Laminated semiconductor sensor with vibrating element

Patent 5060526 Issued on October 29, 1991. Estimated Expiration Date:

May 30, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Sensitive element for use in a strain sensor and a sensor comprising such an element
Patent #: 4498344
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Inventor: Dinger

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Patent #: 4594898
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Issued on: 03/21/1989
Inventor: Greenwood

Inventors

Assignee

Schlumberger Industries, Inc.

Application

No. 358771 filed on 05/30/1989

US Classes:

73/862.59, By measuring vibrations (e.g., resonant frequency)73/514.29, Having a vibrating element73/702, Vibration type73/778Vibratory element

Examiners

Primary: Woodiel, Donald O.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Asman; Sanford J.

Foreign Patent References

2121953 GB. 01/13/1984
2162314 GB. 01/13/1986
2183040 GB. 05/13/1987

International Class

G01L 001/10

Abstract

An electromechanical sensor is provided which comprises: a first silicon wafer which defines a resonant element; wherein the resonant element is doped with approximately the same impurity concentration as a background dopant concentration of the first wafer; and a second single crystal wafer which defines a device for coupling mechanical stress from the second wafer to the resonant element; wherein the first and second wafers are fusion bonded together.

Other References

Kyoichi Ikeda et al., "Silicon Pressure Sensor with Resonant Strain Gages Built Into Diaphragm", Technical Digest of 7th Sensor Symposium, 1988, pp. 55-58
Kyoichi Ikeda et al., "Three Dimensional Micromachining of Silicon Resonant Strain Gage", Technical Digest of 7th Sensor Symposium, 1988, pp. 193-196
Roger T. Howe, "Resonant Microsensors", Digest of Technical Papers, 4th Internat'l, Conference on Solid State Sensors and Actuators (Transducers '87) by Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, pp. 843-848
Roger T. Howe et al., "Resonant-Microbridge Vapor Sensor", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. ED-33, No. 4, Apr. 1986
R. T. Howe et al., "Frequency Response of Polycrystalline Silicon Microbridges", 1985 IEEE, pp. 101-104
J. C. Greenwood, "Etched Silicon Vibrating Sensor", Phys. E.: Sci Instrum., vol. 17, 1984, by The Institute of Physics, (Great Britain)
R. M. Langdon, "Resonant Sensors-A Review", J. Phys. E. Instrum., vol. 18, 1985 (Great Britain)
B. Hok, "Vibration Analysis of Microchemical Elements", Sensors and Actuators, 8 (1985), pp. 235-243
Harvey C. Nathanson et al., "The Resonant Gate Transistor", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. ED-14, No. 3, Mar. 1967, pp. 117-132
M. B. Othman et al., "Electrically Excited Silicon Beam Mechanical Resonators", Electronic Letters, 2nd Jul. 1987, vol. 23, No. 14
S. Middelhock et al., "Sensors with Digital Frequency Output", Sensors and Actuators, 15 (1988), pp. 119-133
H. C. Nathanson et al., "A Resonant-Gate Silicon Surface Transistor with High-Q Band-Pass Properties", Applied Physics Letters, vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 84-8