# US 10,870,576 B2 · Semiconductor sensor and method of manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 10,870,576 B2
- Document ID: US10870576B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/824,153
- Filed: 2020-03-19
- Published: 2020-07-09
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-26
- Assignees: United Microelectronics Corp.
- Applicants: United Microelectronics Corp.
- Inventors: Chih-Fan Hu; Chia-Wei Lee; Chang-Sheng Hsu; Weng-Yi Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870576B2

## CPC

- B81B 7/007: {Interconnections between the MEMS and external electrical signals}
- B81B 3/0081: {Thermal properties}
- B81C 1/00301: {Connecting electric signal lines from the MEMS device with external electrical signal lines, e.g. through vias}
- G01N 27/128: {Microapparatus}
- B81B 2201/0214: Biosensors; Chemical sensors
- B81B 2201/0292: Sensors not provided for in B81B2201/0207 - B81B2201/0285
- B81B 2207/012: the micromechanical device and the control or processing electronics being separate parts in the same package
- B81B 2207/07: Interconnects
- H10W 72/536: {the connected ends being ball-shaped}
- B81B: MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES (piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/00, H10N35/00)
- B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A semiconductor sensor, comprising a gas-sensing device and an integrated circuit is provided. The gas-sensing device includes a substrate having a sensing area and an interconnection area in the vicinity of the sensing area, an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer formed above the substrate in the sensing area and in the interconnection area, and an interconnect structure formed in the interconnection area; further includes a sensing electrode, a second TiO2-patterned portion, and a second Pt-patterned portion on the second TiO2-patterned portion in the sensing area. The interconnect structure includes a tungsten layer buried in the IMD layer, wherein part of a top surface of the tungsten layer is exposed by at least a via. The interconnect structure further includes a platinum layer formed in said at least the via, a TiO2 layer formed on the IMD layer, a first TiO2-patterned portion and a first Pt-patterned portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor sensor, comprising a gas-sensing device and an integrated circuit electrically connected to the gas-sensing device, and the gas-sensing device comprising:
a substrate having a sensing area and an interconnection area in the vicinity of the sensing area;
an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer formed above the substrate in the sensing area and in the interconnection area;
an interconnect structure formed in the interconnection area, and the interconnect structure comprising:
a tungsten layer buried in the IMD layer;
a first TiO2-patterned portion formed on the top surface of the tungsten layer; and
a first Pt-patterned portion formed on the first TiO2-patterned portion and directly contacting the top surface of the tungsten layer; and
a sensing electrode formed on the IMD layer in the sensing area, and the sensing electrode comprises:
a patterned TiO2 layer formed above the IMD layer; and
a patterned platinum (Pt) layer formed above the patterned TiO2 layer,
wherein the integrated circuit is positioned between the substrate and the gas-sensing device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein part of a top surface of the first Pt-patterned portion is exposed by at least a via, the interconnect structure comprises a platinum (Pt) layer formed in said at least the via and a TiO2 layer formed on the IMD layer adjacent to said at least the via, and the platinum layer is directly formed on the TiO2 layer above the IMD layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 2, wherein the platinum layer further directly contact sidewalls of said at least the via.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 2, wherein the platinum layer of the interconnect structure and the patterned Pt layer of the sensing electrode are physically connected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the substrate in the sensing area is removed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the gas-sensing device further comprises a gas sensing layer formed on the sensing electrode so as to span the sensing electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 1, wherein the gas-sensing device in the sensing area further comprises:
a second TiO2-patterned portion buried in the IMD layer and positioned below the sensing electrode; and
a second Pt-patterned portion directly formed on the second TiO2-patterned portion, wherein the second Pt-patterned portion acts as a heater of the gas-sensing device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 7, wherein the heater in the IMD layer is electrically connected to the tungsten layer in the interconnection area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor sensor according to claim 2, further comprising a passivation layer formed on the IMD layer to fill up said at least the via in the interconnection area and expose the sensing electrode in the sensing area.

### Claim 10

A semiconductor sensor, comprising a gas-sensing device and an integrated circuit electrically connected to the gas-sensing device, and the gas-sensing device comprising:
a substrate having a sensing area and an interconnection area in the vicinity of the sensing area;
an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer formed above the substrate in the sensing area and in the interconnection area;
an interconnect structure formed in the interconnection area, and the interconnect structure comprising:
a tungsten layer buried in the IMD layer;
a first TiO2-patterned portion formed on the top surface of the tungsten layer; and
a first Pt-patterned portion formed on the first TiO2-patterned portion and directly contacting the top surface of the tungsten layer; and
a sensing electrode formed on the IMD layer in the sensing area, and the sensing electrode comprises:
a patterned TiO2 layer formed above the IMD layer; and
a patterned platinum (Pt) layer formed above the patterned TiO2 layer,
wherein the gas-sensing device and the integrated circuit are formed as different chips and electrically connected to each other by wire bonding.