Micro-heater element for a microelectromechanical sensor device and corresponding microelectromechanical sensor device
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsSalvatore Cascino, Antonello Santangelo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micro-heater element for a MEMS sensor device, envisages, in a single conductive layer: an outer ring, defining inside it a window; a heat-diffusion structure, arranged within the window, separated from the outer ring by a first separation gap; and connection elements, arranged between the heat-diffusion structure and the outer ring, and designed to connect the heat-diffusion structure to the outer ring. The outer ring is designed to dissipate energy upon passage of an electric current, and the heat-diffusion structure is designed to distribute, within the micro-heater element, the heat that is transferred by the outer ring through the connection elements.
Claims24
A micro-heater element for a MEMS sensor device, comprising:
- a single conductive layer, the single conductive layer including:
- an outer ring;
- a heat-diffusion structure;
- an opening that extends through the heat-diffusion structure and between the heat-diffusion structure and the outer ring;
- and
- a plurality of connection elements coupling the heat-diffusion structure to the outer ring,
- wherein the outer ring is configured to dissipate energy upon passage of an electric current, and the heat-diffusion structure is configured to distribute, inside the micro-heater element, heat that is transferred by the outer ring through the connection elements.
A micro-heater element, comprising:
- a single conductive layer including:
- an outer ring having a first portion and a second portion;
- a heat-diffusion structure having a central opening;
- first and second openings, the first opening separating the first portion of the outer ring from the heat-diffusion structure, the second opening separating the second portion of the outer ring from the heat-diffusion structure;
- and
- first and second connection elements, the first connection element coupling the first portion of outer ring to the heat-diffusion structure, the second connection element coupling the second portion of the outer ring to the heat-diffusion structure.
A MEMS sensor device, comprising:
- a micro-heater element having a single conductive layer including:
- an outer ring;
- a heat-diffusion structure;
- an opening that extends through the heat-diffusion structure and between the heat-diffusion structure and the outer ring;
- and
- a plurality of connection elements coupling the heat-diffusion structure to the outer ring,
- wherein the outer ring is configured to dissipate energy upon passage of an electric current, and the heat-diffusion structure is configured to distribute heat received from the outer ring by the connection elements;
- and
- a coating region on the micro-heater element, the micro-heater element being configured to heat the coating region.
A process for manufacturing a MEMS sensor device, the process comprising:
- forming, on a top surface of a structural layer, a conductive layer;
- defining the conductive layer to form a micro-heater element including:
- an outer ring;
- a heat-diffusion structure;
- an opening that extends through the heat-diffusion structure and between the heat-diffusion structure and the outer ring;
- and
- a plurality of connection elements coupling the heat-diffusion structure to the outer ring,
- wherein the outer ring is configured to dissipate energy upon passage of an electric current, and the heat-diffusion structure is configured to distribute, inside the micro-heater element, heat that is transferred by the outer ring through the connection elements;
- and
- forming a coating region on the micro-heater element and configured to be heated by the micro-heater element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.