IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,393,740
Granted Patent B2
US 7,393,740 · App. 11/725,609 · Granted Jul 1, 2008

Methods for making fixed parallel plate MEMS capacitor microsensors and microsensor arrays

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,393,740
App. No.
11/725,609
Granted
Jul 1, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fixed parallel plate micro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based sensor is fabricated to allow a dissolved dielectric to flow through a porous top plate, coming to rest on a bottom plate. A post-deposition bake ensures further purity and uniformity of the dielectric layer. In one embodiment the dielectric is a polymer. In one embodiment, a support layer is deposited onto the top plate for strengthening the sensor. In another embodiment, the bottom plate is dual-layered for a narrowed gap. Integrated circuit arrays of such sensors can be made, having multiple devices separated from each other by a physical barrier, such as a polycrystalline containment rim or trough, for preventing polymer material from one sensor from interfering with that of another.

Claims (22)

1. A method of making a sensor, comprising:

a. providing a fixed parallel plate capacitive sensor comprising a bottom plate electrode disposed on a substrate and a porous top plate electrode in fixed, spaced relation to the bottom plate electrode, wherein a cavity exists between the bottom plate electrode and top plate electrode prior to deposition of a dielectric material; and

b. depositing a dielectric material through the porous top plate electrode to fill the cavity between the bottom plate electrode and top plate electrode, thereby forming the sensor.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising dissolving the dielectric material in a solvent prior to its deposition.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of water, toluene, chloroform, methanol, and acetone.

4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the concentration of the dissolved dielectric material is in the range of between about 0.075 percent and one percent by weight.

5. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising baking the sensor.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the baking process ranges from about 10 minutes to about 60 minutes.

7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the baking process comprises heating the sensor to a temperature of about 110° C.

8. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising depositing one or more support layers on to the porous tip plate electrode.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the one or more support layers comprises a patterned polycrystal.

10. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising terminating the deposition of the dielectric material based upon a capacitance measure between the porous top plate electrode and the bottom plate electrode.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a ceramic, a zeolite, and a solgel.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the porous top plate electrode or the bottom plate electrode is comprised of a polycrystalline silicon or a metal.

13. A method according to claim 1 adapted for making a sensor array, wherein the array comprises a plurality of sensors disposed on a substrate, at least one of which sensors is a fixed parallel plate capacitive sensor.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein at least two of the sensors of the sensor array are fixed parallel plate capacitive sensors.

15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein a containment barrier is disposed between at least two of the fixed parallel plate capacitive sensors disposed on the substrate.

16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein each containment barriers is adapted to prevent leakage of the dielectric material of one fixed parallel plate capacitive sensor to another fixed parallel plate capacitive sensor during fabrication.

17. A method according to claim 15 , wherein a containment barrier is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer and a metal.

18. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the containment barrier is shaped as a rim or a trough.

19. A method according to claim 14 , wherein each of the fixed, parallel plate capacitive sensors comprises a different dielectric material.

20. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate electrode and porous top plate electrode are fabricated using standard photolithography.

