System with recessed sensing or processing elements

• US 8,779,532 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Cusack, Michael J., McGeehan, Rigan F., O'Donnell, Alan J., Griffin, Garrett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Page, Dale E
• Application Number:
  US13/767,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 257/414, 257/429, 257/E31.001
• US Class Current: 257/414
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0018 Structures acting upon the moving or flexible element for transforming energy into mechanical movement or vice versa, i.e. actuators, sensors, generators
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0023 Packaging together an electronic processing unit die and a micromechanical structure die MEMS packages B81B7/0032; MEMS packaging processes B81C1/00261
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13025 the bump connector being disposed on a via connection of the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/14181 On opposite sides of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16146 the bump connector connecting to a via connection in the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16235 the bump connector connecting to a via metallisation of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81 using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/94 at wafer-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a wafer comprising a plurality of undiced individual devices
• 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 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15156 Side view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19105 in a side-by-side arrangement on a common die mounting substrate

Abstract

Backside recesses in a base member host components, such as sensors or circuits, to allow closer proximity and efficient use of the surface space and internal volume of the base member. Recesses may include covers, caps, filters and lenses, and may be in communication with circuits on the frontside of the base member, or with circuits on an active backside cap. An array of recessed components may a form complete, compact sensor system.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a laminate base comprising a plurality of layers including at least a top layer having a top surface, a bottom layer having a bottom surface, and a plurality of internal layers between the top layer and the bottom layer, the laminate base having a side surface extending between the top surface the bottom surface, the top surface, bottom surface and side surface comprising an external surface of the laminate base;

the top layer including a top layer aperture extending from the top surface through the top layer;

a sensor layer among the plurality of internal layers, the sensor layer including a first sensor within said sensor layer;

a second within said sensor layer;

at least a first intervening layer among the plurality of internal layers, the intervening layer disposed between the top layer and the sensor layer, and including an internal aperture extending through the intervening layer, the internal aperture aligned with the top layer aperture and aligned with the first sensor so as to expose the first sensor to an external environment; and

an electrically conductive via embedded within one of the plurality of internal layers and electrically coupled to the first sensor.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein:

the first sensor and the second are disposed in side by side configuration.

3. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein:

the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed in a stacked configuration.

4. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the aperture extends through the top surface.

5. The sensor system of claim 4, further comprising a connector coupled to the aperture, the connector configured to transmit or transport an environmental medium from the external environment to the first sensor.

6. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the aperture extends through the side surface.

7. The sensor system of claim 6, further comprising a connector coupled to the aperture through the side surface, the connector configured to transmit or transport an environmental medium from the external environment to the first sensor.

8. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are laminated into the same internal layer.

9. The sensor system of claim 1, further comprising circuitry coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor, the circuitry configured to coordinate the activity of the first sensor and the second sensor.

10. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein:

the aperture extends through the top surface; and

the system further comprises a filter in an internal layer, the filter disposed between the aperture and the first sensor, the filter configured to selectively permit environmental media to access the first sensor.

11. The sensor system of claim 10, wherein:

the filter comprises serrated edges; and

a laminate layer comprises opposing serrations configured to interlock with the serrated edges of the filter.

12. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein:

the aperture extends through the top surface; and

the system further comprises a cap in an internal layer, the cap disposed between the aperture and the first sensor, the cap configured to block environmental media from the first sensor such that the first sensor comprises a reference sensor that is isolated from the external environment.

13. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein:

the aperture extends through the top surface; and

the system further comprises a lens in an internal layer between the aperture and the first sensor, the lens configured to focus environmental media to the first sensor and optimize sensitivity of the sensing element.

14. The sensor system of claim 13, wherein:

the lens comprises serrated edges; and

a laminate layer comprises opposing serrations configured to interlock with the serrated edges of the lens.

15. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the layers comprises serrations; and

an adjacent one of the laminated layers comprises protrusions, the serrations and protrusions configured so as to interlock with one another.

16. The sensor system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first inductive coil,

a second conductive coil inductively coupled to the first inductive coil, and

a processor, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor is in electrical communication with the processor via the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil.

17. The sensor system of claim 1, further comprising:

an integrated circuit comprising circuitry configured to process the output of at least one of the first sensor and second sensor,

the laminate base physically mounted to, and electrically coupled to, the integrated circuit.