CMOS-MEMS integrated flow for making a pressure sensitive transducer
First Claim
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1. A sensor, comprising:
- a first substrate including a conductive layer vertically arranged between a semiconductor layer and a conductive contact structure, wherein the conductive layer includes stationary regions and a movable region extending laterally between the stationary regions, wherein the movable region includes a plurality of recesses extending downwardly into an upper side of the conductive layer, wherein some of the plurality of recesses taper inwardly to adjoin openings extending through perforated regions in a lower side of the conductive layer and other of the plurality of recesses terminate at an upper surface of a conductive membrane of the conductive layer that is laterally arranged between the perforated regions, wherein the conductive contact structure protrudes outwardly from a lower side of the conductive layer, beyond a face of the first substrate, and wherein the conductive contact structure is electrically coupled to a pressure-sensitive micro-electrical-mechanical (MEMS) structure on the first substrate;
a second substrate including a receiving structure having a conductive surface which is recessed from a face of the second substrate by sidewalls that bound the conductive surface, wherein the conductive surface is electrically coupled to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device on the second substrate; and
a conductive bonding material to physically adhere the conductive contact structure to the conductive surface and to electrically couple the MEMS structure to the CMOS device.
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Abstract
A sensor is made up of two substrates which are adhered together. A first substrate includes a pressure-sensitive micro-electrical-mechanical (MEMS) structure and a conductive contact structure that protrudes outwardly beyond a first face of the first substrate. A second substrate includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device and a receiving structure made up of sidewalls that meet a conductive surface which is recessed from a first face of the second substrate. A conductive bonding material physically adheres the conductive contact structure to the conductive surface and electrically couples the MEMS structure to the CMOS device.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sensor, comprising:
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a first substrate including a conductive layer vertically arranged between a semiconductor layer and a conductive contact structure, wherein the conductive layer includes stationary regions and a movable region extending laterally between the stationary regions, wherein the movable region includes a plurality of recesses extending downwardly into an upper side of the conductive layer, wherein some of the plurality of recesses taper inwardly to adjoin openings extending through perforated regions in a lower side of the conductive layer and other of the plurality of recesses terminate at an upper surface of a conductive membrane of the conductive layer that is laterally arranged between the perforated regions, wherein the conductive contact structure protrudes outwardly from a lower side of the conductive layer, beyond a face of the first substrate, and wherein the conductive contact structure is electrically coupled to a pressure-sensitive micro-electrical-mechanical (MEMS) structure on the first substrate; a second substrate including a receiving structure having a conductive surface which is recessed from a face of the second substrate by sidewalls that bound the conductive surface, wherein the conductive surface is electrically coupled to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device on the second substrate; and a conductive bonding material to physically adhere the conductive contact structure to the conductive surface and to electrically couple the MEMS structure to the CMOS device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A sensor, comprising:
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a first substrate including a conductive contact structure which protrudes outwardly beyond a face of the first substrate and which is electrically coupled to a conductive membrane, which acts as a first capacitive plate, on the first substrate, wherein the conductive contact structure includes a conductive body that is vertically spaced from the face of the first substrate by a pair of vias and a dielectric layer arranged laterally between the vias; a second substrate including a receiving structure having a conductive surface which is recessed from a face of the second substrate by sidewalls and which is electrically coupled to a metal layer, which acts as a second capacitive plate, on the second substrate; and a circuit on the second substrate and configured to supply a predetermined charge to the conductive membrane and to monitor how a voltage changes between the conductive membrane and the metal layer as a function of the predetermined charge. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 19)
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13. A sensor, comprising:
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a first substrate including a conductive layer vertically arranged between a semiconductor layer and a polysilicon contact structure, wherein the conductive layer includes stationary regions and a movable region extending laterally between the stationary regions, wherein the semiconductor layer includes a recess arranged over and exposing the movable region, and wherein the polysilicon contact structure protrudes outwardly from the stationary region beyond a face of the first substrate, and wherein the polysilicon contact structure is electrically coupled to a conductive membrane of the movable region, which acts as a first capacitor plate, on the first substrate; a second substrate including a receiving structure having a conductive surface which is arranged in a recess in a face of the second substrate and which is electrically coupled to a metal layer, which acts as a second capacitor plate, on the second substrate; a germanium pad arranged in the recess and coupling the polysilicon contact structure to the conductive surface of the second substrate; and a circuit configured to supply a predetermined charge to the conductive membrane and to monitor how a voltage changed between the conductive membrane and the metal layer as a function of the predetermined charge. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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Specification