MEMS integrated pressure sensor and microphone devices and methods of forming same

• US 9,981,841 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chu, Chia-Hua, Cheng, Chun-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Toledo, Fernando L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowen, Adam S
• Application Number:
  US15/595,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20170247251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 257419
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0242 Gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0257 Microphones or microspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0264 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0127 Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/02 containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] B81B7/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00309 suitable for fluid transfer from the MEMS out of the package or vice versa, e.g. transfer of liquid, gas, sound
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0118 Bonding a wafer on the substrate, i.e. where the cap consists of another wafer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2007 Bonding of semiconductor wafers to insulating substrates or to semiconducting substrates using an intermediate insulating layer H01L21/2011 takes precedence; bonding of semiconductor wafers to semiconductor wafers for junction formation H01L21/187
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/764 Air gaps H01L21/76264 takes precedence

Abstract

A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a MEMS substrate having a first opening, a second opening, and a membrane layer comprising a first membrane disposed over the first opening and a second membrane disposed over the second opening. The MEMS device also includes a carrier substrate bonded to a first side of the MEMS substrate, the carrier substrate having a first cavity exposing the first membrane and a second cavity exposing the second membrane, and a cap substrate bonded to a second side of the MEMS substrate. The cap substrate has a third cavity connected to the first opening and a fourth cavity connected to the second opening. The first membrane, the first cavity, and the third cavity are part of a pressure sensor. The fourth cavity extends completely through the cap substrate. The second membrane, the second cavity, and the fourth cavity are part of a microphone.

Claims

1. A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:

a MEMS substrate having a first opening, a second opening, and a membrane layer, the membrane layer comprising a first membrane disposed over the first opening of the MEMS substrate and a second membrane disposed over the second opening of the MEMS substrate;

a carrier substrate bonded to a first side of the MEMS substrate, the carrier substrate having a first cavity exposing the first membrane and a second cavity exposing the second membrane; and

a cap substrate bonded to a second side of the MEMS substrate opposing the first side of the MEMS substrate, the cap substrate having a third cavity connected to the first opening and a fourth cavity connected to the second opening, wherein the first membrane, the first cavity, and the third cavity are part of a pressure sensor, wherein the fourth cavity extends completely through the cap substrate, and wherein the second membrane, the second cavity, and the fourth cavity are part of a microphone.

2. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the membrane layer comprises polysilicon.

3. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the second opening comprises a plurality of openings.

4. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the first cavity extends through the carrier substrate and exposes a first side of the first membrane to the ambient.

5. The MEMS device of claim 4, wherein the third cavity extends partially into the cap substrate, wherein a second side of the first membrane opposite the first side covers the third cavity, and wherein the third cavity is a sealed cavity.

6. The MEMS device of claim 5, wherein a pressure of the sealed cavity is different from a pressure of the ambient.

7. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the third cavity extends through the cap substrate and exposes a first side of the first membrane to the ambient.

8. The MEMS device of claim 7, wherein the first cavity extends partially into the carrier substrate, wherein a second side of the first membrane opposite the first side covers the first cavity, and wherein a sealed cavity comprises the first cavity covered by the first membrane.

9. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the MEMS substrate further has a third opening enclosed in a fifth cavity between the carrier substrate and the cap substrate, wherein the fifth cavity is a sealed cavity.

10. The MEMS device of claim 9, wherein the membrane layer further comprises a third membrane over the third opening, wherein a first side of the third membrane is exposed to a pressure of the fifth cavity.

11. A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:

a MEMS substrate having a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening, the MEMS substrate having a first membrane extending over the first opening, a second membrane extending over the second opening and a third membrane extending over the third opening;

a carrier substrate bonded to MEMS substrate, the carrier substrate having a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity exposing the first membrane, the second cavity extending through the carrier substrate and exposing the second membrane; and

a cap substrate bonded to the MEMS substrate, the cap substrate having a third cavity, a fourth cavity and a fifth cavity, the third cavity exposing the first membrane, the fourth cavity extending through the cap substrate and exposing the second membrane, and the fifth cavity exposing the third membrane, wherein a first surface of the first membrane covers a first one of the first cavity and the third cavity to form a first sealed cavity, a second surface of the first membrane is exposed to ambient, wherein opposing sides of the second membrane are exposed to ambient, and wherein the third membrane covers the fifth cavity to form a second sealed cavity.

12. The MEMS device of claim 11, wherein the first sealed cavity comprises the first cavity covered by the first membrane.

13. The MEMS device of claim 11, wherein the first sealed cavity comprises the third cavity covered by the first membrane.

14. The MEMS device of claim 11, wherein the third membrane and the third opening of the MEMS substrate are part of a motion sensor, wherein the third membrane acts as the bottom electrode of the motion sensor.

15. The MEMS device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first membrane, the second membrane, and the third membrane has a bump protruding above an adjacent surface area of a respective membrane.

16. A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:

a MEMS substrate comprising;

a first layer;

a first opening extending through the first layer;

a first membrane on a first side of the first layer; and

a second membrane on a second side of the first layer opposing the first side of the first layer;

a carrier substrate bonded to a first side of the MEMS substrate, the carrier substrate having a first cavity that extends partially into the carrier substrate, wherein the first membrane covers the first cavity, wherein a first sealed cavity comprises the first cavity covered by the first membrane; and

a cap substrate bonded to a second side the MEMS substrate, the cap substrate having a second cavity that extends through the cap substrate, wherein opposing sides of the second membrane are exposed to ambient through the second cavity.

17. The MEMS device of claim 16, wherein the first membrane and the second membrane are between the first sealed cavity and the second cavity.

18. The MEMS device of claim 16, wherein the MEMS substrate further comprises:

a second opening extending through the first layer; and

a third membrane on the first side of the first layer and over the second opening,

wherein the second opening is connected to a third cavity extending partially into the cap substrate, wherein the third membrane covers the second opening and the third cavity, wherein a second sealed cavity comprises the second opening and the third cavity covered by the third membrane.

19. The MEMS device of claim 18, wherein the MEMS substrate further comprises:

a third opening extending through the first layer; and

a fourth membrane on the first side of the first layer and over the third opening; and

a fifth membrane on the second side of the first layer, the third opening being between the fourth membrane and the fifth membrane,

wherein the third opening is enclosed in a third sealed cavity between the cap substrate and the carrier substrate.

20. The MEMS device of claim 19, wherein a pressure in the second sealed cavity is different from a pressure in the third sealed cavity.