Sensor device and method

• US 8,652,866 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Elian, Klaus, Meyer-Berg, Georg, Theuss, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Toniae
• Application Number:
  US13/733,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20130122660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 438/51, 438/54, 438/64, 438/127, 257/E21.504, 257/E23.128
• US Class Current: 438/51
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0627 Protection against aggressive medium in general
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/141 Monolithic housings, e.g. molded or one-piece housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/147 Details about the mounting of the sensor to support or covering means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/148 Details about the circuit board integration, e.g. integrated with the diaphragm surface or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0054 integral with a semiconducting diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/563 Encapsulation of active face of flip-chip device, e.g. underfilling or underencapsulation of flip-chip, encapsulation preform on chip or mounting substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16151 Cap comprising an aperture, e.g. for pressure control, encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16152 Cap comprising a cavity for hosting the device, e.g. U-shaped cap
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16235 Connecting to a semiconductor or solid-state bodies, i.e. cap-to-chip
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation

Abstract

A sensor device and method. One embodiment provides a first semiconductor chip having a sensing region. A porous structure element is attached to the first semiconductor chip. A first region of the porous structure element faces the sensing region of the first semiconductor chip. An encapsulation material partially encapsulates the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a sensor device, comprising:

providing a first semiconductor chip having a sensing region;

attaching the first semiconductor chip to a porous structure element with the sensing region facing a first region of the porous structure element, the porous structure element comprising an interconnected network of pores; and

encapsulating the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element such that a second region of the porous structure element remains exposed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first region of the porous structure element is in fluid connection with the second region of the porous structure element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the porous structure element comprises pores having diameters smaller than 500 μ

m.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising attaching the porous structure element to a second semiconductor chip.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising stacking the porous structure element onto the second semiconductor chip and stacking the first semiconductor chip onto the porous structure element.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising attaching at least one of the first semiconductor chip, the second semiconductor chip and the structure element to a carrier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein encapsulating the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element comprises placing the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element in a mold form.

8. A method of manufacturing a sensor device, comprising:

providing a first semiconductor chip having a sensing region;

attaching the first semiconductor chip to a porous structure element with the sensing region facing a first region of the porous structure element;

encapsulating the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element such that a second region of the porous structure element remains exposed; and

depositing a layer of silicon oxide onto the sensor device using a plasma deposition method.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first region of the porous structure element is in fluid connection with the second region of the porous structure element.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the porous structure element comprises pores having diameters smaller than 500 μ

m.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising attaching the porous structure element to a second semiconductor chip.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising stacking the porous structure element onto the second semiconductor chip and stacking the first semiconductor chip onto the porous structure element.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising attaching at least one of the first semiconductor chip, the second semiconductor chip and the structure element to a carrier.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein encapsulating the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element comprises placing the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element in a mold form.