Apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity

1. An apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity by use of a bridge circuit, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of first impurity layers of a first conductivity type, formed on the semiconductor substrate, and extended in a first direction;

a plurality of second impurity layers of the first conductivity type, formed on the semiconductor substrate, and extended in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,

wherein the bridge circuit includes:

a first resistor between a first reference potential node and a first output node;

a second resistor between a second reference potential node, and the first output node;

a third resistor between the first reference potential node and a second output node;

a fourth resistor between the second reference potential node and the second output node,

wherein the first resistor, and the fourth resistor are each made up by connecting the plurality of the first impurity layers in series with each other, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer, the second resistor, and the third resistor are each made up by connecting the plurality of the second impurity layers in series with each other, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer,

wherein the first impurity layer making up the fourth resistor is disposed between two layers of the first impurity layers for making up the first resistor, connected with each other through the intermediary of the interconnect layer,

wherein the first impurity layer for making up the first resistor is disposed between two layers of the first impurity layers for making up the fourth resistor, connected with each other through the intermediary of the interconnect layer,

wherein the second impurity layer for making up the third resistor is disposed between two layers of the second impurity layers for making up the second resistor, connected with each other through the intermediary of the interconnect layer, and

wherein the second impurity layer for making up the second resistor is disposed between two layers of the second impurity layers for making up the third resistor, connected with each other through the intermediary of the interconnect layer.

2. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second impurity layers are each a p-type impurity layer, and the first direction is <110> of the semiconductor substrate.

3. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is stuck to, or embedded in an object under test to thereby measure strain of the object under test.

4. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the first impurity layers of the first conductivity type are formed so as to be parallel with each other, and evenly spaced, and the plurality of the second impurity layers of the first conductivity type are formed so as to be parallel with each other, and evenly spaced disposed.

5. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the first impurity layers of the first conductivity type include a first impurity layer for forming neither the first resistor, nor the fourth resistor, said first impurity layer serving as a dummy resistor electrically unconnected to other circuits while the plurality of the second impurity layers of the first conductivity type include a second impurity layer for forming neither the second resistor, nor the third resistor, said second impurity layer serving as a dummy resistor electrically unconnected to other circuits.

6. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 1 , further comprising a peripheral circuit including an amplifier for amplifying a potential difference between the first output node, and the second output node, wherein the plurality of the first impurity layers of the first conductivity type include a first impurity layer for forming neither the first resistor, nor the fourth resistor while the plurality of the second impurity layers of the first conductivity type include a second impurity layer for forming neither the second resistor, nor the third resistor, said first impurity layer, or said second impurity layer being used as a resistor of the peripheral circuit.

7. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 1 , further comprising a peripheral circuit including an amplifier for amplifying a potential difference between the first output node, and the second output node, wherein the first impurity layers and the second impurity layers are formed in a central part of a semiconductor chip, and the peripheral circuit is formed around the central part.

8. An apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity by use of a bridge circuit, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate; and

a plurality of impurity layer groups formed on the semiconductor substrate;

wherein the plurality of the impurity layer groups each include a plurality of first impurity layers of a first conductivity type, extended in a first direction, and a plurality of second impurity layers of a first conductivity type, extended in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,

wherein the bridge circuit includes:

a first resistor between a first reference potential node and a first output node;

a second resistor between a second reference potential node, and the first output node;

a third resistor between the first potential reference node and a second output node;

a fourth resistor between the second potential reference node and the second output node,

wherein the first resistor is made up by connecting the first impurity layers of any one of the plurality of the impurity layer groups, in series with each other, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer,

wherein the second resistor is made up by connecting the second impurity layers of any one of the plurality of the impurity layer groups, in series with each other, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer,

wherein the third resistor is made up by connecting the second impurity layers of any one of the plurality of the impurity layer groups, in series with each other, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer, and

wherein the fourth resistor is made up by connecting the first impurity layers of any one of the plurality of the impurity layer groups, in series with each other, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer.

9. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 8 , wherein, in each of the plurality of the impurity layer groups,

the first impurity layers making up the first resistor are not connected in series with the first impurity layers of other impurity layer groups, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer,

the second impurity layers making up the second resistor are not connected in series with the second impurity layers of other impurity layer groups, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer,

the second impurity layers making up the third resistor are not connected in series with the second impurity layers of other impurity layer groups, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer, and

the first impurity layers making up the fourth resistor are not connected in series with the first impurity layers of other impurity layer groups, through the intermediary of an interconnect layer.

10. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second impurity layers are each a p-type impurity layer, and the first direction is <110> of the semiconductor substrate.

11. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is stuck to, or embedded in an object under test to thereby measure strain of the object under test.

12. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of the impurity layer groups include a first impurity layer group, and a second impurity layer group, a plurality of third impurity layers of a first conductivity type are formed between the first impurity layer of the first impurity layer group, and the first impurity layer of the second impurity layer group, the first impurity layers, and the third impurity layers each being formed so as to be parallel with each other, and evenly spaced, and a plurality of fourth impurity layers of a first conductivity type are formed between the second impurity layer of the first impurity layer group, and the second impurity layer of the second impurity layer group, the second impurity layers, and the fourth impurity layers each being formed so as to be parallel with each other, and evenly spaced.

13. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 12 , wherein the third impurity layer or the fourth impurity layer serves as a dummy resistor electrically unconnected to other circuits.

14. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 12 , further comprising a peripheral circuit including an amplifier for amplifying a potential difference between the first output node, and the second output node of the bridge circuit, wherein the third impurity layer or the fourth impurity layer is used as resistors of the peripheral circuit.

15. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 8 , further comprising a peripheral circuit including an amplifier for amplifying a potential difference between the first output node, and the second output node of the bridge circuit, wherein the first impurity layers and the second impurity layers are formed in a central part of a semiconductor chip, and the peripheral circuit is formed around the central part.

16. An apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity by use of a bridge circuit, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate; and

a plurality of impurity layers of a first conductivity type, formed on the semiconductor substrate, and disposed in a matrix-like fashion, the plurality of the impurity layers of the first conductivity type, each including a plurality of first impurity layers disposed in each odd column, and extended in a first direction, and a plurality of second impurity layers, disposed in each even column, and extended in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,

wherein the bridge circuit includes:

a first resistor between a first reference potential node and a first output node;

a second resistor between a second reference potential node, and the first output node;

a third resistor between the first reference potential node and a second output node;

a fourth resistor between the second reference potential node and the second output node,

wherein the first resistor, and the fourth resistor are each made up by selectively connecting the plurality of the first impurity layers disposed in the each odd column, in series with each other, and the second resistor, and the third resistor are each made up by connecting the plurality of the second impurity layers disposed in the each even column, in series with each other.

17. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 16 , wherein adjacent first impurity layers among the plurality of the first impurity layers disposed in the each odd column are selected as the first impurity layers for forming the first resistor, and the first impurity layers for forming the fourth resistor, respectively, and adjacent second impurity layers among the plurality of the second impurity layers disposed in the each even column are selected as the second impurity layers for forming the second resistor, and the second impurity layers for forming the third resistor, respectively.

18. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 17 , wherein the adjacent first impurity layers are disposed so as to be adjacent to the adjacent second impurity layers.

19. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 16 , wherein the impurity layer is a p-type impurity layer, and the first direction is <110> of the semiconductor substrate.

20. The apparatus for measuring a mechanical quantity, according to claim 16 , further comprising:

a peripheral circuit including an amplifier for amplifying a potential difference between the first output node, and the second output node,

wherein the first impurity layers and the second impurity layers are formed in a central part of a semiconductor chip, and

wherein the peripheral circuit is formed around the central part.