Method of manufacturing a temperature-compensated micro-electromechanical device

Abstract

Methods of forming micro-electromechanical device include a semiconductor substrate, in which a first microstructure and a second microstructure of reference are integrated. The first microstructure and the second microstructure are arranged in the substrate so as to undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of the substrate. Furthermore, the first microstructure is provided with movable parts and fixed parts with respect to the substrate, while the second microstructure has a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the first microstructure but is fixed with respect to the substrate. By subtracting the changes in electrical characteristics of the second microstructure from those of the first, variations in electrical characteristics of the first microstructure caused by changes in thermal expansion or contraction can be compensated for.

Claims

1. A method, comprising: forming a first suspended mass in a semiconductor substrate, the first suspended mass being coupled to the semiconductor substrate and movable with respect to the semiconductor substrate, the first suspended mass including a first plurality of movable electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a first plurality of fixed electrodes; and forming a second suspended mass in the semiconductor substrate, the second suspended mass including a second plurality of fixed electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a third plurality of fixed electrodes, the second suspended mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes being rigidly coupled to the semiconductor substrate to prevent movement of the second suspended mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes relative to the semiconductor substrate, the first suspended mass and the second suspended mass being configured to undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansion of the semiconductor substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein: forming the first suspended mass comprises forming spring structures by which the first suspended mass is coupled to the semiconductor substrate, and forming the second suspended mass comprises forming rigid structures by which the second suspended mass is coupled to the semiconductor substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein forming the second suspended mass comprises forming the second suspended mass so as to be the same as, and symmetrical with, the first suspended mass.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein forming the first suspended mass comprises forming the first suspended mass so as to be movable along a first axis, with respect to the semiconductor substrate, the method comprising: forming a third mass in the semiconductor substrate, including forming a third suspended mass that is coupled to the semiconductor substrate so as to be movable along a second axis with respect to the semiconductor substrate, the second axis lying perpendicular to the first axis; and forming a fourth mass in the semiconductor substrate so that the third mass and the fourth mass undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of the semiconductor substrate, including forming a fourth suspended mass that is coupled to the semiconductor substrate so as to be rigidly fixed to the semiconductor substrate.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising: detecting a first signal by the first suspended mass; detecting a second signal by the second suspended mass; and generating a third signal compensated in temperature on the basis of the first signal and of the second signal.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein generating the third signal comprises subtracting the second signal from the first signal.

7. A method, comprising: forming a first suspended mass in a semiconductor substrate, the first suspended mass being suspended relative to the semiconductor substrate and flexibly coupled to the semiconductor substrate to allow movement of the first suspended mass relative to the semiconductor substrate, the first suspended mass including a first plurality of movable electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a first plurality of fixed electrodes; and forming a second suspended mass in the semiconductor substrate at the same time the first suspended mass is formed, the second suspended mass being suspended relative to the semiconductor substrate, the second suspended mass including a second plurality of fixed electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a third plurality of fixed electrodes, the second suspended mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes being rigidly coupled to the semiconductor substrate to prevent movement of the second suspended mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes relative to the semiconductor substrate, the first and second suspended masses being configured to undergo substantially equal strain due to thermal expansion of the semiconductor substrate.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein: forming the first suspended mass comprises forming spring structures that flexibly couple the first suspended mass to the semiconductor substrate, and forming the second suspended mass comprises forming rigid structures that rigidly couple the second suspended mass to the semiconductor substrate.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the first suspended mass has a first shape and the second suspended mass has a second shape, the second shape being similar in shape to the first shape.

10. A method comprising: forming a first mass in a semiconductor substrate, the first mass being suspended relative to the semiconductor substrate, the first mass having a first dimension that is moveable relative to the semiconductor substrate, the first mass including a first plurality of movable electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a first plurality of fixed electrodes; and forming a second mass in the semiconductor substrate, the second mass being suspended relative to the semiconductor substrate, the second mass having a second dimension, the second mass including a second plurality of fixed electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a third plurality of fixed electrodes, the second mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes being rigidly fixed to the semiconductor substrate to prevent movement of the second mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes relative to the semiconductor substrate, the second mass being substantially equal to the first mass, the second mass being configured to undergo substantially equal strain as the first mass when the semiconductor substrate thermally expands.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first plurality of movable electrodes are configured to move relative to the semiconductor substrate in response to acceleration and thermal expansion.

