Abstract: A pressure sensor device comprises a device package (110) arranged to define a cavity (116) having an opening for fluid communication with an internal volume thereof. The cavity (116) comprises a side wall (114, 115). An elongate pressure sensor element (100) is provided and has a proximal end (120) and a distal end (122). The side wall (114, 115) is arranged to hold fixedly the proximal end (120) of the pressure sensor element (100) therein so that the pressure sensor element (100) is cantilever-suspended from the side wall (114, 115) within the cavity (116).

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first doped semiconductor layer, a second doped semiconductor layer, an oxide layer covering the first doped semiconductor layer and the second doped semiconductor layer, and an interconnect. The first doped semiconductor layer is electrically connected with the second doped semiconductor layer by means of the interconnect which crosses over a sidewall of the second doped semiconductor layer. The interconnect comprises a metal filled slit in the oxide layer. At least one electronic component is formed in the first and/or second semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device moreover comprises a passivation layer which covers the first and second doped semiconductor layers and the oxide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a first and second doped semiconductor layer wherein the first layer is a monosilicon layer and the second layer is a polysilicon layer, an oxide layer covering the first and second layer, and an interconnect which electrically connects the first and second layer comprises a metal alloy which has a first part in contact with the first layer and a second part in contact with the second layer, wherein a part of the metal alloy between the first and the second part crosses over a sidewall of the second layer; at least one electronic component is formed in the first and/or second layer; the semiconductor device moreover comprises a stoichiometric passivation layer which covers the first and second layer and the oxide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor for measuring an external pressure exerted on the sensor, including: a membrane; a first resistor connected between a first bias node and a first output node; a second resistor connected between the first bias node and a second output node; a first and second current source connected to the first resp. second output node for generating a differential voltage signal indicative of the external pressure to be measured. The resistors including piezo-resistive strips arranged in particular crystallographic directions. The circuit may have a third and four resistor pair for compensating package stress. The Piezo-resistive strips may be formed as p-doped regions within an n-well, the biasing node being electrically connected to the n-well.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor assembly for measuring a pressure of an exhaust gas which contains corrosive components, comprising: a first cavity, a pressure sensor comprising first bondpads for electrical interconnection, a CMOS chip comprising second bondpads for electrical interconnection with the pressure sensor, an interconnection module having electrically conductive paths connected via bonding wires to the pressure sensor and to the CMOS chip; the interconnection module being a substrate with corrosion-resistant metal tracks, wherein the CMOS chip and part of the interconnection module are encapsulated by a plastic package.

Abstract: A method for making and a semiconductor device comprises a silicon die including a metal contact region and, at least one passivation layer covering the semiconductor die and patterned such as to form an opening to the metal contact region of the semiconductor die. A continuous part of a contact layer comprises a refractory metal, and overlaps and completely covers the opening in the at least one passivation layer to contact the metal contact region in the opening and adhere to the at least one passivation layer along the entire edge of the continuous part. The contact layer comprises at least an adhesion layer and at least a diffusion barrier layer. A noble metal layer is arranged over the contact layer and completely covers the continuous part to adhere to the at least one passivation layer around the edge of the continuous part.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a system in a wafer for measuring an absolute and a relative pressure includes etching a shallow and a deep cavity in the wafer. A top wafer is applied and the top wafer is thinned for forming a first respectively second membrane over the shallow respectively deep cavity, and for forming in the top wafer first respectively second bondpads at the first respectively second membrane resulting in a first respectively second sensor. Back grinding the wafer results in an opened deep cavity and a still closed shallow cavity. The first bondpads of the first sensor measure an absolute pressure and the second bondpads of the second sensor measure a relative pressure. The etching in the first step defines the edges of the first membrane and of the second membrane in respectively the sensors formed from the shallow and the deep cavity.

Abstract: A chip for radiation measurements, the chip comprising a first substrate comprising a first sensor and a second sensor. The chip moreover comprises a second substrate comprising a first cavity and a second cavity both with oblique walls. An internal layer is present on the inside of the second cavity. The second substrate is sealed to the first substrate with the cavities on the inside such that the first cavity is above the first sensor and the second cavity is above the second sensor.

Abstract: A sensor device for use in harsh media, comprising a silicon die comprises a lowly doped region, and a contact layer, contacting the silicon die. The contact layer comprises a refractory metal and an ohmic contact to the silicon die via a silicide of the refractory metal. A noble metal layer is provided over the contact layer such that the contact layer is completely covered by the noble metal layer. The noble metal layer comprises palladium, platinum or a metal alloy of palladium and/or platinum. The noble metal layer is patterned to form an interconnect structure and a contact connecting via the contact layer to the ohmic contact. The noble metal layer is adapted for providing a shield to prevent modulation of the lowly doped region by surface charges. The noble metal layer may advantageously protect the contact layer against harsh media in an external environment of the sensor device.

Abstract: A method for making and a semiconductor device comprises a silicon die including a metal contact region and, at least one passivation layer covering the semiconductor die and patterned such as to form an opening to the metal contact region of the semiconductor die. A continuous part of a contact layer comprises a refractory metal, and overlaps and completely covers the opening in the at least one passivation layer to contact the metal contact region in the opening and adhere to the at least one passivation layer along the entire edge of the continuous part. The contact layer comprises at least an adhesion layer and at least a diffusion barrier layer. A noble metal layer is arranged over the contact layer and completely covers the continuous part to adhere to the at least one passivation layer around the edge of the continuous part.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a system in a wafer for measuring an absolute and a relative pressure includes etching a shallow and a deep cavity in the wafer. A top wafer is applied and the top wafer is thinned for forming a first respectively second membrane over the shallow respectively deep cavity, and for forming in the top wafer first respectively second bondpads at the first respectively second membrane resulting in a first respectively second sensor. Back grinding the wafer results in an opened deep cavity and a still closed shallow cavity. The first bondpads of the first sensor measure an absolute pressure and the second bondpads of the second sensor measure a relative pressure. The etching in the first step defines the edges of the first membrane and of the second membrane in respectively the sensors formed from the shallow and the deep cavity.

