The present application claims the priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 201010200715.3, entitled “Gyroscope and method for manufacturing the same”, and filed on Jun. 11, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing technology, and particularly relates to a gyroscope and method of fabricating the same.
A gyroscope can accurately determine the position of a moving object, and is widely used in modern aviation, navigation, aerospace and national defense industry as an inertial navigation device. The development of gyroscope is very important to the industry, national defense and other high-tech industries of a country. A traditional gyroscope mainly refers to a mechanical inertial gyroscope, which is complex and has high requirements on the process, so the accuracy is affected by many factors.
As shown in
The magnitude of the rotary angular speed subjected by gyroscope may be obtained by measuring the change of the capacitance values. Besides, US patent No.005747690A also discloses a vibratory micro-gyroscope.
The higher the quality of the inertia mass block of the gyroscope described above, the greater the inertia, and the stability and anti-environmental noise capability of the gyroscope. However, because of the limitation of the semiconductor manufacturing technology, it is unable to integrate a gyroscope with a high-quality inertia mass block into an integrated circuit.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gyroscope, for improving stability and anti-environmental noise capability.
To achieve the project, the present invention provides a gyroscope which comprises a substrate, a dielectric insulating layer, a supporting ring, a ring-typed planar inertia, plural suspending arms, plural elastic components, plural top driving electrodes, and plural conductive plugs. The substrate comprises plural bottom driving electrodes and plural bottom measuring electrodes around the bottom driving electrodes. The dielectric insulating layer is arranged on the substrate and comprises a closed cavity which comprises a supporting hub arranged on the substrate. The supporting ring is arranged on the substrate and can rotate around the supporting hub. The ring-typed planar inertia is around and has the same central axis with the supporting ring. The suspending arms connect the supporting ring with the ring-typed planar inertia. The ring-typed planar inertia is suspended in the closed cavity and supported by the suspending arms. The elastic components are surrounded by the supporting ring, the ring-typed planar inertia and two adjacent suspending arms. The top driving electrodes cover the supporting ring, the ring-typed planar inertia, the suspending arms and the elastic components. The conductive plugs connect the top driving electrodes to the bottom driving electrodes. The ring-typed planar inertia comprises a first insulating layer and a weighting layer under the first insulating layer.
Optionally, the weighting layer is ring-typed.
Optionally, the weighting layer comprises a plurality of weighting columns distributed symmetrically on a ring.
Optionally, the weight of the weighting layer is greater than the weight of the first insulating layer.
Optionally, the weighting layer is made of tungsten.
Optionally, the conductive plugs are made of tungsten.
Optionally, the supporting ring comprises a supporting layer which is made of the same material with the weighting layer and a second insulating layer at the top of the supporting layer. The second insulating layer and the first insulating layer are in the same plane.
Optionally, the suspending arms are extended outwardly with equal altitude and in radial direction from the supporting ring, and suspended in the closed cavity.
Optionally, one end of every elastic component connects to an adjacent suspending arm, and the other end connects to a conductive plug.
Optionally, the ring-typed planar inertia has the supporting hub as center, connects to free ends of the suspending arms, and is suspended over the bottom measuring electrodes in the closed cavity supported by the suspending arms.
Optionally, the top driving electrodes cover the supporting ring, the ring-typed planar inertia, the suspending arms and the elastic components. The top driving electrodes which are at the top of the supporting ring and the ring-typed planar inertia comprise four insulating parts, and connect to the bottom driving electrodes through the conductive plugs.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of fabricating the gyroscope described above. The method is described as follows.
Providing a substrate. The substrate comprises plural bottom driving electrodes and plural bottom measuring electrodes. A first dielectric insulating layer is at the top of the substrate and comprises a ring-typed groove. A first part of a supporting hub is at the center of the ring-typed groove. Plural columned bodies are inside the ring-typed groove and at the top of the bottom driving electrodes.
Depositing the ring-typed groove with a first sacrificial material until the top of the first sacrificial material and the columned bodies are in the same plane.
Etching the first sacrificial material to form a first groove and a second groove inside the first sacrificial material. The first groove is arranged over the ring formed by the bottom driving electrodes. The second groove is arranged between the columned bodies and the first part of the supporting hub.
