Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, electrodes separated from each other and extending from a first main surface in the direction of depth of the semiconductor substrate, and an interconnect portion coupling the electrodes to each other and extending from the first main surface in the direction of depth of the semiconductor substrate without passing through the semiconductor substrate. One of the electrodes is a through electrode passing through the semiconductor substrate to reach a second main surface. For semiconductor devices having through electrodes and vertically stacked on each other, the interconnect portion serves to enhance the degree of design freedom.

Abstract: A capacitive acceleration sensor includes an acceleration sensor moving part and an acceleration sensor stationary part together forming a capacitor for detecting acceleration, a sealing structure hermetically enclosing but not contacting the acceleration sensor moving part, and at least one support pillar enclosed by but not directly contacted by the acceleration sensor moving part, both ends of the at least one support pillar being in contact with inside walls of the sealing structure. The acceleration sensor moving part is electrically connected to the at least one support pillar.

Abstract: A recessed portion is provided in first and second insulating films, the first insulating film being stacked on a semiconductor wafer, the second insulating film being stacked on the first insulating film. The first and second insulating films are processed to form wiring in a formation region of the semiconductor wafer in which an acceleration sensor is to be formed. After a sacrificial film is stacked on the wiring and processed, a conductive film is stacked on the wiring and processed to form a plurality of thin film structures in the formation region. The recessed portion surrounds the formation region.

Abstract: A first interconnection is formed along a groove of a substrate and on a bottom surface of the groove, and has a first thickness. A second interconnection is electrically connected to the first interconnection and has a second thickness larger than the first thickness. An acceleration sensing unit is electrically connected to the second interconnection. A sealing unit has a portion opposed to the substrate with the first interconnection therebetween, and surrounds the second interconnection and the acceleration sensing unit on the substrate. A cap is arranged on the sealing unit to form a cavity on a region of the substrate surrounded by the sealing unit. Thereby, airtightness of the cavity can be ensured and also an electric resistance of the interconnection connected to the acceleration sensing unit can be reduced.

Abstract: First and second semiconductor layers are attached to each other with an insulation layer sandwiched therebetween. An acceleration sensor device is formed in the first semiconductor layer. A control device for controlling the acceleration sensor device is formed on the second semiconductor layer. Through holes are formed in the second semiconductor layer, and an insulation layer is formed to cover the wall surfaces of the through holes. Through interconnections are formed within the through holes for electrically connecting the acceleration sensor device and the control device to each other. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an acceleration sensor having excellent detection accuracy while having a reduced size, and a fabrication method thereof.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, electrodes separated from each other and extending from a first main surface in the direction of depth of the semiconductor substrate, and an interconnect portion coupling the electrodes to each other and extending from the first main surface in the direction of depth of the semiconductor substrate without passing through the semiconductor substrate. One of the electrodes is a through electrode passing through the semiconductor substrate to reach a second main surface. For semiconductor devices having through electrodes and vertically stacked on each other, the interconnect portion serves to enhance the degree of design freedom.

Abstract: A capacitive acceleration sensor includes an acceleration sensor moving part and an acceleration sensor stationary part together forming a capacitor for detecting acceleration, a sealing structure hermetically enclosing but not contacting the acceleration sensor moving part, and at least one support pillar enclosed by but not directly contacted by the acceleration sensor moving part, both ends of the at least one support pillar being in contact with inside walls of the sealing structure. The acceleration sensor moving part is electrically connected to the at least one support pillar.

Abstract: A recessed portion is provided in first and second insulating films, the first insulating film being stacked on a semiconductor wafer, the second insulating film being stacked on the first insulating film. The first and second insulating films are processed to form wiring in a formation region of the semiconductor wafer in which an acceleration sensor is to be formed. After a sacrificial film is stacked on the wiring and processed, a conductive film is stacked on the wiring and processed to form a plurality of thin film structures in the formation region. The recessed portion surrounds the formation region.

Abstract: A first interconnection is formed along a groove of a substrate and on a bottom surface of the groove, and has a first thickness. A second interconnection is electrically connected to the first interconnection and has a second thickness larger than the first thickness. An acceleration sensing unit is electrically connected to the second interconnection. A sealing unit has a portion opposed to the substrate with the first interconnection therebetween, and surrounds the second interconnection and the acceleration sensing unit on the substrate. A cap is arranged on the sealing unit to form a cavity on a region of the substrate surrounded by the sealing unit. Thereby, airtightness of the cavity can be ensured and also an electric resistance of the interconnection connected to the acceleration sensing unit can be reduced.

Abstract: In an electrostatic-capacitance-type acceleration sensor, water, etc. penetrating into a sealed space incorporating an acceleration detector having a movable electrode 6, and sticking of the movable electrode 6 to a cap 8 due to static charge accumulated on the cap 8 during the anodic bonding being performed are prevented. A conductive shielding film 9 that can be extendedly transformed on the entire inner face of the cap 8 constituting the sealed space is provided, which is not only extendedly arranged so as to be sandwiched between a bonding frame 7 and the cap 8, but also electrically connected to the movable electrode 6; thereby, even if unevenness exists on the surface of the bonding frame 7, not only sufficient anodic bonding between the bonding frame 7 and the cap 8 becomes possible, but also the electric field due to the static charge accumulated in the cap 8 can be shielded.

