MEMS SENSOR AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A MEMS SENSOR

Abstract

A MEMS sensor, including a substrate, and at least three functional layers, which are connected to the substrate on top of one another and spaced apart from one another. A first of the at least three functional layers is deflectably situated. A first electrode, which includes at least two areas being situated at the first functional layer. A first area of the first electrode together with a second electrode of a second of the at least three functional layers form a first capacitance, and a second area of the first electrode together with at least one area of a third electrode of a third functional layer form a second capacitance. The electrodes are situated in such a way that, upon a change in the distance of the electrodes of the first capacitance, a contrary change in the distance of the electrodes of the second capacitance takes place.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A MEMS sensor, comprising: a substrate; at least three functional layers which are connected to the substrate on top of one another and spaced apart from one another, a first functional layer of the at least three functional layers being deflectably situated, a first electrode which includes at least two areas being situated at the first functional layer, a first area of the at least two areas of the first electrode together with a second electrode of a second functional layer of the at least three functional layers forming a first capacitance, and a second area of the at least two areas of the first electrode together with at least one area of a third electrode of a third functional layer of the at least three functional layers forming a second capacitance, and wherein the first, second, and third electrodes a situated in such a way that upon a change in a distance of the first and electrodes of the first capacitance a contrary change in a distance of the first and third electrodes of the second capacitance takes place.

14. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the second and third electrodes are statically situated.

15. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the second electrode is situated beneath, and at least one area of the third electrode is situated above, the respective area of the first electrode.

16. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the first electrode is symmetrically designed in a cross section in parallel to a deflection direction of the first functional layer.

17. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 16, wherein the third electrode includes at least two sub-electrodes situated symmetrically to the first area of the first electrode, and the second area of the first electrode includes two sub-areas, a respective sub-area being designed to cooperate with a sub-electrode for forming the second capacitance.

18. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein a respective thickness of at least two of the first, second, and third electrodes in parallel to a deflection direction of the first functional layer is identical.

19. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the substrate is doped in an area beneath the second area of the first electrode or includes a metal layer.

20. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the first and second areas of the first electrode are manufactured from material of different layers, the material of different layers being identical.

21. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the first electrode in the second area includes a reinforcement structure.

22. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 21, wherein the reinforcement structure is formed by a partial connection of a layer of the second area of the first electrode to a layer in which the third electrode is situated.

23. The MEMS sensor as recited in claim 13, wherein the deflectably situated functional layer includes two mechanically separated, deflectable areas, the first area of the first electrode and a first area of the second electrode being situated in a first deflectable area of the deflectable areas, and the second area of the first electrode and a second area of the third electrode being situated in a second deflectable area of the deflectable area.

24. A method for manufacturing a MEMS sensor, comprising the following steps: providing a substrate; providing at least three functional layers, which are connected to the substrate on top of one another and spaced apart from one another; situating a first electrode, which includes at least two areas, at the first functional layer, a first area of the at least two areas of the first electrode together with a second electrode of a second functional layer of the at least three functional layers forming a first capacitance, and a second area of the at least two areas of the first electrode together with at least one area of a third electrode of a third functional layer of the at least three functions layers forming a second capacitance; and wherein the first, second, and third electrodes are situated in such a way that upon a change in a distance of the first and electrodes of the first capacitance a contrary change in a distance of the first and third electrodes of the second capacitance takes place.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a MEMS sensor in the cross section according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows two MEMS sensors in the cross section according to specific embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows two mechanically separated areas of a MEMS sensor in the cross section according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a section of a MEMS sensor in the cross section along different directions according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 shows steps of a method according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a MEMS sensor in the cross section according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] In detail, the layer construction of MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 1 is as follows. A LOCOS oxide layer 3 is applied onto a substrate 2, on which, in turn, a silicon-rich nitride layer 4 is situated. This takes place with the aid of a so-called LOCOS process in which a thick oxide layer 3 is generated, on which a thin silicon-rich layer 4 is deposited. Furthermore, functional layers 5, 7, 9 and interposed oxide layers 6, 8 are alternately deposited and later partially removed again to form cavities and hollow spaces. A deflectable functional layer 9 is situated, more precisely, deposited, on the upper side of oxide layer 8 after corresponding cavities for the electrodes described hereafter have been generated. Functional layer 9 is deflectable perpendicular to layers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 in direction R.

[0033] In FIG. 1, the thickness of functional layer 5, in contrast to known MEMS sensors, is identical to, or at least similar to, that of functional layers 7 and 9 situated above, and may thus be utilized as a complete third functional layer. As is described hereafter, stable movable electrodes are implemented in this third functional layer 5. Thereafter, all oxide layers in the deflection area of functional layer 9 below it are removed. In the process, silicon-rich layer 4 may be utilized as a masking layer to introduce cavities into LOCOS layer 3 situated beneath. These cavities 15, 16 enable an out-of-plane movement of the following described electrodes in functional layer 5. An electrode 10 is situated on the bottom side of the deflectable functional layer 9. It has a symmetrical design in the cross section; in the center, first electrode 10 (at the height of functional layer 7) includes a horizontal area 10a, which cooperates with a second electrode 11 in the area of functional layer 5 for forming a first capacitance C1. The two electrodes 10a, 11 are situated spaced apart from one another in the process. The distance in the non-deflected state essentially results from the thickness of oxide layer 6. A further area 10b, 10c, which is situated at the height of functional layer 5, is now situated in each case laterally on the left and right. Sub-electrodes of a third electrode 12 are situated spaced apart therefrom and above the respective area 10b, 10c, more precisely areas 12a, 12b are situated at the height of functional layer 7. The distance between areas 10c, 12b or 10b, 12a again essentially corresponds to the thickness of oxide layer 6. Thickness D of areas 10b, 10c as well as of electrode 11 corresponds to the thickness of functional layer 5. In the process, the two areas 12a, 12b form third electrode 12, which is statically situated. First electrode 10 and third electrode 12 form a second capacitance C2 in the process.

