Method for manufacturing a semiconductor pressure sensor

Abstract

Method for manufacturing a semiconductor pressure sensor, wherein, in a silicon substrate, trenches are dug and delimit walls; a closing layer is epitaxially grown, that closes the trenches at the top and forms a suspended membrane; a heat treatment is performed so as to cause migration of the silicon of the walls and to form a closed cavity underneath the suspended membrane; and structures are formed for transducing the deflection of the suspended membrane into electrical signals.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The subject of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor pressure sensor. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] As is known, a pressure sensor is a device that converts a variation in pressure into a variation of an electrical quantity (a resistance or a capacitance). In the case of a semiconductor sensor, the pressure variation is detected by a membrane of semiconductor material, which overlies a cavity and is able to undergo deflection under mechanical stress. [0005] Pressure sensors using semiconductor technology typically find their application in medicine, in household appliances, in consumer electronics (cell-phones, PDAs-Personal Digital Assistants-), and in the automotive field. In particular, in the latter sector, pressure sensors are used traditionally for detecting the pressure of the types of motor vehicles, and are used by the control unit for alarm signaling. Pressur...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] One embodiment of the present invention is hence to provide a manufacturing method which will overcome the disadvantages of known solutions. The method comprises: providing a wafer comprising a bulk region of semiconductor material; forming a membrane above and at a distance from said bulk region; forming a closed cavity between said membrane and said bulk region; and forming structures for transducing the deflection of said membrane into electrical signals, wherein, the step of forming a membrane includes: digging a plurality of first trenches in said bulk region, said first trenches delimiting a plurality of first walls of semiconductor material; epitaxially growing, starting from said first walls, a closing layer of semiconductor material, said closing layer closing said trenches at the top and forming said membrane; and carrying out a heat treatment, thereby causing migration of the semiconductor material of said first walls and forming a closed cavity.

Problems solved by technology

In all known solutions, the use of semiconductor technology for making cavities underneath suspended structures and layers calls for processes that are complex, costly and, in some cases, far from compatible with the manufacturing steps currently used in the semiconductor industry for manufacturing integrated circuits.

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