Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Naoki Ushiyama

Jun Ogihara

Yosuke Hagihara

Koji Tsuji

Katsumi Kakimoto

Ryo Osabe

Takafumi Okudo

Yoichi Nishijima

Masaaki Saito

Sumio Akai

Hisanori Siroisi

Yasufumi Shibata

Kazushi Kataoka

Hisanori Shiroishi

A physical quantity sensor includes a first substrate, an electrode provided on the first substrate, a diaphragm made of semiconductor material, a second substrate fixed to the first substrate, a dielectric film provided on the diaphragm, and a wall provided between the dielectric film and the electrode. The second substrate supports the diaphragm such that the diaphragm has an opposing surface facing the electrode across a space. The dielectric film is provided on the opposing surface of the diaphragm. The dielectric film has a surface facing the electrode across the space. The wall includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes toward the electrode from the surface of the dielectric film. The second protrusion protrudes toward the electrode from the first protrusion, and contacts the electrode. The second protrusion is made of material which is different from material of the dielectric film.

Physical quantity sensor having a wall including first and second protrusion arrangements

An infrared sensor, which achieves a low manufacturing cost, or has high sensitivity, or in which an increase in heat capacity is reduced, is provided. The infrared sensor includes a first infrared absorbing portion, an infrared sensing portion for sensing infrared rays based on infrared rays absorbed by the first infrared absorbing portion, and a plurality of protrusions including metal and disposed apart from each other on a surface of the first infrared absorbing portion. Since an absorption rate of infrared rays is improved, sensitivity can be improved, or an increase in heat capacity can be reduced.

Infrared sensor having improved sensitivity and reduced heat generation

A semiconductor physical quantity sensor includes: a first base material; an electrode formed on the first base material; a diaphragm which bends in accordance with a physical quantity applied from the outside; a second base material fixed to the first base material and supporting the diaphragm such that the diaphragm is opposed to the electrode with a space (S) in between; and an insulator formed on a surface on the first base material side of the diaphragm. Moreover, a wall portion to define the space (S) is formed between the insulator and the electrode.

Semiconductor physical quantity sensor

The infrared sensor () includes a base (), and an infrared detection element () formed over a surface of the base (). The infrared detection element () comprises an infrared absorption member () in the form of a thin film configured to absorb infrared, and a temperature detection member () configured to measure a temperature difference between the infrared absorption member () and the base (). The temperature detection member () includes a p-type polysilicon layer () formed over the infrared absorption member () and the base (), an n-type polysilicon layer () formed over the infrared absorption member () and the base () without contact with the p-type polysilicon layer (), and a connection layer () configured to electrically connect the p-type polysilicon layer () to the n-type polysilicon layer (). Each of the p-type polysilicon layer () and the n-type polysilicon layer () has an impurity concentration in a range of 10to 10cm. The p-type polysilicon layer () has its thickness of &#x3bb;/4n, wherein &#x3bb; denotes a center wavelength of the infrared to be detected by the infrared detection element (), and ndenotes a reflective index of the p-type polysilicon layer (). The n-type polysilicon layer () has its thickness of &#x3bb;/4n, wherein ndenotes a reflective index of the n-type polysilicon layer ().

Infrared sensor

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Mie, Japan

Naoki Ushiyama