TRIANGULAR CHIP STRAIN SENSING STRUCTURE AND CORNER, EDGE ON A DIAPHRAGM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to media compatible pressure sensing devices
and methods for their fabrication. More specifically, this invention relates the
design of a media compatible pressure-sensing device capable of high
sensitivity to pressure with improved reliability.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Measuring pressure in ultra clean environments or environments containing
harsh media has always been a challenge. There has been a continuous
effort to produce affordable, reliable, media compatible pressure sensors.
Originally metal strain gauges were prevalent. These strain gauges
comprised four resistors arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration such
that two opposite resistors would increase in resistance with applied pressure
and the other two would decrease with applied pressure. The resistance
change was due to the dimensional changes in the metal resistors.
Other circuit configurations have also been used, but the four-resistor
Wheatstone bridge configuration is still prevalent.
The more sensitive silicon micro electromechanical system ("MEMS") based
devices replaced many of the metal strain gauges. In these devices, resistors are formed within a silicon diaphragm by ion implantation or diffusion. These
resistors exhibit a piezoresistive effect such that two opposite resistors increase in resistance and two decrease in such a way that each output
changes in opposite ways. Metal (such as aluminum) is applied to the
diaphragm for interconnects and pads for wire bonding. MEMS devices often
require protection to make them media compatible.
Metal, glass, ceramic, plastic, or other chemically compatible diaphragms are
used to protect silicon pressure sensors from harsh media. When using such
diaphragms, a fluid (such as oil) is used to transfer the pressure from the chemically compatible diaphragm to the silicon diaphragm.
Some applications cannot tolerate the chance of an oil leak if there were to be some sort of diaphragm rupture. In this case, silicon strain gauges are used.
Silicon strain gauges are often relatively long and thin. They are fragile,
difficult to match and difficult to handle. Their use requires them to be
attached directly to a metal, glass, ceramic, or plastic diaphragm.
A silicon chip can also be attached directly to a metal, glass, ceramic, or plastic diaphragm. In this case, all four resistors can be placed on one chip.
These chips are less fragile, easier to position, and intrinsically matched.
However, all four resistors must necessarily be very close together.
Optimizing performance by judiciously locating resistors on the diaphragm
cannot be done without adding additional Wheatstone bridge circuits that can
make temperature compensation more difficult.
All of the above technologies are commercially available today.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A pressure transducer in accordance with the present invention comprises a
novel pressure sensing structure. This structure includes a body of a first
material within which a diaphragm is constructed. The diaphragm, in one
embodiment contains a relatively thick boss centrally located. This diaphragm provides media isolation from the sensor. One or more pressure sensing
elements is attached to the diaphragm with a second material. Each
pressure-sensing element comprises a triangular chip with one or more strain-
sensing elements on it. In one embodiment, the triangular chip is a
semiconductor material such as silicon. Typically, each strain-sensing
element is a resistor that is electrically isolated by a dielectric layer in a
silicon-on-insulator structure. Dielectric isolation enables performance at
higher temperatures. Alternatively, junction isolated resistors can be used. The pressure sensing chips are located close to areas of maximum absolute stress. The triangular shape improves the reliability.
The resistors are typically piezoresistive. In lieu of resistive strain sensing
elements, in other embodiments, capacitive strain sensing elements are used.
In such an embodiment, stress changes the capacitance exhibited by the
capacitive strain sensing elements.
In another embodiment, piezoelectric strain sensing elements are used.
Stress changes the voltage across the piezoelectric strain sensing elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a cross section side view of a thin diaphragm with a silicon strain
gauge bonded to the surface near an edge of the diaphragm.
Fig. 2 is a cross section side view similar to Fig. 1 except that the diaphragm
contains a thick boss region in the center of the diaphragm. The silicon strain
gauge is mounted near the edge of the boss on the thin diaphragm.
Fig. 3 is a cross section view of the silicon sensor chip. In this embodiment
the chip has a silicon-on-insulator structure.
Fig. 4 is a cross section view of the silicon sensor chip with a junction isolated resistor.
Figs. 5A, 5B, and 5C depict various embodiments of single resistor formed within a triangular chip.
Figs. 6A, 6B, and 6C depict various embodiments of triangular chips
comprising two resistors each. The resistors are typically used to form half of
a Wheatstone Bridge.
Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a full Wheatstone bridge circuit composed of
two half bridges. Six wire bonds are required.
Figs. 8A, 8B, and 8C depict various embodiments of two-resistor placement in
a parallel configuration on a triangular chip. These two resistors do not
typically form half bridges.
Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a full Wheatstone bridge circuit composed of
4 resistors of which the two opposite resistors reside on the same chip. Eight
wire bonds are required.