12. A method comprising: in a semiconductor substrate, forming a first mass that is suspended relative to the semiconductor substrate and configured to move relative to the semiconductor substrate, the first mass including a first plurality of movable electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a first plurality of fixed electrodes; and in the semiconductor substrate, forming a second mass that is suspended relative to the semiconductor substrate and is symmetrical with the first mass with respect to an axis of the semiconductor substrate, the second mass including a second plurality of fixed electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a third plurality of fixed electrodes, the second mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes being rigidly coupled to the semiconductor substrate to prevent movement of the second mass and the second plurality of fixed electrodes relative to the semiconductor substrate, the first and second masses being configured to undergo substantially equal strain due to thermal expansion of the semiconductor substrate.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: forming the first mass comprises forming spring structures that couple the first mass to the semiconductor substrate, and forming the second mass comprises forming rigid structures that couple the second mass to the semiconductor substrate.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first mass has a first shape and the second mass has a second shape, the second shape being similar to the first shape.

15. A method comprising: forming a micro-electromechanical device in a semiconductor substrate of semiconductor material, wherein forming includes: forming a first body having a first mass that is suspended above and coupled to the semiconductor substrate, the first body being configured to move with respect to the semiconductor substrate along a first axis, the first body being configured to undergo a first strain due to thermal expansion of the semiconductor substrate, the first body including a first plurality of movable electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a second plurality of fixed electrodes; and forming a second body having a second mass that is substantially equal to the first mass of the first body, the second body including a second plurality of fixed electrodes that are capacitively coupled to a third plurality of fixed electrodes, the second body and the second plurality of fixed electrodes being rigidly coupled to the semiconductor substrate to prevent movement of the second body and the second plurality of fixed electrodes with respect to the semiconductor substrate, the second body being configured to undergo a second strain due to thermal expansion of the semiconductor substrate, the second strain being substantially similar to the first strain.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first mass has a first shape and the second mass has a second shape, the second shape being similar to the first shape.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first mass has the same mass as the second mass.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein: forming the first suspended mass includes forming a first microstructure; and forming the second suspended mass includes forming a second microstructure.

19. The method according to claim 12 wherein: forming the first mass includes forming a first microstructure; and forming the second mass includes forming a second microstructure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

(1) For a better understanding of the invention, some embodiments thereof are now described, purely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the attached drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a micro-electromechanical device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view of a part of a semiconductor chip included in the device of FIG. 1.

(4) FIGS. 3-5 are cross sections through the chip of FIG. 2, taken, respectively, along the lines III-III, IV-IV and V-V of FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of a micro-electromechanical device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 7 is a simplified block diagram of a micro-electromechanical device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 8 is a schematic top plan view of a part of a semiconductor chip included in the device of FIG. 7.

(8) FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram of a micro-electromechanical device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIG. 1 illustrates a linear MEMS accelerometer 1 having a detection axis X1. The MEMS accelerometer 1 comprises a detection microstructure (DETECT X) 2 and a reference microstructure (COMPENS X) 3 that are substantially identical to one another and are both integrated in a same chip 5 of semiconductor material, together with a control unit (UC) 4. More precisely, the chip 5 has a rectangular or square shape and has a geometrical center 5a, which is also a center of symmetry. The detection microstructure 2 and the reference microstructure 3 are specular with respect to a symmetry axis S1 which is perpendicular to the detection axis X1 and passes through the center 5a of the chip 5. The detection microstructure 2 and the reference microstructure 3 are moreover connected to the control unit for supplying a measurement signal S.sub.x, correlated to the accelerations imparted to the chip 5 according to the detection axis X1, and, respectively, a compensation signal S.sub.COMPX indicating the expansion to which the chip 5 is subjected as a result of the temperature.

(10) With reference to FIGS. 2-5, the detection microstructure 2 comprises a suspended mass 6 and a stator structure 7, which is fixed to a substrate 8 of the chip 5 and separated from the suspended mass 6 in a conventional way by means of insulating regions (not illustrated). A trench 9, in this case filled with dielectric material, separates the stator structure 7 laterally from the substrate 8. The suspended mass 6 is mechanically connected to the stator structure 7 by a plurality of elastic connection elements 10 (four, in the example described), so shaped as to enable the suspended mass 6 to oscillate with respect to the stator structure 7 in the direction of the detection axis X1. The elastic connection elements 10 (FIG. 3) extend from the suspended mass 6 and are fixed to respective suspension anchorages 11 of the stator structure 7.