Assignments (13)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2026
From: FLORIDA TURBINE TECHNOLOGIES INC.; KRATOS ANTENNA SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS SRE, INC.; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC.; MICRO SYSTEMS, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 075103/0203 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 59664/0917 Recorded Mar 4, 2026
From: TRUIST BANK
To: FLORIDA TURBINE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GICHNER SYSTEMS GROUP, INC.; KRATOS ANTENNA SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC.; MICRO SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 075029/0769 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2022
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CHARLESTON MARINE CONTAINERS, INC.; DIGITAL FUSION, INC.; KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC. (F/K/A COMPOSITE ENGINEERING INC.); SAT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059616/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2022
From: TRUIST BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO SUNTRUST BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; SAT CORPORATION; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; CHARLESTON MARINE CONTAINERS, INC.; DIGITAL FUSION, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC. (F/K/A COMPOSITE ENGINEERING, INC.); GICHNER SYTEMS GROUP, INC.; MICRO SYSTEMS, INC.; SECUREINFO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059616/0151 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2022
From: FLORIDA TURBINE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GICHNER SYSTEMS GROUP, INC.; KRATOS ANTENNA SOLUTIONS CORPORATON; KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC.; MICRO SYSTEMS, INC.
To: TRUIST BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 059664/0917 →
AMENDED AND RESTATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 7, 2017
From: KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.; AI METRIX, INC.; AIRORLITE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; AVTEC SYSTEMS, INC.; BSC PARTNERS, LLC; CARLSBAD ISI, INC.; CHARLESTON MARINE CONTAINERS INC.; DALLASTOWN REALTY I, LLC; DALLASTOWN REALTY II, LLC; DEFENSE SYSTEMS, INCORPORATED; DEI SERVICES CORPORATION; DFI REALTY, LLC; DIGITAL FUSION SOLUTIONS, INC.; DIGITAL FUSION, INC.; DIVERSIFIED SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.; DTI ASSOCIATES, INC.; GENERAL MICROWAVE CORPORATION; GENERAL MICROWAVE ISRAEL CORPORATION; GICHNER SYSTEMS GROUP, INC.; GICHNER SYSTEMS INTRERNATIONAL, INC.; HAVERSTICK CONSULTING, INC.; HAVERSTICK GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, INC.; HENRY BROS. ELECTRONICS, INC.; HENRY BROS. ELECTRONICS INC.; HENRY BROS. ELECTRONICS, L.L.C.; HGS HOLDINGS, INC.; JMA ASSOCIATES, INC.; KPSS GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, INC; KRATOS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; KRATOS DEFENSE & ROCKET SUPPORT SERVICES, INC.; KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS INTEGRAL SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC.; KRATOS PUBLIC SAFETY & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS SOUTHEAST, INC.; KRATOS SPACE & MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS, INC.; KRATOS SYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS TEXAS, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS, INC.; LVDM, INC.; MADISON RESEARCH CORPORATION; MICRO SYSTEMS, INC.; MSI ACQUISITION CORP.; POLEXIS, INC.; REAL TIME LOGIC, INC.; REALITY BASED IT SERVICES LTD.; ROCKET SUPPORT SERVICES, LLC; SAT CORPORATION; SCT ACQUISITION, LLC; SCT REAL ESTATE, LLC; SECUREINFO CORPORATION; SHADOW I, INC.; SHADOW II, INC.; SUMMIT RESEARCH CORPORATION; WFI NMC CORP.; KRATOS SOUTHWEST L.P.
To: SUNTRUST BANK
Reel/Frame 044742/0845 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2017
From: AIRORLITE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; CHARLESTON MARINE CONTAINERS, INC.; DIGITAL FUSION, INC.; HENRY BROS. ELECTRONICS, INC. (DE); HENRY BROS. ELECTRONICS, INC. (NJ); KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC.; GICHNER SYSTEMS GROUP, INC.; MICRO SYSTEMS, INC.; SAT CORPORATION; SECUREINFO CORPORATION
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044593/0678 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2017
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: AIRORLITE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; CHARLESTON MARINE CONTAINERS INC.; KRATOS UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, INC.; DIGITAL FUSION, INC.; GENERAL MICROWAVE CORPORATION; HENRY BROS. ELECTRONICS, INC.; KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.; SECUREINFO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044195/0924 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2015
From: AIRORLITE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; CHARLESTON MARINE CONTAINERS INC.; COMPOSITE ENGINEERING, INC.; DIGITAL FUSION, INC.; GENERAL MICROWAVE CORPORATION; HENRY BROS. ELECTRONICS, INC.; KRATOS INTEGRAL HOLDINGS, LLC; KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.; KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.; SECUREINFO CORPORATION
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 034861/0796 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 23, 2012
From: SYS
To: KRATOS TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 028840/0310 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2012
From: XSILOGY, INC.
To: SYS
Reel/Frame 028836/0734 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2012
From: GRAVITON, INC.
To: XSILOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 028836/0694 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2012
From: PATEL, SANJAY V.; FRUHBERGER, BERND; KLAASSEN, ERNO; MLSNA, TODD E.; BASELT, DAVID R.
To: GRAVITON, INC.
Reel/Frame 028836/0572 →