Sensing environmental parameter through stress induced in IC

摘要

A sensor is provided for sensing a value of a physical parameter characteristic of the sensor's environment. The sensor is implemented in semiconductor technology. A behavior of the sensor's electronic circuitry is affected by stress. The stress is induced by a film covering the circuitry or only part thereof. The stress is caused by the film's material, whose dimensions depend on a value of the parameter. This dependence is different from the 5 dependence of the circuitry's substrate on the same parameter.

主权项

1. A device comprising a sensor for sensing a value of a physical parameter indicative of an environment of the sensor, wherein:
the sensor comprises an integrated electronic circuit that includes a functional component of the integrated electronic circuit; the sensor comprises means for affecting a magnitude of a global strain in a substrate of the integrated electronic circuit in dependence on the value of the physical parameter; the means comprises a layer structurally coupled with the integrated electronic circuit and having a first coefficient of expansion with a first dependence on the physical parameter; a second coefficient of expansion of the substrate has a second dependence on the physical parameter; the first dependence is different from the second dependence; the global strain determines an electrical property of the functional component of the integrated electronic circuit; the integrated electronic circuit is operative to generate an output signal representative of the electrical property; and the layer is operative to induce the global strain in the substrate the device further comprising: a pre-metal dielectric layer formed over the substrate, over the functional component of the integrated electronic circuit, and over the layer; metal contacts, formed on top of the pre-metal dielectric layer, which provide electrical connections to the functional component of the integrated electronic circuit; and one or more features through the pre-metal dielectric layer to the layer so as to give the environment access to the layer.