(11) The suspended mass 6 and the stator structure 7 are provided with respective plane detection electrodes 12, arranged perpendicular to the detection axis X1 and comb-fingered (see also FIG. 4). In greater detail, the detection electrodes 12 of the suspended mass 6 project from the suspended mass 6 itself towards the stator structure 7; instead, the detection electrodes 12 of the stator structure 7 are fixed to respective stator anchorages 14 and project towards the suspended mass 6, at a distance from the substrate 8 of the chip 5. Furthermore, each detection electrode 12 of the suspended mass 6 faces and is capacitively coupled to a respective pair of detection electrodes 12 of the stator structure 7. In turn, the detection electrodes 12 of the stator structure 7 are electrically connected to one another in sets, according to conventional schemes of MEMS accelerometers (not illustrated in detail herein). The detection microstructure 2 is also equipped with the normal electrical connections of one-axis linear accelerometers (not illustrated herein) for connection of the detection electrodes 12 to the control unit 4.

(12) The reference microstructure 3 is substantially identical and is arranged symmetrically to the detection microstructure 2 with respect to the symmetry axis S1, which is perpendicular to the detection axis X1 and passes through the center 5a of the chip 5. In particular, the reference microstructure 3 comprises a suspended mass 6 and a stator structure 7, which have the same shapes and dimensions as the suspended mass 6 and, respectively, the stator structure 7 of the detection microstructure 2 and are separated from one another in a conventional way by means of insulating regions (not illustrated). The stator structure 7 is delimited laterally by the substrate 8 of the chip 5 by means of a trench 9 filled with dielectric material. In the case of the reference microstructure 3, however, the suspended mass 6 is rigidly connected to the stator structure 7 by means of rigid connection elements 10, which are substantially non-deformable. The suspended mass 6 is hence fixed with respect to the stator structure 7. The rigid connection elements 10 project from the suspended mass 6, at a distance from the substrate 8 of the chip 5, and are fixed to respective suspension anchorages 11, which have the same shape and the same relative distances as the first suspension anchorages 11 of the detection microstructure 2 (see also FIG. 5). The suspended mass 6 and the stator structure 7 are provided with respective plane detection electrodes 12, arranged perpendicular to the detection axis X1 and comb-fingered. The detection electrodes 12 of the reference microstructure 3 have the same shape and the same relative positions as the detection electrodes 12 of the detection microstructure 2. In particular, the detection electrodes 12 of the suspended mass 6 project therefrom towards the stator structure 7; the detection electrodes 12 of the stator structure 7 are instead fixed to respective stator anchorages 14 and project towards the suspended mass 6. Furthermore, each detection electrode 12 of the suspended mass 6 faces and is capacitively coupled to a respective pair of detection electrodes 12 of the stator structure 7. The detection electrodes 12 of the stator structure 7 are connected to one another in sets according to conventional schemes of MEMS accelerometers and are not illustrated herein in detail. The stator anchorages 14 of the reference microstructure 3 have the same shape and the same relative distances as the stator anchorages 14 of the detection microstructure 2. Also the reference microstructure 3 is provided with the normal electrical connections (not illustrated) of the one-axis linear MEMS accelerometers for connection of the detection electrodes 12 with the control unit 4.

(13) In use, the detection microstructure 2 and the reference microstructure 3 are read by the control unit 4 using conventional reading modalities of linear MEMS accelerometers. As described above, moreover, the detection microstructure 2 and the reference microstructure 3 are substantially identical and, since they are also integrated in the same chip 5, they are deformed exactly in the same way as a result of thermal expansion. In particular, the relative distances of the suspension anchorages 11 and of the stator anchorages 14 of the reference microstructure 3, even though they are not fixed, remain in any case equal to the relative distances of the corresponding suspension anchorages 11 and stator anchorages 14 of the detection microstructure 2. For this reason, the configuration of the detection electrodes 12 of the suspended mass 6 and of the stator structure 7 of the reference microstructure 3 is always equal to the rest configuration (i.e., in the absence of accelerations along the detection axis X1) of the detection electrodes 12 of the suspended mass 6 and of the stator structure 7 of the detection microstructure 2. Consequently, temperature variations of the chip 5 cause identical variations in the measurement signal S.sub.X and in the compensation signal S.sub.COMPX. However, in the measurement signal S.sub.X the effect of temperature variations is superimposed on the effect of the accelerations according to the detection axis X1, whereas the variations of the compensation signal S.sub.compx depend exclusively upon thermal expansion, because the suspended mass 6 of the reference microstructure 3 is fixed. The compensation signal S.sub.COMPX can thus be used for effective compensation of the effects of thermal expansion on the measurement signal S.sub.X.

