Semiconductor device
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsAbhiraj Basavanna, Somu Goswami, Andreas Bogner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor device for use in a sensor device has a deformable membrane for the measurement of an acceleration, a vibration, or a pressure. The semiconductor device includes a deformable membrane having a membrane border; a structure holding the deformable membrane in correspondence of the membrane border; at least one electric contact to obtain an electric signal indicative of deformation of the deformable membrane; and mass elements suspended from the membrane.
Claims20
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a deformable membrane having a membrane border;
- a structure holding the deformable membrane in correspondence of the membrane border;
- at least one electric contact configured to obtain an electric signal indicative of a deformation of the deformable membrane;
- a plurality of mass elements suspended from the deformable membrane;
- and
- a capacitor with a variable capacitance,
- wherein the capacitor has a first electrode and a second electrode,
- wherein the first electrode includes the deformable membrane,
- wherein the capacitance is variable based on a membrane deformation conditioned by a movement of the plurality of mass elements, and
- wherein the electric signal is conditioned by the capacitance.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method including:
- making a deformable membrane and a plurality of mass elements including at least two mass elements integral with, or fixed or mechanically connected to, the deformable membrane, in such a way that the deformable membrane has a membrane border held by a structure;
- making at least one electric contact for connection to the deformable membrane so that the electrical contact is able to receive an electric signal indicative of a deformation of the deformable membrane conditioned by a movement of the at least two mass elements;
- and
- forming a capacitor with a variable capacitance,
- wherein the capacitor has a first electrode and a second electrode,
- wherein the first electrode includes the deformable membrane,
- wherein the capacitance is variable based on a membrane deformation conditioned by the movement of the plurality of mass elements so that the electric signal is conditioned by the capacitance.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a single deformable membrane having a membrane border;
- a structure holding the deformable membrane in correspondence of the membrane border;
- at least one electric contact configured to obtain an electric signal indicative of a deformation of the deformable membrane;
- a plurality of mass elements suspended from the deformable membrane;
- and
- a capacitor with a variable capacitance,
- wherein the capacitor has a first electrode and a second electrode,
- wherein the first electrode includes the deformable membrane,
- wherein the capacitance is variable based on a membrane deformation, and
- wherein the electric signal is conditioned by the capacitance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.