Denso Corporation

Denso Corpora Tion

Hirofumi Funahashi

Yasutoshi Suzuki

Seiichiro Ishio

Keiichi Shimaoka

Norikazu Ohta

Kenichi Ao

Hideya Yamadera

Tetsuo Fujii

Masahiko Ishii

Hajime Ito

Yasuaki Makino

Noriyuki Iwamori

Atsushi Komura

Takeshi Kuzuhara

Manabu Koike

Kenji Nakashima

Jiro Sakata

A magnetic sensor apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate and a magnetic impedance device for detecting a magnetic field. The magnetic impedance device is disposed on the substrate. The magnetic sensor apparatus has minimum size and is made with low manufacturing cost. Here, the magnetic impedance device detects a magnetic field in such a manner that impedance of the device is changed in accordance with the magnetic filed when an alternating current is applied to the device and the impedance is measured by an external electric circuit.

Method for manufacturing magnetic sensor apparatus

Magnetic impedance device, sensor apparatus using the same and method for manufacturing the same

First and second predetermined charging voltages are applied between the movable and fixed electrodes of a capacitive type of sensor to measure first and second capacitances between the movable and fixed electrodes, respectively. The first and second electrostatic capacitances are compared to obtain a characteristic of the sensor from a result of comparison. In measuring the first and second capacitances, first and second charging voltages are generated of which magnitudes are determined in accordance with the first and second capacitances, respectively. Equalization is made between the first output voltage when the first charging voltage is applied between the movable and fixed electrodes in a predetermined normal condition of the movable electrode and the second output voltage outputted when the second charging voltage is applied between the movable and fixed electrodes in the predetermined normal condition.

METHOD OF MEASURING A CHARACTERISTIC OF A CAPACITIVE TYPE OF SENSOR, A SENSOR CHARACTERISTIC MEASURING APPARATUS, A CAPACITIVE TYPE OF SENSOR APPARATUS, AND AN IC CHIP FOR MEASURING A SENSOR CHARACTERISTIC

A diaphragm-type semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a surface of which is substantially flat, a diaphragm, which covers a circular pressure reference space located on the surface, and a circular electrode layer, a middle part of which is embedded in the diaphragm. The electrode layer is larger than the space and is coaxial with the space. Therefore, internal stress is balanced between inner and outer sides of the diaphragm, and a step formed at the outer edge of the top electrode layer is separated from the diaphragm. The device also includes a step adjuster around the space on the surface. Therefore, another step formed at the outer edge of the space disappears, and a new step is formed separately from the diaphragm at the outer edge of the step adjuster. With this structure, the diaphragm has a desired flatness.

Diaphragm-type semiconductor device and method for manufacturing diaphragm-type semiconductor device

An electrical capacitance pressure sensor has a lower electrode, a movable electrode, and an upper electrode. A first cavity portion is formed between the lower electrode and the movable electrode. A second cavity portion is formed between the upper electrode and the movable electrode. The substrate has an opening portion that penetrates the substrate from the first surface to the second surface thereof. The lower electrode has at least one first window portion that penetrates the lower electrode from the side of the substrate to the side of the first cavity portion and communicates the cavity portion to the opening portion of the substrate. The upper electrode has at least one second window portion that penetrates the upper electrode from the side of the cavity portion to the outside thereof to communicate the cavity portion with the outside.

Electrical capacitance pressure sensor having electrode with fixed area and manufacturing method thereof

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, after performing ion-implantation and before forming an oxide film, a silicon substrate is disposed within a furnace to undergo a heat treatment at a temperature equal to or higher than 950&deg; C. for a specific time period (equal to or longer than 15 minutes). When performing the heat treatment and when raising a temperature up to the heat treatment temperature, oxygen is supplied together with nitrogen gas (inert gas). A supply amount of oxygen is controlled to be equal to or less than 5% when raising the temperature up to the heat treatment temperature, and to be equal to or less than 2% when performing the heat treatment. After the heat treatment, the oxidation film is formed. As a result, crystal defects (OSFs) are prevented from being produced on the silicon substrate surface.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device

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Nagoya, Japan

Hirofumi Funahashi