Abstract: A thin film structure including a conductive thin film provided on a substrate and configured to be displaced in response to an applied acceleration, a pair of electrode pads formed on the substrate such that the pair of electrode pads are disposed on respective sides of the thin film, and a nonconductive film covering a top surface of the thin film and the side of the thin film facing the electrode pads. A top surface of the conductive thin film being higher than top surfaces of the electrode pads.

Abstract: First and second semiconductor layers are attached to each other with an insulation layer sandwiched therebetween. An acceleration sensor device is formed in the first semiconductor layer. A control device for controlling the acceleration sensor device is formed on the second semiconductor layer. Through holes are formed in the second semiconductor layer, and an insulation layer is formed to cover the wall surfaces of the through holes. Through interconnections are formed within the through holes for electrically connecting the acceleration sensor device and the control device to each other. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an acceleration sensor having excellent detection accuracy while having a reduced size, and a fabrication method thereof.

Abstract: A thin-film structural body formed by using a semiconductor processing technique and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly a thin-film structural body constituting a semiconductor acceleration sensor and a manufacturing method thereof. The thin-film structural body allows the thin-film member to be easily stress-controlled, and easily makes the film-thickness of the thin-film member thicker. The thin-film member forms a mass body and, beams and fixed electrodes of the semiconductor acceleration sensor are constituted by a plurality of doped polysilicon thin-films that are laminated by performing a step of film deposition of polysilicon while, for example, phosphorous is being doped as impurities plural times.

Abstract: In an electrostatic-capacitance-type acceleration sensor, water, etc. penetrating into a sealed space incorporating an acceleration detector having a movable electrode 6, and sticking of the movable electrode 6 to a cap 8 due to static charge accumulated on the cap 8 during the anodic bonding being performed are prevented. A conductive shielding film 9 that can be extendedly transformed on the entire inner face of the cap 8 constituting the sealed space is provided, which is not only extendedly arranged so as to be sandwiched between a bonding frame 7 and the cap 8, but also electrically connected to the movable electrode 6; thereby, even if unevenness exists on the surface of the bonding frame 7, not only sufficient anodic bonding between the bonding frame 7 and the cap 8 becomes possible, but also the electric field due to the static charge accumulated in the cap 8 can be shielded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film structure configured such that: thin films 8a and 8b and an electrode pad 7 are provided on a substrate 5; and a nonconductive shielding film 11 is formed on the sides of the thin films 8a facing the electrode pad 7 such that the top surface of the shielding film 11 is higher than the top surface of the electrode pad 7. That is, the shielding film 11 covers the top surfaces and sides of the thin films 8a between adjacent electrode pads. This arrangement allows one to reduce the parasitic capacitance between adjacent electrode pads and prevent a change in the characteristics, as well as canceling the fringe effect.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming, over the insulating layer, a first sacrificial layer having a first opening, and forming, on the sacrificial layer, a first electrode and a dummy body between the first electrode and the first opening. A photoresist is formed on the structure obtained by the previous steps, the photoresist having a second opening that opens inside the first opening. The insulating layer is etched using the photoresist as a mask to expose the semiconductor substrate, and a second electrode is formed in contact with the exposed semiconductor substrate. The sacrificial layer is removed.

Abstract: A main object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of a thin-film structural body removing a sacrifice film without removing other insulating films. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, upon forming an anchor hole (52) which forms an opening on the surface of a wiring (45), two etching steps are employed on a sacrifice film (51). In the first etching step, the sacrifice film (51) is partially removed by a dry etching process with an anisotropy above a wiring (45) with the sacrifice film (51) being left. In the second etching step, the remaining sacrifice film (51) above the wiring (45) is removed by a wet etching process with an isotropic.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor which is inexpensive and accomplishes its small-size and light-weight structure, and a manufacturing method thereof. A sensor unit provided on a base is sealed by a cap joined to a frame portion of the base in an eutectic manner. The cap includes a cap main body made of a semiconductor material having a conductive property and a metal film provided on the circumferential edge of the cap main body. The frame portion includes a frame main body made of doped polysilicon, a diffusion preventive film selectively provided on the frame main body, and a joining layer. The joining layer has one area as a conductive portion made of a conductive material, and another area as a joining portion made of a semiconductor.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for reducing a step height to be covered by photoresist during formation of an electrode connected to a semiconductor substrate, e.g. a silicon substrate on which an acceleration sensor resides. In order to achieve this object, an opening (80) for formation of an electrode (90) is formed before formation of a sacrificial layer (4), semiconductor film (50), and fixed electrode (51). Therefore thick photoresist is not required.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a thin-film structural body, capable of preparing a thin-film structural body by using a sacrifice film without any protruding part on its surface, thereby preparing a thin-film structural body having high strength and reliability. After a sacrifice film is formed with a film thickness greater than a predetermined value, the surface of the sacrifice film is ground so that the surface of the sacrifice film is flattened with the film thickness of the sacrifice film being adjusted to the predetermined value. Thus, the influence of the surface irregularity of a substrate is eliminated and the surface of the sacrifice film is flattened. Thereby, a mass body, beams and fixed electrodes of a semiconductor acceleration sensor are prepared by using the sacrifice film.