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US 9,505,030 B2Granted
Ultrasonic transducers in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafers and related apparatus and methods
AssigneeButterfly Network, Inc.
InventorsJonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Susan A. Alie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Micromachined ultrasonic transducers formed in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafers are described, as are methods of fabricating such devices. A metallization layer of a CMOS wafer may be removed by sacrificial release to create a cavity of an ultrasonic transducer. Remaining layers may form a membrane of the ultrasonic transducer.
Claims12
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an ultrasonic transducer comprising:
- a cavity created by a partial removal of a first metallization layer of the CMOS wafer;
- an electrode disposed between the cavity and the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- an acoustic membrane comprising a dielectric layer and a second metallization layer of the CMOS wafer, the cavity being disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the acoustic membrane;
- and
- an integrated circuitry in the semiconductor substrate, coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and configured to control operation of the ultrasonic transducer;
- wherein the electrode disposed between the cavity and the semiconductor substrate is a first electrode of the ultrasonic transducer, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer further comprises a second electrode disposed opposite the first electrode, the second electrode disposed in the acoustic membrane between the cavity and the second metallization layer.
6 more elements
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an ultrasonic transducer comprising:
- a cavity created by a partial removal of a first metallization layer of the CMOS wafer;
- an electrode disposed between the cavity and the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- an acoustic membrane comprising a dielectric layer and a second metallization layer of the CMOS wafer, the cavity being disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the acoustic membrane;
- and
- an integrated circuitry in the semiconductor substrate, coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and configured to control operation of the ultrasonic transducer;
- wherein the electrode disposed between the cavity and the semiconductor substrate is a bottom electrode of the ultrasonic transducer, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer further comprises a top electrode disposed in the acoustic membrane between the cavity and the second metallization layer, with the cavity being disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode, and wherein the bottom and top electrodes comprise liner layers of the partially removed first metallization layer.
6 more elements
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a first metallization layer;
- and
- an ultrasonic transducer comprising:
- a cavity formed in the first metallization layer;
- a first electrode disposed between the cavity and the semiconductor substrate, the first electrode comprising a first portion of the first metallization layer;
- and
- an acoustic membrane comprising a dielectric layer, a second electrode, and a second metallization layer, the cavity being disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the acoustic membrane, the second electrode comprising a second portion of the first metallization layer, and disposed between the cavity and the second metallization layer;
- and
- integrated circuitry in the semiconductor substrate, coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and configured to control operation of the ultrasonic transducer.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.