Etching the columned bodies to form through vias which expose the bottom driving electrodes.
Depositing the first groove to form a weighting layer of a ring-typed planar inertia, depositing the second groove to form a first part of a supporting ring, and depositing the through vias to form conductive plugs.
Providing a first insulating layer on the supporting ring and the weighting layer. The first insulating layer and the weighting layer constitute the ring-typed planar inertia. The first insulating layer and the first part of the supporting layer constitute the supporting layer.
Providing at least a suspending arm which connects the ring-typed planar inertia with the supporting ring. The suspending arms are extended outwardly with equal altitude in radical direction by taking the supporting hub as center. Provide elastic components between the ring-typed planar inertia and the supporting ring.
Providing top driving electrodes at the top of the ring-typed planar inertia, suspending arms, conductive plugs and the elastic components.
Providing a second part of the supporting hub on the first part of the supporting hub. The first part and the second part of the supporting hub constitute the supporting hub. Provide a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer.
Providing a second sacrificial material at the top the first sacrificial material and the top driving electrodes.
Providing a third dielectric insulating layer at the top of the second sacrificial material and the supporting ring. The third dielectric insulating layer comprises openings.
Removing the first and second sacrificial material by utilizing the openings, and providing a fourth dielectric insulating layer at the top of the third dielectric insulating layer to form a closed cavity.
Optionally, the first groove is ring-typed.
Optionally, the first groove comprises a plurality of grooves symmetrically distributed on a ring.
Optionally, the weighting layer is made of tungsten.
Optionally, depositing the first groove to form the weighting layer, depositing the second groove to form the first part of the supporting ring and depositing the vias to form the conductive plugs could be finished in one process.
Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows.
The gyroscope fabricated with the described method is closed in a closed cavity, whereby the stability is improved. A weighting layer is added to a planar inertia, thereby increasing the quality and inertia of the planar inertia. Furthermore, the supporting hub is closed, thereby improving the anti-environment noise capability of the gyroscope.
The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings wherein corresponding or like numerals and characters indicate corresponding or like components.
a shows a cross section view taken along A-A′ of
b shows a cross section view taken along B-B′ of
c shows a cross section view taken along C-C′ of
According to the prior art, every gyroscope provides a planar inertia. The higher the quality of the planar inertia, the greater the inertia, and the stability and anti-environmental noise capability of the gyroscope. However, because of the limitation of the semiconductor manufacturing technology, it is unable to integrate a gyroscope with a high quality planar inertia into an integrated circuit.
The present invention provides a gyroscope which comprises a substrate, a dielectric insulating layer, a supporting ring, a ring-typed planar inertia, plural suspending arms, plural elastic components, plural top driving electrodes, and plural conductive plugs. The substrate comprises plural bottom driving electrodes and plural bottom measuring electrodes around the bottom driving electrodes. The dielectric insulating layer is arranged on the substrate and comprises a closed cavity which comprises a supporting hub arranged on the substrate. The supporting ring is arranged on the substrate and can rotate around the supporting hub. The ring-typed planar inertia is around and has the same central axis with the supporting ring. The suspending arms connect the supporting ring with the ring-typed planar inertia. The ring-typed planar inertia is suspended in the closed cavity and supported by the suspending arms. The elastic components are surrounded by the supporting ring, the ring-typed planar inertia and two adjacent suspending arms. The top driving electrodes cover the supporting ring, the ring-typed planar inertia, the suspending arms and the elastic components. The conductive plugs connect the top driving electrodes to the bottom driving electrodes. The ring-typed planar inertia comprises a first insulating layer and a weighting layer under the first insulating layer.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of fabricating the gyroscope described above. The method is described as follows.
Providing a substrate. The substrate comprises plural bottom driving electrodes and plural bottom measuring electrodes. A first dielectric insulating layer is at the top of the substrate and comprises a ring-typed groove. A first part of a supporting hub is at the center of the ring-typed groove. Plural columned bodies are inside the ring-typed groove and at the top of the bottom driving electrodes.
Depositing the ring-typed groove with a first sacrificial material until the top of the first sacrificial material and the columned bodies are in the same plane.
