Radiation-blocking structures
First Claim
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1. A multi-layer semiconductor device, comprising:
- a first device layer including one or more non-continuous first radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the first device layer; and
a second device layer underlying the first device layer, the second device layer including one or more non-continuous second radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the second device layer;
where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer are cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer to form a continuous barrier that completely blocks all radiation that impinges on the first device layer from above the semiconductor device from penetrating through the combination of the first and second device layers of the multi-layer structure;
where the semiconductor device further comprises a third device layer disposed between the first and second device layers, the third device layer comprising radiation-transmissive dielectric material; and
where each of the first and second non-continuous opaque structures comprise non-continuous metal structures; and
where the semiconductor comprises a gas sensor device;
where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer comprise sensor electrodes for the gas sensor device; and
where the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer comprise ground planes.
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Abstract
Stacked layers of non-continuous opaque layer structures are disclosed herein that may be configured to block radiation such as visible light or other forms of light, while at the same time allowing penetration of ambient gases. In one example, such non-continuous opaque layer structures may be configured as stacked non-continuous metal layer structures that together fully block penetration of radiation while at the same provide sufficient open spaces between and/or within the metal layer segments of a given integrated circuit layer to meet maximum metal spacing rules. In another example, such non-continuous opaque layer structures may be configured as capacitive structures.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A multi-layer semiconductor device, comprising:
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a first device layer including one or more non-continuous first radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the first device layer; and a second device layer underlying the first device layer, the second device layer including one or more non-continuous second radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the second device layer; where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer are cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer to form a continuous barrier that completely blocks all radiation that impinges on the first device layer from above the semiconductor device from penetrating through the combination of the first and second device layers of the multi-layer structure; where the semiconductor device further comprises a third device layer disposed between the first and second device layers, the third device layer comprising radiation-transmissive dielectric material; and
where each of the first and second non-continuous opaque structures comprise non-continuous metal structures; andwhere the semiconductor comprises a gas sensor device;
where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer comprise sensor electrodes for the gas sensor device; and
where the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer comprise ground planes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A multi-layer semiconductor device, comprising:
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a first device layer including one or more non-continuous first radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the first device layer; and a second device layer underlying the first device layer, the second device layer including one or more non-continuous second radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the second device layer; where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer are cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer to form a continuous barrier that completely blocks all radiation that impinges on the first device layer from above the semiconductor device from penetrating through the combination of the first and second device layers of the multi-layer structure; and where the semiconductor device further comprises one or more additional device layers underlying the second device layer, the additional device layers having radiation-sensitive active circuitry formed therein;
where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer are cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer to form a continuous barrier that completely blocks all radiation that impinges on the first device layer from above the semiconductor device from penetrating further into the semiconductor device to the underlying radiation-sensitive circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A capacitive gas sensor, comprising:
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a gas sensitive material, the gas sensor configured to allow the exposure of the gas sensitive material to a gas; first non-continuous radiation-opaque structures comprising spaced metal capacitor electrodes of a capacitive sensor cell provided in a first device layer, the capacitive sensor cell being electrically coupled to at least a portion of the gas sensitive material; second non-continuous radiation-opaque structures comprising one or more metal non-continuous ground planes in a second device layer underlying the capacitor electrodes; and lower level circuitry underlying the spaced metal capacitor electrodes and ground planes of the first and second device layers; where the gas sensor is configured to utilize a detected capacitance between the electrodes of the capacitive sensor cell to obtain a gas sensor measurement; and where the capacitor electrodes of the first device layer are cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the non-continuous ground planes of the second device layer to block impinging light from further penetration into the lower level circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of forming a multi-layer semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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providing a first device layer including one or more non-continuous first radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the first device layer; providing a second device layer underlying the first device layer, the second device layer including one or more non-continuous second radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the second device layer; configuring the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer to be cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer to form a continuous barrier that completely blocks all radiation that impinges on the first device layer from above the semiconductor device from penetrating through the combination of the first and second device layers of the multi-layer structure; and providing a third device layer disposed between the first and second device layers, the third device layer comprising radiation-transmissive dielectric material;
where the semiconductor comprises a gas sensor device;
where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer comprise sensor electrodes for the gas sensor device;
where the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer comprise ground planes; and
where each of the first and second non-continuous opaque structures comprise non-continuous metal structures. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of forming a multi-layer semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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providing a first device layer including one or more non-continuous first radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the first device layer; providing a second device layer underlying the first device layer, the second device layer including one or more non-continuous second radiation-opaque layer structures defining radiation transmissive areas in the second device layer; configuring the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer to be cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer to form a continuous barrier that completely blocks all radiation that impinges on the first device layer from above the semiconductor device from penetrating through the combination of the first and second device layers of the multi-layer structure; and providing one or more additional device layers underlying the second device layer, the additional device layers having radiation-sensitive active circuitry formed therein;
where the first non-continuous opaque structures of the first device layer are cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the second non-continuous opaque structures of the second device layer to form a continuous barrier that completely blocks all radiation that impinges on the first device layer from above the semiconductor device from penetrating further into the semiconductor device to the underlying radiation-sensitive circuitry.
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15. A method of forming a capacitive gas sensor, comprising:
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providing a gas sensitive material, the gas sensor provided to allow the exposure of the gas sensitive material to a gas; providing first non-continuous radiation-opaque structures comprising spaced metal capacitor electrodes in a first device layer of a capacitive sensor cell, the capacitive sensor cell being electrically coupled to at least a portion of the gas sensitive material; providing second non-continuous radiation-opaque structures comprising one or more metal non-continuous metal ground planes in a second device layer underlying the capacitor electrodes; providing lower level circuitry underlying the spaced metal capacitor electrodes and ground planes of the first and second device layers; configuring the gas senor to utilize a detected capacitance between the electrodes of the capacitive sensor cell to obtain a gas sensor measurement; and configuring the capacitor electrodes of the first device layer to be cooperatively spaced in overlapping relationship with the non-continuous ground planes of the second device layer to block impinging light from further penetration into the lower level circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification