Semiconductor pressure sensor, pressure sensor apparatus, electronic equipment, and method of manufacturing semiconductor pressure sensor

Abstract

A semiconductor pressure sensor () includes a thin film piezoelectric element () which applies strain to a portion of a semiconductor substrate that corresponds to a thin region (). The thin film piezoelectric element () is formed at a distance away from diffusion resistors (, and) functioning as strain gauges and is extended to the proximity of a bonding pad (A) connected to an upper electrode layer of the thin film piezoelectric element and a bonding pad (F) connected to a lower electrode thereof. The diffusion resistors (, and) constitute a bridge circuit by metal wiring () and diffusion wiring (). During self-diagnosis, a prescribed voltage is applied to a thin film piezoelectric element (). If the output difference of the bridge circuit between before and after the voltage application falls outside a prescribed range, it is determined that a breakage occurs in the semiconductor pressure sensor ().