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US 2013/0273682 A1Published application
Graphene pressure sensors
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJin Cai, Yanqing Wu, Wenjuan Zhu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Semiconductor nano pressure sensor devices having graphene membrane suspended over open cavities formed in a semiconductor substrate. A suspended graphene membrane serves as an active electro-mechanical membrane for sensing pressure, which can be made very thin, from about one atomic layer to about 10 atomic layers in thickness, to improve the sensitivity and reliability of a semiconductor pressure sensor device.
Claims19
A method of forming a semiconductor pressure sensor device, comprising:
- forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a recessed cavity in the insulating layer;
- forming a first graphene membrane on a surface of the insulating layer completely covering the recessed cavity;
- forming a first sense electrode and a second sense electrode on the insulating layer on opposing sides of, and in contact with, the first graphene membrane;
- and
- forming a sealing ring around outer sidewalls of the first and second sense electrodes and the first graphene membrane, wherein the sealing ring encircles an entire perimeter region of the recessed cavity on a surface of the insulating layer.
3 more elements
A method of forming a semiconductor pressure sensor device, comprising:
- forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a recessed cavity in the insulating layer;
- forming a suspended graphene membrane on the insulating layer completely covering the recessed cavity;
- forming a first sense electrode and a second sense electrode on the insulating layer on opposing sides of, and in contact with, the suspended graphene membrane;
- forming a sealing ring around outer sidewalls of the first and second sense electrodes and the suspended graphene membrane
- forming a supported graphene membrane on the insulating layer in a region adjacent to the first graphene membrane;
- forming a third sense electrode and a fourth sense electrode on the insulating layer on opposing sides of, and in contact with, the supported graphene membrane;
- and
- forming a second sealing ring around outer sidewalls of the third and fourth sense electrodes and the supported graphene membrane,
- wherein the suspended graphene membrane is a part of the semiconductor pressure sensor device that is configured to operate as a device cell for testing pressure of an ambient gas based on a change of resistance of the suspended graphene membrane caused by pressure applied on the suspended graphene membrane by the ambient gas, and
- wherein the supported graphene membrane is a part of the semiconductor pressure sensor device that is configured to operate as a control cell for determining an amount of change in resistance of the suspended graphene membrane due to chemical doping of the suspended graphene membrane from the ambient gas.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.