(14) For this purpose, the control unit 4 subtracts the compensation signal S.sub.COMPX from the measurement signal S.sub.X for generating the output acceleration signal S.sub.XO.

(15) The location of the detection microstructure 2 and of the reference microstructure 3 in specularly symmetrical positions with respect to the symmetry axis S1 of the chip 5 enables maximum precision of compensation to be achieved, also considering that, on account of the thermal expansion, the chips tend to undergo deformation and to assume a cup-like shape. Owing to the described arrangement, the compensation is extremely precise because, practically in any operating condition, the thermal expansion acts homogeneously on the detection microstructure 2 and on the reference microstructure 3.

(16) According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIG. 6, a linear MEMS accelerometer 100 having a detection axis X2 comprises a detection microstructure (DETECT X) 102, a reference microstructure (COMPENS X) 103, and a control unit (UC) 104, integrated in a semiconductor chip 105 of a square or rectangular shape and having a center 105aof symmetry. The detection microstructure 102 and the reference microstructure 103 are of the type illustrated in FIG. 2. In particular, the detection microstructure 102 comprises a suspended mass 106, movable along the detection axis X2 with respect to a fixed stator structure 107; and the detection microstructure 103 comprises a suspended mass 106 and a stator structure 107, both fixed and having the same shape and the same dimensions as the suspended mass 106 and, respectively, as the stator structure 107 of the detection microstructure 102. Furthermore, the detection microstructure 102 and the reference microstructure 103 are specularly symmetrical with respect to a symmetry axis S2, parallel to the detection axis X2 and passing through the center 105a of the chip 105, and are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the detection axis X2 itself.

(17) A third embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this case, a linear MEMS accelerometer 200 having a detection axis X3 comprises a detection microstructure (DETECT X) 202, a reference microstructure (COMPENS X) 203 and a control unit (UC) 204, which are integrated in a semiconductor chip 205 of a square or rectangular shape and having a center 205a of symmetry. The detection microstructure 202 and the reference microstructure 203 are identical to one another and are symmetrical with respect to a symmetry axis S3 perpendicular to the detection axis X3 and passing through the center 205a of the chip 205. In greater detail, the detection microstructure 202 comprises a suspended mass 206, a stator structure 207, and elastic connection elements 210, which connect the suspended mass 206 to respective suspension anchorages 211 of the stator structure 207 in a way similar to what is described in relation to the detection microstructure 2 of FIG. 2. In particular, the suspended mass 206 of the detection microstructure 202 is constrained to the stator structure 207 so as to be oscillatable according to the detection axis X3. The suspended mass 206 and the stator structure 207 of the detection microstructure 202 are separated from one another in a conventional way by insulating regions (not illustrated) and are provided with respective comb-fingered detection electrodes 212, facing one another in pairs to establish a capacitive coupling. More precisely, each electrode 212 of the stator structure 207 is fixed to a respective anchoring stator 214 and is coupled to a respective detection electrode 212 of the suspended mass 206. Furthermore, with reference to the arrangement of FIG. 6, the detection electrodes 212 arranged on the top side of the suspended mass 206 have their right-hand face coupled to the left-hand face of the respective detection electrode 212 of the stator structure 207; instead, the detection electrodes 212 set on the bottom side of the suspended mass 206 have their left-hand face coupled to the right-hand face of the respective detection electrode 212 of the stator structure 207. The detection electrodes 212 of the stator microstructures 207 are connected to one another in sets in a conventional way and not illustrated in detail.

(18) The reference microstructure 203 comprises a suspended mass 206 and a stator structure 207, having the same shape and the same dimensions as the suspended mass 206 and as the stator structure 207 of the detection microstructure 202 and separated from one another in a conventional way by insulating regions (not illustrated). The suspended mass 206 is rigidly connected to the stator structure 207 by means of rigid connection elements 210, which are substantially non-deformable. In particular, the rigid connection elements 210 are fixed to respective suspension anchorages 211 of the stator structure 207. The suspended mass 206 and the stator structure 207 of the reference microstructure 203 are capacitively coupled by a plurality of respective comb-fingered detection electrodes 212, which are arranged symmetrically to the detection electrodes 212 of the detection microstructure 202 with respect to the symmetry axis S3. More precisely, each detection electrode 212 of the stator structure 107 is fixed to a respective anchoring stator 214 and is coupled to a respective detection electrode 212 of the suspended mass 206. With reference to the arrangement of FIG. 6, the detection electrodes 212 arranged on the top side of the suspended mass 206 have their left-hand face coupled to the right-hand face of the respective detection electrode 212 of the stator structure 207; instead, the detection electrodes 212 set on the bottom side of the suspended mass 206 have their right-hand face coupled to the left-hand face of the respective detection electrode 212 of the stator structure 207. Furthermore, the relative distances of the suspension anchorages 211 and of the stator anchorages 214 of the reference microstructure 203 are equal to the relative distances of the corresponding suspension anchorages 211 and stator anchorages 214 of the detection microstructure 202. The detection electrodes 212 of the stator microstructures 207 are connected to one another in sets in a conventional way and not illustrated in detail.

