# US 11,908,763 B2 · Apparatus having a functional structure delimited by a frame structure and method for producing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,908,763 B2 - Document ID: US11908763B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/483,312 - Filed: 2021-09-23 - Published: 2022-01-13 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-07 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG - Applicants: Infineon Technologies AG - Inventors: Prashanth Makaram; John Cooper; Joerg Ortner; Stephan Pindl; Caterina Travan; Alexander Zoepfl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908763B2 ## CPC - H10W 74/137: {the encapsulations being directly on the semiconductor body (H10W74/134 takes precedence)} - H10P 14/6342: {Liquid deposition, e.g. spin-coating, sol-gel techniques or spray coating} - H10W 74/134: {the encapsulations being in grooves in the semiconductor body} - H10W 74/147: {the encapsulations being multilayered} - H10W 74/40: characterised by their materials - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract An apparatus includes a semiconductor-based substrate with a functional structure that is formed in or on the semiconductor-based substrate. The apparatus includes a frame structure surrounding the functional structure and includes a coating that covers the functional structure and is delimited by the frame structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing a structure, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor-based substrate having a functional structure that is arranged in the semiconductor-based substrate; arranging a frame structure in the semiconductor-based substrate such that the frame structure laterally surrounds the functional structure in the semiconductor-based substrate; and arranging over the semiconductor-based substrate an ink coating having planar upper and lower surfaces such that the ink coating covers the functional structure and is delimited by the frame structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein arranging the ink coating comprises: providing a first liquid comprising a coating material; arranging the first liquid in an inner region of the frame structure such that the first liquid completely covers the inner region, the functional structure positioned under the inner region in the semiconductor-based substrate; and drying the inner region such that the coating material is left behind as the ink coating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein arranging the ink coating further comprises: arranging a second liquid in the inner region on the coating material after the inner region has dried, wherein the second liquid comprises a second coating material; and drying the inner region again, such that the second coating material forms a second ink coating. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the semiconductor-based substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer, and wherein arranging the ink coating is performed repeatedly on the semiconductor wafer to form the ink coating and the second ink coating. ### Claim 5 A method, comprising: forming a functional structure in or on a semiconductor-based substrate; arranging a frame structure to surround the functional structure, wherein the frame structure comprises a first vertical sidewall and a second vertical sidewall; and arranging a coating to cover the functional structure and to be delimited by the frame structure, wherein the coating comprises a carbon nanomaterial ink, wherein the coating comprises at least one first planar layer having a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface and one second planar layer having a planar bottom surface, and wherein the at least one first planar layer and one second player layer are laterally delimited by the first vertical sidewall and the second vertical sidewall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coating completely covers an inner region of the frame structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coating comprises a homogeneous coating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the frame structure is arranged on a substrate side, and wherein the frame structure protrudes with respect to a substrate surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the frame structure has a height of at least 10 nm and at most 1000 μm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the frame structure is arranged on a substrate side, and wherein the frame structure forms a trench in the substrate side. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the frame structure has a depth of at least 10 nm and at most 1000 μm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coating comprises a hydrophilic coating material and wherein the frame structure comprises a hydrophobic material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coating comprises a hydrophobic coating material and in which the frame structure comprises a hydrophilic material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the frame structure comprises a frame width between an inner side of the frame structure and an outer side of the frame structure having a dimension of at least 10 nm and at most 10 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the frame structure comprises an electrically conductive frame structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the frame structure comprises at least one first layer and one second layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the functional structure comprises an electrode structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the functional structure provides an electrically conductive function and/or a protective function against mechanical and/or chemical influences. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the functional structure comprises a chemosensor or a transistor. ### Claim 20 A method, comprising: forming a functional structure in a semiconductor-based substrate; arranging a frame structure in the semiconductor-based substrate to laterally surround the functional structure, wherein the frame structure includes a first vertical sidewall and a second vertical sidewall in the semiconductor-based substrate; and arranging a coating on the semiconductor-based substrate to cover the functional structure, the coating comprising a first planar layer having a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface and a second planar layer having a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface, wherein the first planar layer and the second planar layer are both laterally delimited by the first and the second vertical sidewalls of the frame structure.