Infrared sensor
AssigneeTerumo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTerumitsu Souma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an infrared sensor including a compensating element and an infrared sensitive element, the main bodies of which consist of temperature-sensing layers of germanium and are supported on a single-crystal silicon substrate with bridge structures of silicon oxynitride layers; infrared protection layers individually made of aluminum and/or gold with a thickness of 0.1-1.0 μm formed on both sides of the main body of the compensating element via insulating layers of silicon oxynitride of about 0.1-10 μm for almost completely shielding the compensating element from incident infrared rays and improving the sensor's sensitivity.
Claims22
An infrared sensor comprising:
- an infrared sensitive element for detecting infrared rays;
- a compensating element for obtaining a signal to be used as a basis for calculating a quantity of infrared rays detected, the compensating element having two surfaces;
- and
- infrared protection layers formed on both surfaces of said compensating element for protecting it from infrared rays, each of the infrared protection layers having an exposed surface.
A method of manufacturing an infrared sensor comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a pattern of first infrared protection layer on a first surface of a silicon substrate;
- (b) forming first insulation layers on the first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
- (c) forming a pattern of temperature-sensing layer on the first insulation layer on the first surface;
- (d) forming a wiring pattern on the first insulation layer and the temperature-sensing pattern;
- (e) forming a pattern of second insulation layer on the first surface;
- (f) forming a wiring pattern on the temperature-sensing layer;
- (g) forming a third insulation layer on the first surface;
- (h) forming a pattern of second infrared protection layer on the third insulation layer;
- (i) forming a pattern of bridge structures from the first through third insulation layers on the first surface;
- (j) forming a window frame-shaped pattern from the first insulating layer on the second surface;
- and
- (k) etching the second surface using the first insulating layer as a mask to form the bridge structures and to expose an inner surface of the first insulating layer on the first surface.
A method of manufacturing an infrared sensor comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming first insulation layers on a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface of a silicon substrate;
- (b) forming a pattern of temperature-sensing layer on the first insulation layer on the first surface;
- (c) forming a wiring pattern on the first insulation layer and the temperature-sensing pattern;
- (d) forming a pattern of second insulation layer on the first surface;
- (e) forming a wiring pattern on the temperature-sensing layer;
- (f) forming a third insulation layer on the first surface;
- (g) forming a pattern of bridge structures from the first through third insulation layers on the first surface;
- (h) forming a window frame-shaped pattern from the first insulation layer on the second surface;
- (i) etching the second surface using the pattern of the first insulating layer as a mask to expose an inner surface of the first insulating layer on the first surface;
- (j) forming a pattern of infrared protection layer on the inner surface of the first insulating layer;
- and
- (k) forming a pattern of infrared protection layer on the third insulation layer.
A method of manufacturing an infrared sensor comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a pattern of first infrared protection layer on a first surface of a silicon substrate;
- (b) forming first insulation layers on the first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface of the silicon substrate;
- (c) forming a pattern of temperature-sensing layer on the first insulation layer on the first surface;
- (d) forming a wiring pattern on the first insulation layer and the temperature-sensing pattern;
- (e) forming a pattern of second insulation layer on the first surface;
- (f) forming a wiring pattern on the temperature-sensing layer;
- (g) forming a third insulation layer on the first surface;
- (h) forming a pattern of bridge structures from the first through third insulation layers on the first surface;
- (i) forming a window frame-shaped pattern from the first insulation layer on the second surface;
- (j) etching the second surface using the pattern of the first insulating layer as a mask to expose an inner surface of the first insulating layer on the first surface;
- and
- (k) forming a pattern of second infrared protection layer on the third insulation layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.