Method of fabricating an inertial sensor

• US 8,881,370 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emcore Corporation
• Original Assignee: Custom Sensors & Technologies Incorporated (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Berger, William Paul, Collins, Mark Andrew, Frazee, Michael Thomas, Smith, Thad W. (Marc), Anderson, Robert Albert, Knowles, Stuart John, Dragotti, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US12/888,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 295/921, 295/94, 295/95, 296/091, 310/321, 310/328, 310330-332, 310/344, 310/348, 310/370, 333/150, 333/187, 333/193, 333/195, 333/196, 734/93, 735/143.2, 738/041.2
• US Class Current: 29/593
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/012 the micromechanical device and the control or processing electronics being separate parts in the same package
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0058 for protecting against damages due to external chemical or mechanical influences, e.g. shocks or vibrations
• 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: G01C 19/5628 Manufacturing; Trimming; Mounting; Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5783 Mountings or housings not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/057 the leads being parallel to the base
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1433 Application-specific integrated circuit [ASIC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 Indicating transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4908 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

Inertial sensor having a body with first and second cavities on opposite sides thereof, a sensing element in the first cavity, electronic circuitry in the second cavity, electrical conductors interconnecting the sensing element and the circuitry, and leads connected electrically to the circuitry and extending from the body for mounting the sensor and making connections with the circuitry.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an inertial sensor, the method comprising:

bonding a plurality of layers of insulative material together to form a unitary body with first and second cavities opening through opposite sides of the body;

mounting a sensing element in the first cavity;

mounting electronic circuitry in the second cavity;

electrically interconnecting the sensing element and the electronic circuitry;

attaching external leads to the body for mounting the sensor and making connections with the circuitry;

connecting test points in the second cavity to the sensing element and testing the sensing element via the test points.

2. A method of fabricating an inertial sensor, the method comprising:

forming a body with first and second cavities on opposite sides thereof;

mounting a sensing element in the first cavity;

mounting electronic circuitry in the second cavity;

electrically interconnecting the sensing element and the electronic circuitry; and

attaching external leads to the body for mounting the sensor and making connections with the circuitry, wherein the leads are formed to have at least two inflections and vary in width to make the sensor insensitive to externally applied vibration and shock.

3. A method of fabricating an inertial sensor, the method comprising:

forming a body with first and second cavities on opposite sides thereof;

mounting a sensing element in the first cavity;

mounting electronic circuitry in the second cavity;

electrically interconnecting the sensing element and the electronic circuitry;

attaching external leads to the body for mounting the sensor and making connections with the circuitry; and

forming the leads to have first sections that extend laterally from the body, downwardly curved sections that extend from the first sections, downwardly and outwardly inclined sections that extend from the downwardly curved sections, outwardly curved sections that extend from the downwardly and outwardly inclined sections, and foot sections that extend outwardly from the outwardly curved sections.

4. A method of fabricating an inertial sensor, the method comprising:

forming a body with first and second cavities on opposite sides thereof;

mounting a sensing element in the first cavity;

mounting electronic circuitry in the second cavity;

electrically interconnecting the sensing element and the electronic circuitry;

attaching external leads to the body for mounting the sensor and making connections with the circuitry; and

forming the leads to have first sections that extend laterally from the body, upwardly curved sections that extend from the first sections, downwardly curved sections that extend from the upwardly curved sections, downwardly and outwardly inclined sections that extend from the downwardly curved sections, outwardly curved sections that extend from the downwardly and outwardly inclined sections, and foot sections extending outwardly from the outwardly curved sections.

5. A method of fabricating an inertial sensor, the method comprising:

forming a body with first and second cavities on opposite sides thereof;

mounting a sensing element in the first cavity;

mounting electronic circuitry in the second cavity;

electrically interconnecting the sensing element and the electronic circuitry;

attaching external leads to the body for mounting the sensor and making connections with the circuitry; and

forming the leads to have relatively narrow inner end portions near the body, outer end portions which are wider than the inner end portions, and tapered portions between the end portions.