Figs. 10A and 10B are top views of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 10A displays the proper position and orientation of any of the chip configurations
shown in Figs. 5A, 6A, and 8A. Fig. 10B displays the proper position and
orientation of any of the chip configurations shown in Figs. 5B, 5C, 6B, 6C,
8B, and 8C.
Figs. 11 A and 1 1 B are top views of the structure with the boss as shown in
Fig. 2. Fig. 1 1 A displays the proper position and orientation of any of the chip configurations shown in Figs. 5A, 6A, and 8A. Fig. 11 B displays the proper
position and orientation of any of the chip configurations shown in Figs. 5B,
5C, 6B, 6C, 8B, and 8C.
Fig. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D are top views of structures with two triangular chips
positioned along the diaphragm in order to compensate for body mounting
stress. Figs. 12A and 12B apply to diaphragms with a central boss.
Fig. 13 is a top view of a chip with an alternate strain-sensing element
comprising a meandering resistor.
Fig. 14 is an alternative embodiment of a pressure sensor comprising a
rectangular chip.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In reference to the drawings, like numerals represent like materials through
the various figures.
In Fig. 1 , a body 1 is composed of a material resistant to or impervious to the
media for which it is intended. This material can be a metal such as any
grade of steel, galvanized steels, and any stainless steel alloy as well as
molybdenum. This material also can also be a ceramic, glass, plastic and
other polymer materials such as Teflon (PTFE), Ultem and nylon. Within this
body a relatively thin diaphragm 4 is formed such that its dimensions are
sized according to known scientific principles so that the proper amount of strain is generated at the locations of the pressure sensing elements to
achieve the desired performance for the pressure range specified. Diaphragm 4 can be formed by any method including stamping, etching, welding, and machining to achieve the desired dimensions. The non-
diaphragm part of body 1 should be thick enough to be considered rigid within
the desired pressure range.
In another embodiment, in lieu of diaphragm 4, a diaphragm 6 is provided that
includes a central boss structure 5 composed of the same material as diaphragm 6 (Fig. 2). The thickness of boss structure 5 is such that it is rigid for all intents and purposes compared to a diaphragm 6. Diaphragm 6 is
annular.
To this diaphragm 4 or 6 at least one pressure-sensitive element 3 is
attached. The material used to attach element 3 to the diaphragm can be any
appropriate material, e.g. a eutectic material, solder, glass, epoxy or other
polymer material. If solder is used, the backside of the pressure-sensing
element should be wetable by the solder or be covered with a metal layer that is wetable by the solder. Bonding can be performed using any other appropriate method as well.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESSURE-SENSING ELEMENT
Pressure-sensing element 3 may be of any material exhibiting the
piezoresistive effect. This may include silicon, silicon composites, gallium
arsenide, and the like. Most commonly, monocrystaline silicon would be used
because of its relative affordability.
Referring to Fig. 3, a first embodiment of element 3 consists of a silicon-on- insulator structure. Element 3 comprises a substrate 7 that can be
monocrystaline silicon. Substrate 7 is typically less than 100 μm thick. A
buried layer of dielectric material 8 is formed in substrate 7. Buried layer 8 is
preferably silicon dioxide, but any dielectric compatible with the adjoining
materials would do. A top layer 10 of preferably monocrystaline silicon is
formed on buried layer 8 and doped with boron to form p-type silicon material.
Top layer 10 serves as a resistor, and has piezoresistive properties. The
doping of top layer 10 can be done with ion implantation, diffusion, epitaxial
growth or any combination thereof. A cap layer 1 1 of dielectric (preferably
silicon dioxide) covers the resistor areas. The field (i.e. portions of the
structure away from the resistor) is etched using dry etching techniques or wet
etching techniques to remove the silicon from around the resistor areas down
to dielectric layer 8. This leaves the patterned resistor areas electrically isolated from any other structures on the pressure-sensing element.
(Although only one resistor is shown in Fig. 3, as explained in more detail below, more than one resistor can be formed on substrate 7.)
Buried layer 8 can be formed in a number of ways, e.g. using a BESOI or
SIMOX process. See, for example, Auberton-Herve et al., "SOI Materials for
ULSI Applications", published in Semiconductor International in October 1995,
incorporated herein by reference. See also "New Bonding Technology for
SOI: Unibond" published by SOITEC USA, Inc. of Peabody, MA, also
incorporated herein by reference.
Openings are made in cap layer 1 1 for contacts to the resistor(s). Metal 9 is
then deposited, patterned and etched, leaving pads for wire bonding and
connections to the individual resistor(s). The metal can be any metalization
scheme suitable for wire bonding. This metal may be aluminum, TiW/Au,
Cr/Au, Cr/Ni/Au or any other wire bondable structure. The resistors are
aligned in the <110> crystal direction in order to achieve a maximum change
in resistance with applied strain. Because the structure of Fig. 3 uses a
dielectric layer (layer 8) to isolate the resistor (layer 10), it is advantageous if
any part of the required operating temperature range exceeds 125 °C. In
addition, dielectric resistor isolation is thought to contribute to long term
sensor stability. This structure is superior to a similar structure based on
polysilicon resistors since monocrystaline silicon resistors have a significantly
greater sensitivity to strain. However, the present invention can also be
practiced using polysilicon resistors.
