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US 6,319,743 B1Granted
Method of making thin film piezoresistive sensor
AssigneeMykrolis Corporation
InventorsRobert B. Marchant, Majid Fazeli
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AssigneeMykrolis Corporation
InventorsRobert B. Marchant, Majid Fazeli
Estimating the term…
Semiconductor piezoresistive sensors are formed by a process using selective laser activation of a doped semiconductor surface. The substrate is a flexible membrane such as a diaphragm or bellows. A layer of insulative dielectric material is first applied to the substrate. A layer of highly resistive doped semiconductor material is then deposited on top of the dielectric layer. Through the use of an alignment device one or more piezoresistive sensors are formed by use of laser annealing of selected areas of the semiconductor material such that the annealed areas have a resistance suitable for use as sensors. Metal contacts are then applied over the end portions of sensors and form an electrical connection to the sensors. The non-annealed portions of doped semiconductor layer act as insulators between the formed piezoresistive sensors.
A method of forming a piezoresistive semiconductor sensor gauge comprising the steps of:
The method of one wherein the step of annealing portions of the semiconductor layer comprises the step of irradiating one or more selected portions of the layer with a laser beam to anneal the doped semiconductor layer into high conductivity so as to form the sensors.
A piezoresistive sensor comprising a flexible substrate, said substrate covering an aperture, said aperture being in fluid communication with a media, said flexible substrate being capable of flexing in response to a change in the media, the substrate having an alignment device, said substrate having a first and second surface, the first surface having an insulative dielectric layer formed upon it, said dielectric layer having a highly resistive doped semiconductor material layer integrally bonded to the upper surface of the dielectric layer, said semiconductor material layer having one or more portions which are annealed so as to form conductive piezoresistive sensors, said sensors having a first and a second end, a metal contact bonded to the surface of the semiconductor material layer so as to overlay the first and second ends of sensors respectively and an electrical connector between the metal contacts and an electrical resistive measuring device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.