(19) According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, illustrated schematically in FIG. 9, a MEMS accelerometer 300 has a first detection axis X4 and a second detection axis Y4 perpendicular to one another. The MEMS accelerometer 300 comprises a first detection microstructure 302 and a second detection microstructure 322, a first reference microstructure 303 and a second reference microstructure 323, and a control unit 304 integrated in a same semiconductor chip 305, of square or rectangular shape and having a center 305a of symmetry. The microstructures 302, 322, 303, 323 are all of the type described above with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. In detail, the first detection microstructure 302 and the first reference microstructure 303 comprise respective suspended masses, designated by 306 and 306, having the same shape and dimensions; and respective stator structures, designated by 307 and 307, which also have the same shapes and dimensions. Furthermore, in the first detection microstructure 302, the suspended mass 306 is movable according to the first detection axis X4 with respect to the stator structure 307, whereas in the first reference microstructure 303 the suspended mass 306 is fixed. The second detection microstructure 322 and the second reference microstructure 323 comprise: respective suspended masses, designated by 326 and 326, having the same shape and dimensions; and respective stator structures, designated by 327 and 327, which also have the same shapes and dimensions. Furthermore, in the first detection microstructure 322, the suspended mass 326 is movable according to the second detection axis Y4 with respect to the stator structure 327, whereas in the second reference microstructure 323 the suspended mass 326 is fixed.

(20) The first detection microstructure 302 detects the accelerations which act according to the first detection axis X4. The second detection microstructure 322 is rotated by 90 in the plane of FIG. 8 to detect the accelerations which act according to the second detection axis Y4. The first reference microstructure 303 is arranged symmetrically to the first detection microstructure 302 with respect to the center 305a of the chip 305. In practice, the configuration of the first reference microstructure 303 is obtained by overturning through 180 the first detection microstructure 302 (in the rest position) once about a first overturning axis S4 and once about a second overturning axis S5, which are parallel to the first detection axis X4 and to the second detection axis Y4, respectively, and pass through the center 305a of the chip 305. Similarly, the second reference microstructure 323 is arranged symmetrical to the second detection microstructure 322 with respect to the center 305a of the chip 305. The configuration of the second reference microstructure 323 is obtained by overturning through 180 the second detection microstructure 322 (in the resting position) once about the first axis S4 and once about the second overturning axis S5.

(21) The first and second detection microstructures 302, 322 provide the control unit 304 with a first measurement signal S.sub.X and with a second measurement signal S.sub.Y, which are correlated to the accelerations acting on the chip 305 according to the first detection axis X4 and to the second detection axis Y4, respectively. The first and the second reference microstructures 303, 323 provide the control unit 304 with a first compensation signal S.sub.COMPX and with a second compensation signal S.sub.COMPY, which indicate the amount of the thermal expansion of the chip 305 in the direction of the first detection axis X4 and of the second detection axis Y4, respectively. Finally, the control unit 304 generates a first output acceleration signal S.sub.XO, by subtracting the first compensation signal S.sub.COMPX from the first measurement signal S.sub.X; and a second output acceleration signal S.sub.YO, by subtracting the second compensation signal S.sub.COMPY from the second measurement signal S.sub.Y.

(22) In the fourth embodiment, in practice, the precision of the compensation is maximized, by arranging the detection microstructure and the compensation microstructure symmetrically with respect to the center of the chip.

(23) Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the device and to the method described herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the annexed claims.

(24) In particular, the invention can be exploited for compensating the effects of thermal expansion in various types of MEMS devices that use a mass that oscillates with respect to a fixed body, such as, for example, two-axes or three-axes linear accelerometers, rotational accelerometers, inclinometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, and electromechanical oscillators.

(25) The control unit can be made separately, on a chip different from the one containing the microstructures.

(26) All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.