Another embodiment of sensing element 3 is shown in Fig. 4 and comprises a
monocrystaline n-doped silicon substrate 7 within which a layer of boron
doped, p-type silicon 10' is formed. The doping can be done with ion implantation and/or diffusion. A dielectric layer 8', preferably silicon dioxide,
covers the resistor areas and the field. This leaves the patterned resistor area
junction isolated. Openings are made in dielectric layer 8' for electrical
contacts to the resistor(s). Metal 9 is deposited, patterned and etched,
leaving pads for wire bonding and connections to the individual resistor(s).
The metal can be any metalization scheme suitable for wire bonding. This
metal may be aluminum, TiW/Au, Cr/Au, Cr/Ni/Au or any other wire bondable
structure. The resistors are aligned in the <1 10> direction in order to achieve
maximum change in resistance with applied strain. This embodiment is
sufficient for operating temperatures up to 125 °C and is significantly more
affordable. (Above 125 °C, an undesirable amount of leakage current may
flow between p-type region 10' and substrate 7.)
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRIANGULAR SHAPED PRESSURE-SENSING
ELEMENT
For the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4, a triangular shape of the sensing element offers an improvement over the existing state of the art. The
magnitude of the strain is highest at edge 14 of diaphragm 4 (for the
embodiment of Fig. 1) and at both the inside and outside edges 14,18 of
diaphragm 6 with the central boss 5 (for the embodiment of Fig. 2). This is
also the location for greatest change in the strain. It is desirable to position a
sensing element at the point of greatest strain in order to maximize the
sensitivity to pressure If sensing element 3, being of finite dimensions,
straddles this location, element 3 will experience a wide variation of strain across it. All of this can lead to mechanical fatigue and premature failure and
contribute to creep. This can also lead to local stiffening of the diaphragm,
e.g. from the physical bonding of the chip to body 1 or boss 5. Placing
element 3 completely on the diaphragm side of the highest stress point
creates a more uniform strain across it. Using a triangular shaped sensing
element with one point touching the highest stress point minimizes strain
effects that can lead to failure, yet maximizes the average strain across the
strain-sensing element. In contrast, a rectangular sensing element can be placed in the same position with an edge parallel to the diaphragm edge but
the number of pressure cycles it could withstand would be significantly less. Temperature cycling exposes the sensing element to the same type of failure mechanism.
Figs. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate in plan view three embodiments of a triangular
chip comprising a single piezoresistive strain sensing element 13. The strain
sensing element is shown as a simple rectangular region. The required metal pad and contacts are not shown in Figs. 5 for sake of clarity. Preferably, the longitudinal axes of strain sensing elements 13 are parallel to the <110> crystal direction (or a member of the <110> family of axes) for maximum
pressure sensitivity in the finished device. The advantage of a single strain-
sensing element per triangular chip is that each chip can be placed at different
places around the diaphragm in order to compensate for body mounting
stresses.
Figs. 10A and 10B show two embodiments of triangular sensing element 16
with one strain-sensing element orientation and sensing element 17 with another strain-sensing element orientation. Figs. 10A and 10B are top views
where the point of greatest strain is represented by a dashed line 14. In both cases the sensing element is aligned such that the <110> direction (indicated
by line 15) is perpendicular to a tangent to line of greatest strain 14. In the
special case of a circular diaphragm the <110> direction is parallel to the
radius of the diaphragm. In addition, the sensing element touches the line of
greatest stress at a point with the corner of the triangle.
Figs. 11 A and 1 1 B are other embodiments where the diaphragm contains a
central boss. The region of greatest stress is represented by an inside dashed line 18 around the boss and an outer dashed line 14. The chip
locations shown in Figs. 10A and 10B function here as well, but the preferred
embodiment is to place the chips touching inner line 18. In both cases the
chip 19 (and 20) is aligned such that the <110> direction 15 is perpendicular
to a tangent to the line of greatest strain 18.
More than one chip can be placed on the diaphragm. Figs. 12A, B, C, and D
show other embodiments with two chips placed on the diaphragm in order to
compensate for body mounting stress. (Body mounting stress is the stress
caused by mounting the sensor on a structure where pressure is to be measured.) The optimum choices depend upon the stresses transferred to the diaphragm and are therefore dependent upon the application and
configuration of the body. Figs. 12 show four ways of orienting the sensors.
The scope of this invention is not limited to these configurations.
