Abstract: Each of first and second oscillators includes a detector portion and a driver portion. The detector portion includes a stationary detector electrode and a detector weight, which includes a movable detector electrode opposed to the stationary detector electrode. The driver portion includes a driver weight having a movable driver electrode, which oscillates the detector portion, and a stationary driver electrode opposed to the movable driver electrode. The driver weights of the first and second oscillators are directly connected through a driver joint beam. The detector weights of the first and second oscillators are directly connected through a detector joint beam.

Abstract: A dynamic quantity sensor includes a sensor chip, a base member, and bumps. The sensor chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a sensor part, and sensor pads electrically coupled with the sensor part. The base member includes a base substrate and base pads disposed on the base substrate. The bumps mechanically and electrically couple the sensor pads and the base pads, respectively, in a state where the sensor chip is curved with respect to the base member. The sensor pads include input pads and output pads. The first surface of the semiconductor substrate includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is closer to the base substrate than the second portion is. At least one of the input pads is disposed on the first portion and at least one of the output pads is disposed on the second portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor sensor is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate, a sensing portion provided on the semiconductor substrate, and a pad in electrical communication with the sensing portion and provided on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor sensor also includes a bonding wire in electrical communication with the pad. Furthermore, the semiconductor sensor includes a cover member with a covering portion disposed over the semiconductor substrate for covering the sensing portion such that the covering portion is separated at a distance from the sensing portion. The cover member further includes a coupling portion provided on the semiconductor substrate at an area including the pad and for enabling electrical connection of the pad with the bonding wire therethrough.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capacitive semiconductor sensor includes: forming a plurality of circuit chips in a wafer, wherein each circuit chip includes a pad for testing a sensor chip; bonding the sensor chip on each circuit chip with a bump so that the sensor chip is electrically coupled with the circuit chip, wherein each sensor chip is made of semiconductor and has a capacitance changing portion, which is disposed on one side of the sensor chip and has a variable capacitance, wherein the circuit chip detects a capacitance change of the sensor chip, and wherein the one side of the sensor chip faces the circuit chip; testing each sensor chip through the pad; and cutting the wafer into individual circuit chips so that the circuit chip and the sensor chip provide the capacitive semiconductor sensor.

Abstract: When movable electrodes of beam arrangement structures are displaced in a direction perpendicular to the surface of a support substrate in first and second capacitance constituent portions by action of an acceleration while carrier voltages are applied, the difference between a first capacitance and second capacitance is output from the support substrate through a third capacitance constituent portion. Under self-diagnosis, the voltage applying counter electrode portion of the self-diagnosis fixed capacitance constituent portion is set to a first potential, and a signal output counter electrode portion of the third capacitance constituent portion is set to a second potential different from the first potential, whereby the potential of the support substrate corresponding to the fixed electrode in the first and second capacitance constituent portions is forcedly changed.

Abstract: A semiconductor sensor is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate, a sensing portion provided on the semiconductor substrate, and a pad in electrical communication with the sensing portion and provided on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor sensor also includes a bonding wire in electrical communication with the pad. Furthermore, the semiconductor sensor includes a cover member with a covering portion disposed over the semiconductor substrate for covering the sensing portion such that the covering portion is separated at a distance from the sensing portion. The cover member further includes a coupling portion provided on the semiconductor substrate at an area including the pad and for enabling electrical connection of the pad with the bonding wire therethrough.

Abstract: A semiconductor sensor is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate, a sensing portion provided on the semiconductor substrate, and a pad in electrical communication with the sensing portion and provided on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor sensor also includes a bonding wire in electrical communication with the pad. Furthermore, the semiconductor sensor includes a cover member with a covering portion disposed over the semiconductor substrate for covering the sensing portion such that the covering portion is separated at a distance from the sensing portion. The cover member further includes a coupling portion provided on the semiconductor substrate at an area including the pad and for enabling electrical connection of the pad with the bonding wire therethrough.

Abstract: A capacitive semiconductor sensor includes a sensor chip, a circuit chip, a plurality of bumps, and a plurality of dummy bumps. The sensor chip includes a dynamic quantity detector, which has a detection axis in one direction. The circuit chip includes a signal processing circuit. The sensor chip and the circuit chip are coupled by flip-chip bonding through the plurality of bumps. Furthermore, the sensor chip and the circuit chip are mechanically coupled through the plurality of dummy bumps.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensor chip having a movable portion on one surface, a circuit chip laminated with the sensor chip to be opposite to the movable portion of the sensor chip, and a bump located between the sensor chip and the circuit chip. In the sensor device, the sensor chip and the circuit chip are electrically connected through the bump, and the movable portion of the sensor chip is separated from the circuit chip by a space using the bump. Accordingly, it can effectively restrict parasitic capacity of an electric connecting portion between both the chips from being changed by an impact. For example, the sensor device can be used as an angular velocity sensor device having a vibrator as the movable portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capacitive semiconductor sensor includes: forming a plurality of circuit chips in a wafer, wherein each circuit chip includes a pad for testing a sensor chip; bonding the sensor chip on each circuit chip with a bump so that the sensor chip is electrically coupled with the circuit chip, wherein each sensor chip is made of semiconductor and has a capacitance changing portion, which is disposed on one side of the sensor chip and has a variable capacitance, wherein the circuit chip detects a capacitance change of the sensor chip, and wherein the one side of the sensor chip faces the circuit chip; testing each sensor chip through the pad; and cutting the wafer into individual circuit chips so that the circuit chip and the sensor chip provide the capacitive semiconductor sensor.

