IP Library Granted Patent US 11,268,841
Granted Patent B2
US 11,268,841 · App. 16/771,879 · Granted Mar 8, 2022

Semiconductor element and flow rate measurement device using same

Inventors: Norio Ishitsuka (Tokyo, JP); Yasuo Onose (Hitachinaka, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
G01F1/692B81B7/0006B81B2201/0214B81B2203/0127B81B2203/0315B81B2207/07
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,268,841
App. No.
16/771,879
Granted
Mar 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a semiconductor device and a thermal type fluid flow rate sensor which suppress strain occurring in an aluminum film and suppresses disconnection due to repeated metal fatigue of the aluminum film. The semiconductor device and the thermal type fluid flow rate sensor of the present invention are configured so that the heights of a silicon film and an aluminum film satisfy D>D 1 between a flow rate sensor part (immediately above a diaphragm end part) D and a circuit part (LSI part) D 1.

Claims (56)

1. A semiconductor element, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a cavity part; and

a laminate part laminated on the semiconductor substrate, wherein

the laminate part forms a diaphragm covering the cavity part,

the laminate part has a silicon film and an aluminum film that constitute a thermocouple, and a connection part connecting between the silicon film and the aluminum film,

the connection part is provided in the diaphragm,

the silicon film is provided on a substrate side relative to a neutral axis of the diaphragm, and

the aluminum film is provided on an opposite side to a substrate side relative to the neutral axis in a part crossing an end part of the diaphragm.

2. A semiconductor element, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a cavity part; and

a laminate part laminated on the semiconductor substrate, wherein

the laminate part forms a diaphragm covering the cavity part,

the laminate part has a silicon film and an aluminum film that constitute a thermocouple, and a connection part connecting between the silicon film and the aluminum film,

the connection part is provided in the diaphragm,

the semiconductor element includes a circuit part having a transistor provided outside the diaphragm, a first aluminum layer formed outside the diaphragm in the laminate part, and a second aluminum layer formed above the first aluminum layer, and

in the aluminum film constituting the thermocouple, a part crossing an end part of the diaphragm is formed above the first aluminum layer.

3. A semiconductor element, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a cavity part; and

a laminate part laminated on the semiconductor substrate, wherein

the laminate part forms a diaphragm covering the cavity part,

the laminate part has a silicon film and an aluminum film that constitute a thermocouple, and a connection part connecting between the silicon film and the aluminum film,

the connection part is provided in the diaphragm,

the semiconductor element has a circuit part including a transistor provided outside the diaphragm part, and

a distance D in a thickness direction between the aluminum film and the silicon film at an end part of the diaphragm is larger than a distance D 1 in a thickness direction between the transistor and an aluminum film formed immediately above the transistor.

4. The semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein

an intermediate layer is formed in the diaphragm part, and

the silicon film and the aluminum film are electrically connected via the intermediate layer.

5. The semiconductor element according to claim 2 , wherein

an intermediate layer is formed in the diaphragm part, and

the silicon film and the aluminum film are electrically connected via the intermediate layer.

6. The semiconductor element according to claim 3 , wherein

an intermediate layer is formed in the diaphragm part, and

the silicon film and the aluminum film are electrically connected via the intermediate layer.

7. The semiconductor element according to claim 2 , wherein

an intermediate layer is formed, in the diaphragm, below the aluminum film and above the silicon film,

the connection part has a first connection part and a second connection part,

the aluminum film and the intermediate layer are connected by the first connection part, and

the intermediate layer and the silicon film are connected by the second connection part.

8. The semiconductor element according to claim 3 , wherein

an intermediate layer is formed, in the diaphragm, below the aluminum film and above the silicon film,

the connection part has a first connection part and a second connection part,

the aluminum film and the intermediate layer are connected by the first connection part, and

the intermediate layer and the silicon film are connected by the second connection part.

9. The semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein

the intermediate layer is an aluminum film,

the first and second connection parts are through-holes, and

a height of through-hole connecting between the silicon film and the intermediate layer is equal to a height of through-hole connecting between the transistor and an aluminum film formed immediately above the transistor.

10. The semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein an aluminum film of the end part of the diaphragm part is provided at a position where a generated strain is equal to or less than 0.015.

11. The semiconductor element according to claim 2 , wherein an aluminum film of the end part of the diaphragm part is provided at a position where a generated strain is equal to or less than 0.015.

12. The semiconductor element according to claim 3 , wherein an aluminum film of the end part of the diaphragm part is provided at a position where a generated strain is equal to or less than 0.015.

13. The semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein an aluminum film constituting the thermocouple formed immediately above the end part of the diaphragm is arranged in a second layer from an uppermost layer of the laminate part.

14. The semiconductor element according to claim 2 , wherein an aluminum film constituting the thermocouple formed immediately above the end part of the diaphragm is arranged in a second layer from an uppermost layer of the laminate part.

15. The semiconductor element according to claim 3 , wherein an aluminum film constituting the thermocouple formed immediately above the end part of the diaphragm is arranged in a second layer from an uppermost layer of the laminate part.

16. A flow rate measurement device, comprising the semiconductor element according to claim 1 .

17. A flow rate measurement device, comprising the semiconductor element according to claim 2 .

18. A flow rate measurement device, comprising the semiconductor element according to claim 3 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058481/0935 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2020
From: ISHITSUKA, NORIO; ONOSE, YASUO
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 052926/0357 →