DESCRIPTIONS OF STRAIN-SENSING ELEMENT ORIENTATION ON A TRIANGULAR CHIP
As mentioned above, Figs. 5A to 5C illustrate in plan view three embodiments
of a single rectangular sensing element 13 formed in a triangular chip. In
other embodiments, non-rectangular sensing elements can be used. An
example of such an embodiment is shown in Fig. 13, which illustrates a
meandering strain-sensing region. Again, the required metal pad and
contacts are not specifically illustrated in Fig. 13 for sake of clarity.
Figs. 6A, 6B, and 6C represent three options for aligning double strain- sensing elements 13 on the triangular chip 12. In all cases the strain-sensing
elements 13 are parallel to the <110> family of orthogonal axes for maximum
pressure sensitivity in the finished device. In this embodiment the two strain-
sensing elements 13 are positioned normal to each other. In one
embodiment, elements 13 are electrically connected such that each chip
forms a half bridge circuit structure. Two chips can then be used to create a
full Wheatstone bridge with each chip located at a different place around the
diaphragm in order to compensate for body mounting stresses as shown in Fig. 7.
Fig. 7 schematically illustrates how the sensing elements in a first chip 12a
(shown as resistors 31) and the sensing elements of another chip 12b (shown
as resistors 32) can be coupled together to form a Wheatstone bridge. Chip
12a in Fig. 7 also includes metalization 35 and electrical contacts 33a, 33b
and 33c. Chip 12b includes metalization 37 and electrical contacts 34a, 34b
and 34c. During use, leads 33a and 34a are typically connected to a first voltage source terminal, leads 33c and 34c are coupled to a second voltage
source terminal, and the voltage across leads 33b, 34b is sensed to
determine the stress applied to the diaphragm.
In one embodiment, 5V DC is applied across leads 33a, 33c. In another
embodiment, 12V DC is applied. In other embodiments, non-DC voltages are
applied. The circuitry coupled to the Wheatstone bridge can be as described
in "Solid State Pressure Sensors Handbook", Vol. 16, published by Sensym,
Inc. of Milpitas, CA in 1998, incorporated herein by reference. See, for
example, pp. 8-70 to 8-73 and 8-92 to 8-93.
Four embodiments of how the dual-sensor chips of Fig. 6 can be applied to a
diaphragm are shown in Fig. 12. Other possible orientations for other
triangular options will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in light of this
specification.
Figs. 8A, 8B, and 8C represent another three options for aligning double
strain-sensing elements 13 on the triangular chip 12. In all cases the strain- sensing elements 12 are preferably parallel to a member of the <1 10> family
of axes for maximum pressure sensitivity in the finished device. In the
embodiments of Fig. 8, the two strain-sensing elements 13 are positioned
parallel to each other. The resistors in this embodiment are used as the
opposite resistors in a full bridge. Thus, in Fig. 8, each chip 12 does not
constitute a half bridge circuit structure. However, two chips can still be used
to create a full bridge with each chip located at a different place around the
diaphragm in order to compensate for body mounting stresses as shown in
Fig. 9. Strain-sensing elements 31 are located on a first chip. Strain-sensing
elements 32 are located on a second chip. Leads 40 and 41 are typically coupled together and to a first power source. Leads 42 and 43 are typically
connected together and to a second power source. Leads 44 and 45 are
typically connected together and form one output terminal of the Wheatstone
bridge, whereas leads 46 and 47 are typically connected together and form
the other output of the Wheatsone bridge. The interconnect wiring from chip to chip is more complex, requiring more wire bonds than the embodiment of
Fig. 6, but one method is not preferred over the other for reasons other than affordability.
While the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes can be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in lieu of
using triangular chips, other shapes can be used. These other shapes
typically include a corner pointed toward one of the areas or lines of greatest
stress in the diaphragm. For example Fig. 14 illustrates a quadrilateral shaped (e.g. rectangular) chip 50 in which one corner 50a of chip 50 is pointed toward or touching line 14 of greatest stress. The rectangle edges
are not parallel to the edge of the diaphragm. In other words, for the case of a
circular diaphragm, a line tangent to the line 14 of greatest stress at a point
touching or closest to corner 50a of chip 50 is not parallel to the sides of chip
50 closest line 14.
In lieu of resistors using boron-doped p-type silicon, other dopants can be
used. Also, n-type silicon can be used, but the optimum sensitivity to stress in
n-type silicon is along other crystal directions. See, for example, S.M. Sze,
"Semiconductor Sensors" published by John Wiley and Sons, Ihc. in 1994, p.
160-181 , incorporated herein by reference.
Chips containing sensing elements can be made from materials other than silicon, e.g. as described above. Different techniques can be used to attach the chips to the diaphragm. Different materials can be used to form the sensor. Accordingly, all such changes come within the invention.