Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7437933?dq=5166694
Timestamp: 2016-07-27 03:53:46
Document Index: 391133863

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 20', 'art 20', 'arts 10']

Patent US7437933 - Micro-electro-mechanical structure having electrically insulated regions and ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsMicro-electro-mechanical structure formed by a substrate of semiconductor material and a suspended mass extending above the substrate and separated therefrom by an air gap. An insulating region of a first electrically insulating material extends through the suspended mass and divides it into at least...http://www.google.com/patents/US7437933?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7437933 - Micro-electro-mechanical structure having electrically insulated regions and manufacturing process thereofAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7437933 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/177,474Publication dateOct 21, 2008Filing dateJul 7, 2005Priority dateJul 12, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asEP1617178A1, US20060070441Publication number11177474, 177474, US 7437933 B2, US 7437933B2, US-B2-7437933, US7437933 B2, US7437933B2InventorsGuido Spinola Durante, Simone Sassolini, Marco Ferrera, Mauro MarchiOriginal AssigneeStmicroelectronics S.R.L.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (24), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (20), Classifications (10), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMicro-electro-mechanical structure having electrically insulated regions and manufacturing process thereof
US 7437933 B2Abstract
35. The process according to claim 28 wherein said step of forming at least one plug element comprises the step of forming a silicon-carbide protective region. Description
Each part 2 a, 2 b comprises an actuation system 5, an accelerometer 6, and a mechanical connection 7, which connects the actuation system 5 to the accelerometer 6. In the following description, reference will be made to the left-hand part 2 a, but the description is perfectly applicable also to the right-hand part 2 b. In detail, the actuation system 5 comprises an actuation mass 10 having an open concave shape (C shape); mobile actuation electrodes 11, connected to the actuation mass 10; and fixed actuation electrodes 13, comb-fingered to the mobile actuation electrodes 12. The actuation mass 10 is supported by first and second anchorages 15 a, 15 b via two first and two second anchoring springs 16 a, 16 b, connected to the actuation mass 10 next to the four outer corners of the actuation mass 10.
In detail, the first insulating region 23 extends approximately parallel to the central symmetry axis A so that the first part 20 a of the sensing mass 20 is supported and connected to the actuation mass 10 only via the first coupling springs 25 a, while the second part 20 b of the sensing mass 20 is supported and connected to the actuation mass 10 only via the second coupling springs 25 b. Furthermore, the second insulating regions 24 extend transversely to the respective C-shaped arms so that the main portion 10 a of the actuation mass 10 is connected only to the first coupling springs 25 a and to the first anchoring springs 16 a, while the end parts 10 b of the actuation mass 10 is connected only to the second coupling springs 25 b and to the second anchoring springs 16 b. The position of the second insulating regions 24 is moreover such that the mobile actuation electrodes 11 extend starting from the main portion 10 a of the actuation mass 10 and are electrically connected thereto.
Next, FIG. 3, a sacrificial oxide layer 43, for example TEOS, is deposited, and a bottom protective region 44 is formed. To this aim, a polysilicon layer (for example with a thickness of 300 nm) is deposited. This is oxidized superficially and, via an appropriate mask, is removed selectively, so that the bottom protective region 44 comprises a polysilicon region 44 a and an oxide region 44 b. Then, FIG. 4, a silicon carbide layer (for example with a thickness of 200 nm) is deposited, and is removed selectively so as to cover, at the top and laterally, the bottom protective region 44, forming a top protective region 45. The bottom protective region 44/top protective region 45 ensemble forms a bottom plug element 46, as explained in greater detail hereinafter. For the gyroscope of FIG. 1, a bottom plug element 46 is formed for each insulating region 23, 24 and follows its conformation in top view. In particular, each bottom plug element 46 has a width greater than the respective insulating region 23, 24, so as to close it underneath also in case of slight misalignment in the corresponding masks, as will be obvious to the person skilled in the art.
FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of the bottom plug element 46. In this figure, the bottom plug element 46 is formed again by a bottom protective region 44 and by a top protective region 45, as described with reference to FIG. 4, but the top protective region 45 is formed by two portions: a bottom portion 45 a of silicon carbide and a top portion 45 b of silicon nitride. The bottom protective region 44 is formed also here by a polysilicon region 44 a and an oxide region 44 b. In this case, the top portion 45 b of the top protective region 45 forms a barrier to the doping agents present in the polysilicon layer 50 and thus improves electrical insulation between the polysilicon layer 50 and the bottom protective region 44.
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ITALYFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DURANTE, GUIDO SPINOLA;SASSOLINI, SIMONE;FERRERA, MARCO;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:017109/0699;SIGNING DATES FROM 20051110 TO 20051201Mar 26, 2012FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Mar 24, 2016FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services