Capacitive pressure sensor with vertical electrical feedthroughs and method to make the same
First Claim
1. A sensing device, comprising:
- a first sensing element disposed over a semiconductor die and configured to generate a first sensing signal upon detecting pressure;
a second sensing element disposed over the semiconductor die adjacent to the first sensing element, and configured to generate a second sensing signal upon sensing ambient conditions; and
a sensing circuit coupled to the second sensing element and capable of generating a pressure sensing signal in response to the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal;
wherein the first sensing element includes a pressure diaphragm formed with flexible material able to deflect under pressure and functioned as a first capacitor electrode, a gap situated adjacent to the pressure diaphragm able to alter its physical shape in response to the pressure, a silicon pillar disposed on one side of the gap opposite from the pressure diaphragm, and a second capacitor electrode formed by directly doping in bottom doped sidewall of the silicon pillar adjacent to the gap via a doping process.
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Abstract
A sensing device capable of detecting pressure using micro-electro-mechanical system (“MEMS”) capacitive pressure sensor with vertical electric feed-through is disclosed. The sensing device includes a first sensing element, a second sensing element, and a sensing circuit. In one embodiment, the first sensing element is disposed over a semiconductor die and is configured to generate a first sensing signal upon detecting pressure. The second sensing element is also disposed over the semiconductor die adjacent to the first sensing element, and is configured to generate a second sensing signal upon sensing ambient conditions. The sensing circuit is capable of generating a pressure sensing signal in response to the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sensing device, comprising:
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a first sensing element disposed over a semiconductor die and configured to generate a first sensing signal upon detecting pressure; a second sensing element disposed over the semiconductor die adjacent to the first sensing element, and configured to generate a second sensing signal upon sensing ambient conditions; and a sensing circuit coupled to the second sensing element and capable of generating a pressure sensing signal in response to the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal; wherein the first sensing element includes a pressure diaphragm formed with flexible material able to deflect under pressure and functioned as a first capacitor electrode, a gap situated adjacent to the pressure diaphragm able to alter its physical shape in response to the pressure, a silicon pillar disposed on one side of the gap opposite from the pressure diaphragm, and a second capacitor electrode formed by directly doping in bottom doped sidewall of the silicon pillar adjacent to the gap via a doping process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A pressure sensor, comprising:
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a pressure diaphragm formed with flexible material capable of deflecting under pressure, wherein the pressure diaphragm is a first capacitor electrode; a gap situated under the pressure diaphragm capable of altering its physical shape in response to deflection of the pressure diaphragm; a silicon pillar disposed on one side of the gap opposite from the pressure diaphragm; a second capacitor electrode formed by directly doping in bottom doped sidewall of the silicon pillar adjacent to the gap via a doping process; and an electric feed-through formed on a vertical sidewall of the silicon pillar and configured to couple the second capacitor electrode to an electrical contact for conducting electrical signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of pressure sensing, comprising:
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generating a first sensing signal from a micro-electro-mechanical system (“
MEMS”
) capacitive pressure sensor via deformation of an internal gap;generating a second sensing signal from a static reference sensor capable of detecting ambient conditions; obtaining the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal via a vertical electric feed-through formed on sidewall of a silicon pillar; and identifying a pressure read in accordance with the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal; wherein the MEMS capacitive pressure sensor includes a pressure diaphragm functioned as a first capacitor electrode, a gap situated adjacent to the pressure diaphragm able to alter its physical shape in response to the pressure, and a second capacitor electrode formed by directly doping in bottom doped sidewall of a silicon pillar adjacent to the gap via a doping process. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification