Micro-transfer-printed compound sensor device
AssigneeX-Celeprint Limited
InventorRonald S. Cok
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compound sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active electronic circuit formed in or on the semiconductor substrate. A sensor including a sensor substrate including a sensor circuit having an environmental sensor or actuator formed in or on the sensor substrate is micro-transfer printed onto the semiconductor substrate. One or more electrical conductors electrically connect the active electronic circuit to the sensor circuit. The semiconductor substrate includes a first material and the sensor substrate includes a second material different from the first material.
Claims22
A compound sensor device, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an active electronic circuit formed in or on the semiconductor substrate;
- one or more circuit connection pads connected to the active electronic circuit for providing input signals to the active electronic circuit or receiving output signals from the active electronic circuit;
- a sensor comprising:
- a sensor substrate separate, distinct, and independent from the semiconductor substrate, wherein the sensor is disposed onto the semiconductor substrate,
- a sensor circuit formed in or on the sensor substrate, the sensor circuit comprising an environmental sensor or an actuator, and
- one or more sensor connection pads connected to the sensor circuit for providing the input signals to the sensor circuit or receiving the output signals from the sensor circuit;
- and
- one or more electrical conductors electrically connecting one or more of the one or more circuit connection pads to one or more of the one or more sensor connection pads, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a first material and the sensor substrate comprises a second material different from the first material,
- wherein the sensor is disposed directly over at least a portion of the active electronic circuit and located so that the active electronic circuit is at least partially directly between the sensor and the semiconductor substrate in a first direction orthogonal to a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and
- wherein the sensor comprises a fractured tether.
A method of making a compound sensor device, comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate with an active electronic circuit formed in or on the semiconductor substrate and one or more circuit connection pads for providing input signals to the active electronic circuit or receiving output signals from the active electronic circuit;
- providing a sensor, the sensor comprising:
- a sensor substrate separate, distinct, and independent from the semiconductor substrate,
- a sensor circuit formed in or on the sensor substrate, the sensor circuit comprising an environmental sensor or an actuator, and
- one or more sensor connection pads connected to the sensor circuit for providing the input signals to the sensor circuit or receiving the output signals from the sensor circuit, wherein the sensor comprises a fractured tether;
- micro-transfer printing the sensor substrate onto the semiconductor substrate, wherein the sensor is disposed directly over at least a portion of the active electronic circuit and located so that the active electronic circuit is at least partially between the sensor and the semiconductor substrate in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- electrically connecting one or more of the one or more circuit connection pads to one or more of the one or more sensor connection pads, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a first material and the sensor substrate comprises a second material different from the first material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.