Abstract: A semiconductor device for measuring IR radiation is disclosed. It comprises a substrate and a cap enclosing a cavity, a sensor pixel in the cavity, comprising a first absorber for receiving said IR radiation, a first heater, first temperature measurement means for measuring a first temperature; a reference pixel in the same cavity, comprising a second absorber shielded from said IR radiation, a second heater, and second temperature measurement means for measuring a second temperature; a control circuit for applying a first/second power to the first/second heater such that the first temperature equals the second temperature; and an output circuit for generating an output signal indicative of the IR radiation based on a difference between the first and second power.

Abstract: An infrared thermal sensor for sensing infrared radiation is disclosed. The infrared thermal sensor comprises a substrate and a cap structure together forming a sealed cavity, a membrane arranged in said cavity for receiving infrared radiation (IR) through a window or aperture and a plurality of beams for suspending the membrane. At least one beam has a thermocouple arranged therein or thereon for measuring a temperature difference (?T) between the membrane and the substrate, the plurality of beams. Furthermore at least one beam is mechanically supporting the membrane without a thermocouple being present therein or thereon.

Abstract: A method determines isotropic stress by means of a Hall element which includes a plate-shaped area made of a doped semiconductor material and comprises four contacts contacting the plate-shaped area and forming corners of a quadrangle, two neighboring corners of the quadrangle defining an edge thereof. At least one van der Pauw transresistance value in at least one van der Pauw measurement set-up of the Hall element is determined, wherein the four contacts of the Hall element form contact pairs, a contact pair comprising two contacts defining neighboring corners of the quadrangle. One contact pair supplies a current and the other contact pair measures a voltage. A relationship between the supplied current and the measured voltage defines the Van der Pauw transresistance value. The method comprises determining a stress signal which depends on the at least one Van der Pauw transresistance value and determining isotropic stress.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a first substrate having a device area, a first sealing element comprising an anelastic material and a second sealing element being a metal. The first sealing means and the second sealing means are arranged such that the inner side or the outer side of the sealing is completely formed by the second sealing element providing hermiticity and the other side is substantially formed by the first sealing element providing a flexible sealing.

Abstract: An infrared thermal sensor for detecting infrared radiation, comprising a substrate and a cap structure together forming a sealed cavity, the cavity comprising a gas at a predefined pressure; a membrane arranged in said cavity for receiving infrared radiation; a plurality of beams for suspending the membrane; a plurality of thermocouples for measuring a temperature difference between the membrane and the substrate; wherein the ratio of the thermal resistance between the membrane and the substrate through the thermocouples, and the thermal resistance between the membrane and the substrate through the beams and through the gas is a value in the range of 0.8 to 1.2. A method of designing such a sensor, and a method of producing such a sensor is also disclosed.

Abstract: An infrared thermal sensor for detecting infrared radiation is described. It comprises a substrate and a cap structure together forming a sealed cavity. A membrane is suspended therein by a plurality of beams, each beam comprising at least one thermocouple arranged therein or thereon for measuring a temperature difference between the membrane and the substrate. At least two beams have a different length and each of the thermocouples have a substantially same constant width to length ratio such that the thermal resistance measured between the membrane and the substrate is substantially constant for each beam, and such that the electrical resistance measured between the membrane and the substrate is substantially constant for each beam. The beams may be linear, and be oriented in a non-radial direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor assembly for measuring a pressure of an exhaust gas which contains corrosive components, comprising: a first cavity, a pressure sensor comprising first bondpads for electrical interconnection, a CMOS chip comprising second bondpads for electrical interconnection with the pressure sensor, an interconnection module having electrically conductive paths connected via bonding wires to the pressure sensor and to the CMOS chip; the interconnection module being a substrate with corrosion-resistant metal tracks, wherein the CMOS chip and part of the interconnection module are encapsulated by a plastic package.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor for measuring an external pressure exerted on the sensor, comprises a membrane, and a bridge comprising a first and a second resistor pair, arranged on a first resp. second side portion of the membrane. The first resistor pair comprises a first and a second resistor (R1, R2) comprising elongated piezo-resistive strips connected in series, and located closely together, such that R1 and R2 have substantially the same temperature. The sensor has a reduced sensitivity to: a temperature gradient over the membrane, and optionally also a non-uniform stress gradient caused by packaging and a inhomogeneous disturbing electric field perpendicular to the sensor. The piezo-resistive strips of the first and second resistor may be oriented in orthogonal directions of maximum piezo-resistive coefficients. A second bridge may be added outside the membrane, for compensating for package pressure.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a through-opening extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the substrate, the through-opening forming a space between an inner part and an outer part of said substrate; a pressure responsive structure arranged on said inner part; a number of flexible elements extending from said inner part to said outer part for suspending the inner part within said through-opening; the through-opening being at least partly filled with an anelastic material. A method of producing such a semiconductor pressure sensor.