IP Library Granted Patent US 10,589,981
Granted Patent B2
US 10,589,981 · App. 15/973,672 · Granted Mar 17, 2020

Semiconductor pressure sensor

Inventor: Eiji Yoshikawa (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
B81B3/0021G01L9/0045G01L9/0052G01L9/0054H01L41/1132B81B2201/0264
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,589,981
App. No.
15/973,672
Granted
Mar 17, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor pressure sensor that can maintain high reliability and measure pressure with high accuracy without increasing the size thereof and that has hydrogen permeation prevention performance. The semiconductor pressure sensor includes: a first semiconductor substrate having a recess formed thereon; a second semiconductor substrate joined to the first semiconductor substrate with an oxide film interposed therebetween; a reference pressure chamber formed as a space surrounded by the recess of the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate; a piezoresistor formed on a surface of the second semiconductor substrate that receives pressure, along an outer periphery of the reference pressure chamber; and a protective film formed on the surface of the second semiconductor substrate that receives pressure, and side surfaces of the second semiconductor substrate and the oxide film.

Claims (22)

1. A semiconductor pressure sensor comprising:

a first semiconductor substrate having a recess formed thereon;

a second semiconductor substrate joined to the first semiconductor substrate with an oxide film interposed therebetween;

a reference pressure chamber formed as a space surrounded by the recess of the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate;

a piezoresistor formed on a surface of the second semiconductor substrate that receives pressure, along an outer periphery of the reference pressure chamber; and

a protective film formed on the surface of the second semiconductor substrate that receives pressure, and side surfaces of the second semiconductor substrate and the oxide film,

wherein the protective film is a multilayer film obtained by laminating silicon nitride films SiNx, and

wherein each laminated silicon nitride film SiNx has a thickness of 0.1 μm, and

wherein the multilayer film comprises between five and ten of the laminated silicon nitride films SiNx.

2. A semiconductor pressure sensor comprising:

a first semiconductor substrate having a plurality of recesses formed thereon;

an intermediate semiconductor substrate joined to the first semiconductor substrate with a first oxide film interposed therebetween;

a second semiconductor substrate joined to the intermediate semiconductor substrate with a second oxide film interposed therebetween;

a first reference pressure chamber formed as a space surrounded by a first recess of the first semiconductor substrate and the intermediate semiconductor substrate;

a second reference pressure chamber formed as a space surrounded by a second recess formed on the first semiconductor substrate, the intermediate semiconductor substrate, and the second semiconductor substrate, the intermediate semiconductor substrate having a through hole communicating with the second recess of the first semiconductor substrate;

piezoresistors formed on a surface of the second semiconductor substrate that receives pressure, along outer peripheries of the first reference pressure chamber and the second reference pressure chamber; and

a protective film formed on the surface of the second semiconductor substrate that receives pressure, a side surface of the second semiconductor substrate, a side surface of the intermediate semiconductor substrate, a side surface of the first oxide film, and a side surface of the second oxide film.

3. The semiconductor pressure sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the protective film is a multilayer film obtained by laminating silicon nitride films SiNx that satisfy 1≤x≤4/3 and that do not contain hydrogen and oxygen.

4. The semiconductor pressure sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the number of the silicon nitride films SiNx laminated in the multilayer film is 5 to 10.

5. The semiconductor pressure sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the protective film is a multilayer film obtained by laminating silicon nitride films SiNx, and

wherein each laminated silicon nitride film SiNx has a thickness of 0.1 μm, and

wherein the multilayer film comprises between five and ten of the laminated silicon nitride films SiNx.

Assignments (2)
COMPANY SPLIT Recorded Sep 4, 2024
From: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC MOBILITY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068834/0585 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2018
From: YOSHIKAWA, EIJI
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045741/0873 →