Piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer

• US 9,052,332 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp
• Original Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp
• Inventors: Huang, Chih-Wei, Chang, Chieh-Pin, Chen, Ja-Hao, Chao, Chuan-Jane, Juang, Ying-Zong, Wong, Shyh-Chyi, Wang, Yeong-Her
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHONG, XIN Y
• Application Number:
  US13/484,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.3, 735/143.4, 738/620.45, 738/620.44
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/123 by piezo-resistive elements, e.g. semiconductor strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0837 the mass being suspended so as to only allow movement perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, i.e. z-axis sensor

Abstract

A pizeoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer is provided, including a substrate; a plurality of anchors formed over the substrate; a plurality of cantilever beams, wherein the cantilever beams include a piezoresistive material; and a proof mass, wherein the proof mass is suspended over the substrate by respectively connecting the proof mass with the anchors, and the accelerometer senses a movement of the proof mass by the piezoresistive material.

Claims

1. A piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of anchors formed over the substrate;

a plurality of cantilever beams, wherein the cantilever beams comprise a plurality of dielectric layers and a piezoresistive material in one of the dielectric layers embedded within the cantilever beams;

a proof mass, wherein the proof mass is suspended over the substrate by respectively connecting the proof mass with the anchors, and the accelerometer senses a movement of the proof mass by the piezoresistive material; and

a support frame formed over the substrate and surrounding the anchors, the cantilever beams and the proof mass, wherein the anchors are integrated with the support frame, and the piezoresistive material is embedded in the cantilever beams and further extends into a portion of the support frame, and substantially all surfaces of the piezoresistive material are surrounded by the dielectric layers within the cantilever beams.

2. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support frame comprises an insulating layer, a plurality of dielectric layers, a plurality of conductive layers and a passivation layer disposed over the substrate, and the dielectric layer and the conductive layers are interleaved with each other and are disposed between the insulating layer and the passivation layer.

3. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support frame defines a cavity within the support frame over a portion of the substrate.

4. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a recess formed in the substrate below the cavity, and the recess partially extends below the support frame.

5. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the piezoresistive material in the cantilever beams is electrically connected in series.

6. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 5, wherein the piezoresistive material in the cantilever beams is connected in series to form a sensing resistor of a wheatstone bridge.

7. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 6, wherein the wheatstone bridge is electrically connected to an instrument amplifier.

8. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the anchors and the cantilever beams comprise a pair of anchors of a symmetrical structure and a pair of cantilever beams of a symmetrical structure.

9. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein anchors and the cantilever beams comprise two pairs of anchors of a symmetrical structure and two pairs of cantilever beams of a symmetrical structure.

10. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the anchors and the cantilever beams comprise a pair of anchors of an asymmetrical structure and a pair of cantilever beams of an asymmetrical structure.

11. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the piezoresistive material comprises polysilicon.

12. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proof mass comprises one or more dielectric layers and one or more conductive layers.

13. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cantilever beams are connected with two adjacent sides of the proof mass.

14. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cantilever beams are connected with three sides of the proof mass, and any two of the cantilever beams are adjacent to each other.

15. The piezoresistive type Z-axis accelerometer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support frame is formed with a rectangular configuration from a top view thereof.