Sensor device

• US 9,739,797 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ariki, Fumiyoshi, Sakai, Minekazu, Sugimoto, Kiyomasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Tankersley, Blake A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARCO JR, RUBEN C
• Application Number:
  US14/391,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20150075285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5733 Structural details or topology
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5769 Manufacturing; Mounting; Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

A sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate and multiple sensing portions that are placed on one side of the semiconductor substrate and convert a physical quantity into an electrical signal. The one side is parallel to a reference plane defined by an X-direction and a Y-direction perpendicular to each other. The semiconductor substrate has a center point that is both a geometric center and a center of mass. The semiconductor substrate is axisymmetric with respect to each of a first reference line passing through the center point and parallel to the X-direction and a second reference line passing through the center point and parallel to the Y-direction. Each of the sensing portions is axisymmetric with respect to each of the first reference line and the second reference line.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate; and

a plurality of sensing portions placed on one side of the semiconductor substrate and converting a physical quantity into an electrical signal, wherein

the one side of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a reference plane defined by an X-direction and a Y-direction perpendicular to each other,

the semiconductor substrate has a center point that is both a geometric center and a center of mass,

the semiconductor substrate is symmetric with respect to each of a first reference line that passes through the center point and is parallel to the X-direction and a second reference line that passes through the center point and is parallel to the Y-direction,

each of the sensing portions is symmetric with respect to each of the first reference line and the second reference line,

each of the sensing portions includes a frame portion,

the frame portions of the sensing portions have respective sizes different from one another,

the sensing portions are arranged in a nested shape such that at least one of the sensing portions is placed inside an area surrounded by the frame portion of another one of the sensing portions,

the semiconductor substrate has an other side positioned opposite to the one side, the semiconductor substrate includes a second semiconductor layer, an insulating layer, and a first semiconductor layer arranged in a direction from the one side to the other side of the semiconductor substrate,

the insulating layer is sandwiched between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer,

each of the sensing portions includes a floating portion and a fixed portion, the floating portion of each of the sensing portions is provided by a part of the second semiconductor layer and is floated with respect to the first semiconductor layer without directly contacting the insulating layer,

the fixed portion of each of the sensing portions is provided by another part of the second semiconductor layer and is fixed to the first semiconductor layer by the insulating layer,

the floating portion of each of the sensing portions includes the frame portion, a movable electrode protruded from a predetermined area of the frame portion, a fixed electrode opposed to the movable electrode, and a first beam portion that is springy in a direction along which the movable electrode and the fixed electrode are opposed to each other,

the floating portion of at least one of the sensing portions includes a second beam portion that is springy in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the movable electrode of the at least one of the sensing portions and the fixed electrode of the at least one of the sensing portions are opposed to each other,

the fixed portion of each of the sensing portions includes a first anchor that supports the frame portion and a second anchor that supports the fixed electrode,

the first anchor is coupled with the frame portion by the first beam portion in each of the sensing portions,

the second anchor is coupled with the fixed electrode by the second beam portion in the at least one of the sensing portions,

the first anchor and the second anchor of each of the sensing portions are arranged on at least one of the first reference line or the second reference line, and

the first reference line extends perpendicular or parallel to a direction of movement of the movable electrode toward or away from the fixed electrode.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the second beam portion includes a plurality of second sub beam portions, and

in the at least one of the sensing portions, the second anchor is coupled with the fixed electrode by the second sub beam portions.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lid portion placed on the one side of the semiconductor substrate, the lid portion defining a housing space for housing the sensing portions between the lid portion and the semiconductor substrate.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein the sensing portions include at least one acceleration sensor.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

the frame portions of the sensing portions are separated from one another.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first anchor and second anchor of the sensing portions that are arranged on the at least one of the first reference line or the second reference line includes a pad configured to receive voltage or output a detection signal.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

one of the first anchor and the second anchor of the sensing portions is arranged on an intersection of the first reference line and the second reference line on the center point of the semiconductor substrate.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein

one of the first anchor and the second anchor of the inner sensing portion is arranged on an intersection of the first reference line and the second reference line on the center point of the semiconductor substrate.

9. A sensor device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate; and

a plurality of sensing portions placed on one side of the semiconductor substrate and converting a physical quantity into an electrical signal, wherein

the one side of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a reference plane defined by an X-direction and a Y-direction perpendicular to each other,

the semiconductor substrate has a center point that is both a geometric center and a center of mass,

the semiconductor substrate is symmetric with respect to each of a first reference line that passes through the center point and is parallel to the X-direction and a second reference line that passes through the center point and is parallel to the Y-direction,

each of the sensing portions is symmetric with respect to each of the first reference line and the second reference line,

each of the sensing portions includes a frame portion,

the frame portions of the sensing portions have respective sizes different from one another,

the sensing portions are arranged in a nested shape such that at least one of the sensing portions is placed inside an area surrounded by the frame portion of another one of the sensing portions,

the semiconductor substrate has an other side positioned opposite to the one side, the semiconductor substrate includes a second semiconductor layer, an insulating layer, and a first semiconductor layer arranged in a direction from the one side to the other side of the semiconductor substrate,

the insulating layer is sandwiched between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer,

each of the sensing portions includes a floating portion and a fixed portion, the floating portion of each of the sensing portions is provided by a part of the second semiconductor layer and is floated with respect to the first semiconductor layer without directly contacting the insulating layer,

the fixed portion of each of the sensing portions is provided by another part of the second semiconductor layer and is fixed to the first semiconductor layer by the insulating layer,

the floating portion of each of the sensing portions includes the frame portion, a movable electrode protruded from a predetermined area of the frame portion, a fixed electrode opposed to the movable electrode, and a first beam portion that is springy in a direction along which the movable electrode and the fixed electrode are opposed to each other,

the floating portion of at least one of the sensing portions includes a second beam portion that is springy in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the movable electrode of the at least one of the sensing portions and the fixed electrode of the at least one of the sensing portions are opposed to each other,

the fixed portion of each of the sensing portions includes a first anchor that supports the frame portion and a second anchor that supports the fixed electrode,

the first anchor is coupled with the frame portion by the first beam portion in each of the sensing portions, and

the second anchor is coupled with the fixed electrode by the second beam portion in the at least one of the sensing portions,

one of the sensing portions is an inside sensing portion that is the smallest among the sensing portions,

the first anchor and the second anchor of the inside sensing portion are arranged on at least one of the first reference line or the second reference line, and the first anchor is spaced from the second anchor via a clearance,

in the inside sensing portion, the second anchor has two opposite surfaces including one surface and an other surface opposed to the first anchor, and the second beam portion is coupled with the one surface of the second anchor, and

the first reference line extends perpendicular or parallel to a direction of movement of the movable electrode toward or away from the fixed electrode.

10. The sensor device according to claim 9, wherein

the frame portions of the sensing portions are separated from one another.

11. The sensor device according to claim 9, wherein

each of the first anchor and second anchor of the sensing portions that are arranged on the at least one of the first reference line or the second reference line includes a pad configured to receive voltage or output a detection signal.