Honeywell International Inc.

Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Curtis H Rahn

Gregory C Brown

Michael S Liu

Roger L Roisen

John B Straight

Todd A Randazzo

Cheisan J Yue

Thomas George Stratton

Gordon Alan Shaw

Russell L Johnson

Gary R Gardner

Thomas A Larson

In one embodiment a pressure sensor is provided. The pressure sensor includes a housing having an input port configured to allow a media to enter the housing. A support is mounted within the housing, the support defining a first aperture extending therethrough. A stress isolation member is mounted within the first aperture of the support, the stress isolation member defining a second aperture extending therethrough, wherein the stress isolation member is composed of silicon. sensor die bonded to the stress isolation member. The sensor die includes a silicon substrate having an insulator layer on a first side of the silicon substrate; and sensing circuitry disposed in the insulator layer on the first side, wherein a second side of the silicon substrate is exposed to the second aperture of the stress isolation member and the second side is reverse of the first side.

Integrated SOI pressure sensor having silicon stress isolation member

System and methods for silicon on insulator MEMS pressure sensors are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises: applying a doping source to a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) silicon wafer having a sensor layer and an insulating layer comprising SiOmaterial; doping the silicon wafer with Boron atoms from the doping source while controlling an injection energy of the doping to achieve a top-heavy ion penetration profile; and applying a heat source to diffuse the Boron atoms throughout the sensor layer of the SOI silicon wafer.

Apparatus and processes for silicon on insulator MEMS pressure sensors

A pH sensor is provided. The pH sensor comprises a substrate and an ion sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) die comprising an ion sensing part that responds to pH, wherein the ISFET die is located over the substrate. The pH sensor also comprises a protective layer formed over at least a portion of an outer surface of the ISFET die and at least a portion of the substrate. Further, the pH sensor comprises a cover member mechanically coupled to the protective layer, wherein the cover member houses the ISFET die and the substrate, and wherein the cover member defines an opening proximate to the ion sensing part.

Electronic pH sensor die packaging

A pressure sensor device for a modular pressure sensor package is provided, comprising a substrate having a pressure port that extends through the substrate from a first side of the substrate to a second side of the substrate. A pressure sensor die is attached to the first side of the substrate, forming a seal over the pressure port on the first side of the substrate. A cover is attached to the first side of the substrate over the pressure sensor die, forming a sealed cavity wherein the pressure sensor die is located within the cavity. The device also comprises a plurality of electrical connectors mounted to the substrate external to the cavity, the plurality of electrical connectors electrically coupled to the pressure sensor die. Further, the substrate includes at least one mounting element configured to secure a pressure port interface to the second side of the substrate in a position around the pressure port.

Modular pressure sensor

A sensing apparatus for determining the pressure of a fluid includes first and second support members. The first and second support members are configured to define at least one sealed chamber. A flexible diaphragm is disposed between the first and second support members. The diaphragm includes first and second opposing surfaces. The first opposing surface is in fluid communication with a first fluid-flow circuit, and the second opposing surface is in fluid communication with a second fluid-flow circuit. A first electronic circuit is disposed within the at least one chamber and coupled to the diaphragm for sensing a first differential pressure associated with the first and second flow circuits. The first electronic circuit is configured to produce at least one electrical signal proportional to a magnitude of the first differential pressure.

Pressure-sensor apparatus

A method of electrically isolating a MEMS device is provided. In one example, a piezo-resistive pressure sensor having an exposed silicon region undergoes a Local Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS) process. An electrically insulating structure is created in the LOCOS process. The insulating structure has a rounded, or curved, interface with the piezo-resistive pressure sensor. The curved interface mitigates stresses associated with exposure to high temperatures and pressures. Additionally, the electrically insulating line may be patterned so that it has curved angles, further mitigating stress.

Isolation scheme for reducing film stress in a MEMS device

A method of forming a piezo-resistive sensor, comprising a piezo-resistor, a leadout resistor, and an insulator structure is provided. A Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrate is provided having an epitaxial layer, a dielectric layer, and a bulk substrate layer. A mask layer is formed on top of the epitaxial layer. The mask layer defines where the piezo-resistor and leadout resistors are to be located by creating first exposed portions of the epitaxial layer. A silicon dioxide layer (SiO) is grown in a Local Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS) process for a predetermined time on the first exposed portions based on the desired thickness of the piezo-resistor, where the-piezo resistor is located below the SiOlayer. The thickness of the leadout resistor, and therefore the parasitic leadout resistance, is determined by the original thickness of the epitaxial layer and can be maintained independent of the piezo-resistor thickness.

Method and structure of ion implanted elements for the optimization of resistance

A microelectromechanical device and method of fabricating the same, including a layer of patterned and deposited metal or mechanical-quality, doped polysilicon inserted between the appropriate device element layers, which provides a conductive layer to prevent the microelectromechanical device's output from drifting. The conductive layer may encapsulate of the device's sensing or active elements, or may selectively cover only certain of the device's elements. Further, coupling the metal or mechanical-quality, doped polysilicon to the same voltage source as the device's substrate contact may place the conductive layer at the voltage of the substrate, which may function as a Faraday shield, attracting undesired, migrating ions from interfering with the output of the device.

Microelectromechanical device with integrated conductive shield

A process for oxidizing the silicon layer into a device-isolating field oxide having a radiation-hardened reduced bird's beak. An angled and rotated field implant prior to oxidation is used to increase the doping concentration in the edge region of the MOS transistors to compensate for boron leaching during oxidation. The field oxide is grown at a low temperature by high pressure oxidation which increases total dose hardness by making a silicon-rich oxide film.

Radiation hardened field oxide for VLSI sub-micron MOS device

An isolation structure as well as a method for using and fabricating an isolation structure in an active layer deposited on a substrate the method of fabrication including the steps of forming a buried oxide layer in the active layer adjacent the substrate, forming an isolation trench in the active layer by etching at least up to and optionally into the substrate, forming a dielectric isolation layer on the exposed surfaces of the trench, removing the dielectric isolation layer from the bottom of the trench, and forming an isolation structure by epitaxially growing monocrystalline silicon in the trench.

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Plymouth, MN, United States of America

Curtis H Rahn