Etching the first sacrificial material to form a first groove and a second groove inside the first sacrificial material. The first groove is arranged over the ring formed by the bottom driving electrodes. The second groove is between the columned bodies and the first part of the supporting hub.
Etching the columned bodies to form through vias which expose the bottom driving electrodes.
Depositing the first groove to form a weighting layer of a ring-typed planar inertia, depositing the second groove to form a first part of a supporting ring, and depositing the through vias to form conductive plugs.
Providing a first insulating layer on the supporting ring and the weighting layer. The first insulating layer and the weighting layer constitute the ring-typed planar inertia. The first insulating layer and the first part of the supporting layer constitute the supporting ring.
Providing at least a suspending arm which connects the ring-typed planar inertia and the supporting ring. The suspending arms are extended outwardly with equal altitude in radical direction by taking the supporting hub as center. Provide elastic components between the ring-typed planar inertia and the supporting ring.
Providing top driving electrodes at the top of the ring-typed planar inertia, suspending arms, conductive plugs and the elastic components.
Providing a second part of the supporting hub on the first part of the supporting hub. The first part and the second part of the supporting hub constitute the supporting hub. Provide a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer.
Providing a second sacrificial material at the top the first sacrificial material and the top driving electrodes.
Providing a third dielectric insulating layer at the top of the second sacrificial material and the supporting ring. The third dielectric insulating layer comprises openings.
Removing the first and second sacrificial material by utilizing the openings, and providing a fourth dielectric insulating layer at the top of the third dielectric insulating layer to form a closed cavity.
Compared with the prior art, the gyroscope fabricated with the described method is closed in a closed cavity, whereby the stability is improved. A weighting layer is added to a planar inertia, thereby increasing the quality and inertia of the planar inertia. Furthermore, the supporting hub is closed, thereby improving the anti-environment noise capability of the gyroscope.
In order to illustrate the spirit of the present invention more clearly, a detailed description of the preferred embodiments are as follows, taken in conjunction with the figures wherein corresponding or like numerals and characters indicate corresponding or like components. Furthermore, the cross section views showing the structures of a gyroscope will be disproportionately magnified on the purpose of illustrating more clearly. The preferred embodiments should not limit the protection scope of this invention. Besides, the real length, width and depth should be considered in manufacture.
The gyroscope further comprises plural bottom driving electrodes 110, plural bottom measuring electrodes 120 and plural top driving electrodes 190. The bottom driving electrodes 110 and bottom measuring electrodes 120 are arranged in the substrate. The bottom driving electrodes 110 are distributed on a first ring 112 having the supporting hub 140 as center, and the bottom measuring electrodes 120 are distributed on a second ring 122 having the supporting hub 140 as center. The semidiameter of the second ring 122 is larger than the semidiameter of the first ring 112. The top driving electrodes 190 cover the ring-typed planar inertia 170, the suspending arms 160, the supporting rings 150 and plural elastic components 180, wherein the top driving electrodes 190 cover the ring-typed planar inertia 170 and the supporting rings 150 extend horizontally toward two sides by taking the suspending arms 160 as center, and are insulated to each other. The top driving electrodes 190 are connected to the bottom driving electrodes 110 through the conductive plugs 200 which is arranged on the free end of the elastic components 180.
The supporting hub according to this embodiment is closed, thereby improving the stability and anti-environment noise capability.
According to this embodiment, four suspending arms are symmetrically (with equal angles therebetween) arranged in four radial directions, thereby improving the balance of the gyroscope. In each fan-shaped region formed by two adjacent suspending arms 160 and the planar inertia 170, an elastic component 180 and a bottom driving electrode 110 are provided. In the substrate corresponding to the part of the planar inertia 170 between two adjacent suspending arms 160, three independent bottom measuring electrodes 120 are provided.
a shows the cross section view along A-A′,
According to this embodiment, the dielectric insulating layer 105 is made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
The supporting hub in this embodiment is of laminated structure, but it may be of single-layer structure in other embodiments. The supporting hub is cylindrical in shape.
According to this embodiment, the supporting ring 150 may be of laminated or single-layer structure. When the supporting ring 150 is of laminated structure, the supporting ring 150 comprises a first metallic layer 1501 and a first insulating layer 1701. The first metallic layer 1501 is made of tungsten, and the first insulating layer 1701 is made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
According to this embodiment, the suspending arms comprise an insulating layer which is fixed on the first insulating layer 1701 of the supporting ring 150.