[0034] In this way, essentially the following behavior is achieved: a differential capacitor is provided, in which all plates and plate distances of electrodes 10, 11, 12 are constructed of the same layers. In this way, the influence of production tolerances may be reduced. Two options may be implemented using the differential capacitor. The first is that a full bridge may be formed from a half bridge, which has double the sensitivity and considerably better linearity compared to the half bridge. The advantage of a full bridge, in turn, is that the number of contactings or bond pads between the ASIC and the MEMS chip for contacting the full bridge is not greater than in the case of a half bridge. In the process, only two contactings are required for the bridge input voltage, and two further contactings are required for the bridge output voltage, since the wiring of the described capacitances takes place between electrodes 10a, 11 and 10b, 10c, 12a, 12b on the chip.

[0035] The second option is to measure capacitances C1 and C2 separately using the ASIC, bond pads being required for measuring n capacitances (n+1). This method has the advantage that with the aid of the equation

[00001]$\mathrm{Signal}=\frac{C2-C1}{C2+C1}$

[0036] a complete linearization is achieved, capacitance C2 encompassing all closing capacitances, and C1 encompassing all opening capacitances.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows two MEMS sensors in the cross section according to specific embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 essentially shows a respective MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 1 at the bottom and at the top. In contrast to MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 1, in the case of MEMS sensor 1 according to the top of FIG. 2, a thin metallization layer 2b is situated on substrate 2 in the area beneath areas 10b, 10c of first electrode 10, in particular having a thickness between 200 nm and 600 nm, in particular, between 300 nm and 500 nm. At the bottom of FIG. 2, substrate 2 is doped (reference numeral 2a) instead of metallization level 2b. With the aid of metallization level 2b or doping 2a, this area of substrate 2 is rendered locally conductive and parasitic capacitances are counteracted, which arise, for example, between substrate 2 and the respective area 10b, 10c and disrupt the sensitivity of MEMS sensor 1.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows two mechanically separated areas of a MEMS sensor in the cross section according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 on the left and right essentially shows a design of a MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 1 in detail. In contrast to MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 1, the second central electrode 11 is missing in the shown portion of MEMS sensor 1 according to the left side of FIG. 3, and the two areas 10b, 10c of first electrode 10 are missing in the portion of MEMS sensor 1 according to the right side of FIG. 3. The portions shown on the left and right of FIG. 3 form a MEMS sensor 1. In the process, the two portions of MEMS sensor 1 each form a portion 9a, 9b of a deflectable functional layer 9, which are mechanically and electrically separated from one another. As a result of the mechanical decoupling, it is possible to implement a full bridge, and the sensitivity with respect to externally mustered intrinsic mechanical stresses is reduced.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a section of a MEMS sensor in the cross-section along different directions according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a section of a MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 1 in the cross section along different directions. In contrast to MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 1, a reinforcement structure 20 is situated on MEMS sensor 1 according to FIG. 4. This reinforcement structure 20 locally reinforces area 10b of movable electrode 10 in that layer 7 of the static electrode is connected together with layer 5 of movable electrode 10, so that essentially a kind of T-beam is provided. In this way, the stiffness is increased, and based on the increase of the stiffness, the natural frequency of areas 12a, 10b of the respective electrode 10, 12, in particular of the movable electrode areas 10b, 10c, which are situated in layer 5, may be set, so that resonances are avoided during the manufacture or during use.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows steps of a method according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows steps of a method for manufacturing a MEMS sensor in detail. It includes the steps:

[0044] In a step S1, a substrate; is provided.

[0045] In a further step S2, at least three functional layers are provided, which are connected to the substrate on top of one another and spaced apart from one another.

[0046] In a further step S3, a first electrode, which includes at least two areas, is situated at the first functional layer, a first area of the first electrode together with a second electrode of a second of the at least three functional layers forming a first capacitance, and a second area of the first electrode together with at least one area of a third electrode of a third functional layer forming a second capacitance, and the electrodes being situated in such a way that upon a change in the distance of the electrodes of the first capacitance a contrary change in the distance of the electrodes of the second capacitance takes place.

[0047] In summary, at least one of the specific embodiments of the present invention yields at least one of the following advantages: [0048] increase in the sensitivity by a factor of 2 with the same area: [0049] better resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. [0050] fully diff concept: [0051] electrical sensitivity linear across the entire measurement range. [0052] mechanical decoupling over two separate diaphragms possible, which each only include one of the two electrode types, opening on the one hand and closing on the other hand. [0053] lower costs: [0054] with the same sensitivity, reduction of the chip area by a factor of 2 compared to known MEMS sensors. [0055] static, non-sensitive reference electrodes are dispensed with. [0056] evaluation in full bridge circuit using a low number of contact pads possible, in particular with the aid of four pads. [0057] lower influence of process fluctuations: [0058] all electrodes and electrode distances are created by the same layers, for example all electrode distances are implemented by the same oxide. [0059] stiffening of movable electrodes through “T-beams”: [0060] setting of the natural frequency to avoid resonances during manufacture/use. [0061] reduction of the bending of electrodes.

[0062] Although the present invention has been described based on preferred exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto, but is modifiable in a variety of ways.