at least a portion of the front surface, and

a diaphragm material deposit disposed over at least a portion of the etch stop deposit,

wherein the plate defines an etching from the back surface to the front surface of the plate such that at least part of the etch stop deposit is exposed from the back surface through the etching.

20. The plate of claim 19, further comprising a mask disposed over at least a portion of the back surface.