According to this embodiment, the ring-typed planar inertia 170 comprises a weighting layer 1702 and the first insulating layer 1701 which is at the top of the weighting layer 1702. The weighting layer 1702 could be a continuous ring or independent parts distributed on the ring of the first insulating layer 1701. The depth of the weighting layer 1702 could be 1 μm-3 μm, and the width along the radial direction could be 0.3 μm-2 μm. The width of the weighting layer 1702 could larger or smaller than the width of the first insulating layer 1701. The weighting layer 1702 could be made of the same material with the conductive plugs 200, and be manufactured in one process, thereby raising manufacture efficiency. Specifically, they could be made of any one or combination of tungsten, other metallic materials and non-metallic materials. Because of the weighting layer 1702 in the planar inertia 170, the inertia is increased, and the accuracy is improved. However, if the quality of the planar inertia is excessively large, the supporting ring and the suspending arms could be fractured. Preferably, the depth of the weighting layer 1702 is 1 μm-3 μm, and the width along the radial direction is 0.3 μm-2 μm. The supporting ring could be of laminated structure. The upper layer could be made of insulating materials, and the lower layer could be made of the same material with the weighting layer 1702. The width of the lower layer is 0.5 μm-10 μm, and the depth is 0.5 μm-20 μm. The width of the upper layer is 1 μm-10 μm, and the depth is 0.1 μm-3 μm. The suspending arms are made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride. The width of the suspending arms could be 1 μm-10 μm, and the depth is 0.1 μm-2 μm.
In this embodiment, the elastic components are springs. When the suspending arms 160 rotate around the supporting hub 140, the elastic components pull the suspending arms 160 to the opposite direction. The elastic components could be manufactured in the same process with the first insulating layer of the suspending arms, or it could be manufactured alone.
According to this embodiment, the weighting layer is added to a planar inertia, thereby increasing the quality and inertia of the planar inertia. Preferably, the weighting layer is made of tungsten having a high molecular weight, which enhances the effect. Besides, the process of manufacturing the weighting layer is compatible with manufacturing the conductive plugs and the metallic layer in the supporting ring, thereby simplifying the process. Furthermore, the supporting hub is closed, so the stability and anti-environment noise capability of the gyroscope are improved.
Correspondingly, the present invention further provides a method of fabricating the gyroscope described above.
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In other embodiments, the metallic layers in the first groove, the second groove and the through vias can be formed in different steps.
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b, 3c and 9 schematically show the structure formed by the step S60. Specifically, the step S60 and S50 could be finished at the same time. Suspending arms and elastic components could be formed by etching while etching the insulating layer. The suspending arms 160 are extended outwardly with equal altitude in radical direction by taking the supporting hub 150 as center. The suspending arms 160 connect the ring-typed planar inertia 170 to the supporting ring 150, and support the ring-typed planar inertia 170 suspending in the closed cavity 130. The planar inertia 170 is connected to the outside ends of the suspending arms 160 and having the supporting hub 140 as center. The elastic components 180 have the effect of recovery from stretching when the planar inertia 170 is rotating, and are distributed on a ring between the planar inertia and the supporting ring 150 having the supporting hub 140 as center. One end of every elastic component is connected to an adjacent suspending arm and the other end is free.
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According to method of fabricating a gyroscope in the present invention, after the formation of the first and second sacrificial materials, the gyroscope is fabricated in the first sacrificial material, the second sacrificial material and the substrate. Next, the third dielectric insulating layer with openings is provided at the top of the second sacrificial material, and the first and second sacrificial materials are removed by the openings. Next, the fourth dielectric insulating layer is provided at the top of the third dielectric insulating layer, and so far, the closed cavity is finished. The gyroscope fabricated in this method is closed in a closed cavity, and the stability and anti-environment noise capability are improved greatly.
Although the present invention has been disclosed as above with reference to preferred embodiments thereof but will not be limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can modify and vary the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention shall be defined in the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201010200715.3 | Jun 2010 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/CN11/70635 | 1/26/2011 | WO | 00 | 1/28/2013 |