Abstract: A physical quantity sensor detects physical quantity. The sensor includes a plurality of springs, which have different spring constants, respectively. The sensor has a wide detection range of the physical quantity without assembling multiple sensors. Therefore, the sensor can be minimized. Further, since the sensor has an excellent linearity of the output characteristics, the sensor has a wide dynamic range and a high sensitivity.

Abstract: A sensor includes: a semiconductor chip having a sensing portion; a circuit chip; and first and second films. The sensing portion is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor chip. The first side of the semiconductor chip is electrically connected to the circuit chip through a bump. The first side of the semiconductor chip faces the circuit chip. The first film is disposed on the first side of the semiconductor chip. The first film covers the sensing portion, and is made of resin, and the second film is made of resin, and disposed on a second side of the semiconductor chip.

Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a semiconductor substrate and a pedestal member such as a glass pedestal. The semiconductor substrate has a diaphragm for detecting a pressure and a thick portion positioned around the diaphragm. The pedestal member has one surface bonded to the thick portion of the semiconductor substrate and the other surface opposite to the one surface. In the pressure sensor, the pedestal member has a through hole through which pressure is introduced to the diaphragm. The through hole penetrates through the pedestal member from an opening of the other surface to the one surface of the pedestal member, and the through hole has a hole diameter that becomes smaller from the one surface toward the other surface of the pedestal member. Accordingly, it can effectively restrict foreign materials such as dusts from being introduced into the through hole of the pressure sensor.

Abstract: A semiconductor sensor is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate, a sensing portion provided on the semiconductor substrate, and a pad in electrical communication with the sensing portion and provided on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor sensor also includes a bonding wire in electrical communication with the pad. Furthermore, the semiconductor sensor includes a cover member with a covering portion disposed over the semiconductor substrate for covering the sensing portion such that the covering portion is separated at a distance from the sensing portion. The cover member further includes a coupling portion provided on the semiconductor substrate at an area including the pad and for enabling electrical connection of the pad with the bonding wire therethrough.

Abstract: A capacitance type semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor includes a substrate having a support layer and a semiconductor layer mounted on the support layer, a weight portion displaceable in a predetermined direction, movable electrodes joined to the weight portion so as to be displaceable integrally with the weight portion, fixed electrodes disposed so as to confront the movable electrodes and beam-shaped beam portions that are deformable elastically to displace the weight portion. When a dynamic quantity is applied, the distance between each movable electrode and each fixed electrode being varied, and the applied dynamic quantity being detected on the basis of the capacitance variation between both the electrodes which is caused by the variation of this distance. The thickness h2 of the beam portion is set to be larger than the thickness h1 of the movable electrode.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor is formed on a top surface of a laminated silicon-on-insulator substrate. The acceleration sensor is composed of first and second capacitors each including a movable electrode that moves according to acceleration imposed thereon. The first and the second capacitors are so made that their capacitances change differently when the same acceleration is imposed and that the capacitance difference represents an amount of acceleration imposed thereon. A third capacitor having an output electrode solidly connected to the base substrate via the insulation layer is also formed on the same silicon-on-insulator substrate. An output representing amount of acceleration is taken out from the output electrode of the third capacitor.

Abstract: A capacitance type semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor includes a substrate having a support layer and a semiconductor layer mounted on the support layer, a weight portion displaceable in a predetermined direction, movable electrodes joined to the weight portion so as to be displaceable integrally with the weight portion, fixed electrodes disposed so as to confront the movable electrodes and beam-shaped beam portions that are deformable elastically to displace the weight portion. When a dynamic quantity is applied, the distance between each movable electrode and each fixed electrode being varied, and the applied dynamic quantity being detected on the basis of the capacitance variation between both the electrodes which is caused by the variation of this distance. The thickness h2 of the beam portion is set to be larger than the thickness h1 of the movable electrode.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensor chip having a movable portion on one surface, a circuit chip laminated with the sensor chip to be opposite to the movable portion of the sensor chip, and a bump located between the sensor chip and the circuit chip. In the sensor device, the sensor chip and the circuit chip are electrically connected through the bump, and the movable portion of the sensor chip is separated from the circuit chip by a space using the bump. Accordingly, it can effectively restrict parasitic capacity of an electric connecting portion between both the chips from being changed by an impact. For example, the sensor device can be used as an angular velocity sensor device having a vibrator as the movable portion.

Abstract: In a semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor, a mass serving as a weight portion for detecting application of a dynamic quantity is divided into three masses (301, 302, 303) in series. The masses (301, 302, 303) thus divided are connected to one another by connecting beams (CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4). The masses (301, 302, 303) located at both the end portions are supported through beams (B1, B2, B3, B4) by a semiconductor substrate (1) so as to be allowed to be displaced in the direction orthogonal to the connection direction of the masses. The center mass (302) connected to the masses (301, 302, 303) through the connecting beams (CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4) is allowed to be displaced only in the connecting direction of the masses by the connecting beams (CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4).

Abstract: In a semiconductor acceleration sensor (S1), above one side of a first silicon substrate (10) made of a semiconductor and serving as a fixed electrode (11), a moving electrode (20) made of a semiconductor and displaceable in the thickness direction of the first silicon substrate (10) is disposed apart from and facing the first silicon substrate (10). An applied acceleration is detected on the basis of capacitance changes between the moving electrode (20) and the face of the first silicon substrate (10) accompanying displacement of the moving electrode (20). A space and an electrically insulative insulating layer (13) having a relative permittivity larger than that of air are interposed between the moving electrode (20) and the face of the first silicon substrate (10), side by side in the direction in which the moving electrode (20) and the first silicon substrate (10) are apart.