Structure for capacitive balancing of integrated relative humidity sensor
First Claim
1. An improved relative humidity sensor apparatus, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate and a first insulator layer formed on said semiconductor substrate in association with a second insulator layer formed on said first insulator layer;
a P-plus layer and a P-well layer formed on a perimeter of said semiconductor substrate wherein said P-plus layer and said P-well layer create a path for a parasitic capacitance caused by water condensation to connect to at least one node of a sensing capacitor;
a pair of contacts associated with capacitor plates formed on said first insulator layer in association with a pair of capacitor plates formed on said second insulator layer, wherein said pair of capacitor plates are isolated from one another with a space formed therein; and
a humidity sensitive dielectric layer formed on said second insulator layer and said pair of capacitor plates, wherein a relative permittivity of said humidity sensitive layer varies in accordance with a humidity such that a pair of series capacitance additionally varies in accordance with said humidity to thereby provide an increased accurate measurement of said humidity.
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Abstract
An improved relative humidity sensor apparatus that provides a more accurate measurement of humidity in the presence of water condensation. A series capacitive sensor includes a thin porous platinum top plate, a humidity sensitive polyimide dielectric, and two metal bottom plates on a semiconductor substrate. The two capacitors can be wired in series such that the metal bottom plates form independent, electrically driven connections. The thin top layer can form a top plate. Changes in humidity affect the humidity sensitive dielectric thereby causing changes in the capacitive value. A P-well layer and a P-plus layer can be added at the perimeter of the substrate to create a path for a parasitic capacitance caused by water condensation to connect to one or more connection nodes, thereby preventing erroneous measurements of humidity in the presence of water condensation.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An improved relative humidity sensor apparatus, comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate and a first insulator layer formed on said semiconductor substrate in association with a second insulator layer formed on said first insulator layer; a P-plus layer and a P-well layer formed on a perimeter of said semiconductor substrate wherein said P-plus layer and said P-well layer create a path for a parasitic capacitance caused by water condensation to connect to at least one node of a sensing capacitor; a pair of contacts associated with capacitor plates formed on said first insulator layer in association with a pair of capacitor plates formed on said second insulator layer, wherein said pair of capacitor plates are isolated from one another with a space formed therein; and a humidity sensitive dielectric layer formed on said second insulator layer and said pair of capacitor plates, wherein a relative permittivity of said humidity sensitive layer varies in accordance with a humidity such that a pair of series capacitance additionally varies in accordance with said humidity to thereby provide an increased accurate measurement of said humidity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An improved relative humidity sensor apparatus, comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate and a first insulator layer formed on said semiconductor substrate in association with a second insulator layer formed on said first insulator layer; a P-plus layer and a P-well layer formed on a perimeter of said semiconductor substrate wherein said P-plus layer and said P-well layer create a path for a parasitic capacitance caused by water condensation to connect to at least one node of a sensing capacitor; a pair of contacts associated with capacitor plates formed on said first insulator layer in association with a pair of capacitor plates formed on said second insulator layer, wherein said pair of capacitor plates are isolated from one another with a space formed therein; a humidity sensitive dielectric layer formed on said second insulator layer and said pair of capacitor plates; a porous electrically conductive plate formed on said humidity sensitive dielectric layer, wherein said porous electrically conductive plate includes a common top plate with respect to said pair of capacitive plates; and a protective layer located on said porous electrically conductive plate, wherein said protective layer protects said common top plate and said humidity sensitive layer, wherein a relative permittivity of said humidity sensitive layer varies in accordance with a humidity such that a pair of series capacitance additionally varies in accordance with said humidity to thereby provide an increased accurate measurement of said humidity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of forming an improved relative humidity sensor apparatus, comprising:
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providing a semiconductor substrate and a first insulator layer formed on said semiconductor substrate in association with a second insulator layer formed on said first insulator layer; forming a P-plus layer and a P-well formed on a perimeter of said semiconductor substrate wherein said P-plus layer and said P-well layer create a path for a parasitic capacitance caused by water condensation to connect to at least one node of a sensing capacitor; associating a pair of contacts with capacitor plates formed on said first insulator layer in association with a pair of capacitor plates formed on said second insulator layer, wherein said pair of capacitor plates are isolated from one another with a space formed therein; and forming a humidity sensitive dielectric layer on said second insulator layer and said pair of capacitor plates, wherein a relative permittivity of said humidity sensitive layer varies in accordance with a humidity such that a pair of series capacitance additionally varies in accordance with said humidity to thereby provide an increased accurate measurement of said humidity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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16. The method of claim 16 further comprising locating a protective layer on said porous electrically conductive plate, wherein said protective layer protects said common top plate and said humidity sensitive layer.
Specification