# US 12,181,356 B2 · Micromechanical component for a pressure and inertial sensor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,356 B2 - Document ID: US12181356B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/641,593 - Filed: 2020-09-04 - Published: 2022-10-13 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-23 - Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH - Applicants: Robert Bosch GmbH - Inventors: Lars Tebje; Jochen Reinmuth; Johannes Classen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181356B2 ## CPC - G01L 9/0073: {using a semiconductive diaphragm} - G01L 19/0092: {Pressure sensor associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration or temperature (G01L9/025, G01L9/045, G01L9/065, G01L9/085, G01L9/105, G01L9/125, G01L19/02, G01L19/04 take precedence; measuring two or more variable G01D21/02; temperature sensors with pressure compensation G01K1/26)} - G01L 9/0072: {using variations in capacitance} - G01L 13/025: {using diaphragms} - G01P 1/00: Details of instruments - G01P 15/125: by capacitive pick-up - G01P 2015/0814: {for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type} - G01P 2015/0831: {the mass being of the paddle type having the pivot axis between the longitudinal ends of the mass, e.g. see-saw configuration} - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) ## Abstract A micromechanical component for a pressure and inertial sensor device. The component includes a substrate having an upper substrate surface; a diaphragm having an inner diaphragm side oriented towards the upper substrate surface and an outer diaphragm side pointing away from the upper substrate surface, the inner diaphragm side bordering on an inner volume, in which a reference pressure is enclosed, and the diaphragm being able to be warped using a pressure difference between a pressure prevailing on its outer diaphragm side and the reference pressure; and a seismic mass situated in the inner volume, a sensor electrode, which projects out on the inner diaphragm side and extends into the inner volume, being displaceable with respect to the substrate due to a warping of the diaphragm. A pressure and inertial sensor device, and a method of manufacturing a micromechanical component for a pressure and inertial sensor device, are also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A micromechanical component for a pressure and inertial sensor device, comprising: a substrate having an upper substrate surface; a stretched-out diaphragm having an inner diaphragm side oriented towards the upper substrate surface and an outer diaphragm side pointing away from the upper substrate surface, the inner diaphragm side bordering on an inner volume, in which a reference pressure is enclosed, and the diaphragm being configured to be warped using a pressure difference between a pressure prevailing on the outer diaphragm side and the reference pressure; a seismic mass situated in the inner volume; and a sensor electrode, which projects out on the inner diaphragm side, extends into the seismic mass, and is displaceable with respect to the substrate via warping of the diaphragm; wherein the seismic mass is made of at least one semiconductor material of a semiconductor material layer or of a semiconductor material layer stack and includes a rocker-arm structure that is settable into a rocking motion about an axis of tilt oriented parallel to the upper substrate surface; wherein the sensor electrode is made at least partially of the at least one semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer or of the semiconductor material layer stack; and wherein the diaphragm is stretched out on a frame structure, and the frame structure is made at least partially of the at least one semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer or of the semiconductor material layer stack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The micromechanical component as recited in claim 1, wherein a reference electrode is situated in the inner volume, is formed independently of the seismic mass, and is also made of the at least one semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer or semiconductor material layer stack. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The micromechanical component as recited in claim 1, wherein a first grounding counter-electrode and a second grounding counter-electrode are attached directly or indirectly to the upper substrate surface in such a manner, that when the rocker-arm structure of the seismic mass is set into a rocking motion about the axis of tilt, a first distance of the rocker-arm structure from the first grounding counter-electrode and a second distance of the rocker-arm structure from the second grounding counter-electrode, vary. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The micromechanical component as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one reference counter-electrode is attached directly or indirectly to the upper substrate surface, between the first grounding counter-electrode and the second grounding counter-electrode. ### Claim 5 A pressure and inertial sensor device, comprising: a micromechanical component including: a substrate having an upper substrate surface; a stretched-out diaphragm having an inner diaphragm side oriented towards the upper substrate surface and an outer diaphragm side pointing away from the upper substrate surface, the inner diaphragm side bordering on an inner volume, in which a reference pressure is enclosed, and the diaphragm being configured to be warped using a pressure difference between a pressure prevailing on the outer diaphragm side and the reference pressure; a seismic mass situated in the inner volume; and a sensor electrode, which projects out on the inner diaphragm side, extends into the seismic mass, and is displaceable with respect to the substrate via warping of the diaphragm; wherein the seismic mass is made of at least one semiconductor material of a semiconductor material layer or of a semiconductor material layer stack and includes a rocker-arm structure that is settable into a rocking motion about an axis of tilt oriented parallel to the upper substrate surface; wherein the sensor electrode is made at least partially of the at least one semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer or of the semiconductor material layer stack; and wherein the diaphragm is stretched out on a frame structure, and the frame structure is made at least partially of the at least one semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer or of the semiconductor material layer stack. ### Claim 6 A method of manufacturing a micromechanical component for a pressure and inertial sensor device, the method comprising the following steps: positioning a seismic mass; stretching out a diaphragm on a frame structure in such a manner on a substrate having an upper substrate surface, that an inner diaphragm side of the stretched-out diaphragm is oriented towards the upper substrate surface, an outer diaphragm side of the stretched-out diaphragm is pointed away from the upper substrate surface, and the inner diaphragm side borders on an inner volume in which the seismic mass is positioned due to the positioning step; and enclosing a reference pressure in the inner volume in such a manner that the diaphragm is warped in response to a pressure difference between a pressure prevailing on the outer diaphragm side and the reference pressure; wherein: the diaphragm, which has a sensor electrode that projects out on the inner diaphragm side and extends into the seismic mass, is formed in such a manner, that the sensor electrode is displaceable with respect to the substrate in response to warping of the diaphragm; the seismic mass is made of at least one semiconductor material of a semiconductor material layer or of a semiconductor material layer stack and includes a rocker-arm structure that is settable into a rocking motion about an axis of tilt oriented parallel to the upper substrate surface; the sensor electrode is made at least partially of the at least one semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer or of the semiconductor material layer stack; and the frame structure is made at least partially of the at least one semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer or of the semiconductor material layer stack. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The manufacturing method as recited in claim 6, wherein prior to the stretching-out of the diaphragm, the upper substrate surface and/or at least one intermediate layer, which covers the upper substrate surface at least partially, is covered at least partially by the semiconductor material layer or the semiconductor material layer stack.