Method for producing a speed sensor element

• US 8,820,160 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2009
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Company HG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: De Volder, Edmond, Schillinger, Jakob, Watzlawik, Martin, Doering, Andreas, Huber, Dietmar
• Primary Examiner(s): PERT, EVAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/121,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20110175598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 438/51, 735/041.2
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14655 connected to or mounted on a carrier, e.g. lead frame
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3061 Number plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• 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 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• 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 2924/181 Encapsulation

Abstract

A method for producing a sensor element, wherein at least parts of the sensor element are subjected to at least one plasma treatment process during production. The plasma treatment process may be either a plasma cleaning process and/or a plasma activation process. During the plasma treatment process, a base element and/or a carrier element of the sensor element is subjected to a plasma treatment process before a placement process and/or before a contact-connecting process with electrical connection means. The sensor element is equipped with at least one measurement probe element and/or at least one electronic circuit. This method is used to produce a sensor element, such as a speed sensor element, that may be used in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for producing a sensor element, wherein

at least parts of the sensor element are subjected to at least one plasma treatment process during production,

wherein at least parts of the sensor element are subjected to a plasma cleaning process and a plasma activation process before at least one encapsulation by molding process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a base element and/or a carrier element of the sensor element is subjected to a plasma treatment process before a placement process and/or before a contact-connecting process with electrical connection means.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plasma treatment process comprises a plasma cleaning process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma treatment process comprises a plasma activation process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one encapsulation by molding process comprises a plastic injection molding process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor element is equipped with at least one measurement probe element and/or at least one electronic circuit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one measurement probe element and/or the at least one electronic circuit are arranged directly or indirectly on the base element and/or the carrier element.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the measurement probe element and/or the electronic circuit are electrically contact-connected according to a ball-stitch-on-ball bonding method.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the base element and/or the carrier element are equipped with in each case at least one component on both sides.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein at least the measurement probe element and at least one part of the base element and/or of the carrier element are encapsulated by molding as a result of which a first housing is formed, and wherein at least one part of the base element and/or of the carrier element are encapsulated by molding (F), as a result of which a second housing is formed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one part of the base element and/or of the carrier element and an electronic protection element are encapsulated by molding, as a result of which a second housing is formed.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second housing is formed at a defined distance from the first housing.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second housing is formed at a defined distance from the first housing.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and the second housing are jointly encapsulated by molding in an additional encapsulation by molding process, as a result of which a common third housing is formed.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and the second housing are jointly encapsulated by molding in an additional encapsulation by molding process, as a result of which a common third housing is formed.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor element is subjected to an additional plasma treatment process.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional plasma treatment process occurs at the end of the production method.

18. A sensor element wherein at least parts of the sensor element are subjected to a plasma cleaning process and a plasma activation process during production before at least one encapsulation by molding process.

19. A speed sensor element wherein at least parts of the sensor element are subjected to a plasma cleaning process and a plasma activation process during production before at least one encapsulation by molding process.