Infrared sensor structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11378459-B2
Application number	US-201816961955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2018
Priority date	Mar 20, 2018
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses an infrared sensor structure, comprises a cantilever switch array, the cantilever switch array comprises cantilever switches, and each cantilever switch comprises a cantilever beam and a switch corresponding to the cantilever beam, vertical heights from the cantilever beams to the switches in different cantilever switches are different from each other, when the cantilever beams are deformed towards the switches and connect to the switches, the switches turn on; wherein, deformations of different cantilever beams produced by absorbing infrared signal are different from each other, the intensity of the infrared signal can be quantified by number of the switches on, so as to realize detection of the infrared signal. The manufacturing of the infrared sensor structure in the present disclosure can be compatible with the existing semiconductor CMOS process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An infrared sensor structure, comprises a cantilever switch array, the cantilever switch array comprises cantilever switches, and each cantilever switch comprises a cantilever beam and a switch corresponding to the cantilever beam, vertical heights from the cantilever beams to the switches in different cantilever switches are different from each other, wherein the cantilever beams are configured to turn the switches on when the cantilever beams deform and connect to the switches; wherein, deformations of different cantilever beams produced by absorbing infrared radiation corresponding to an infrared signal are different from each other, the intensity of the infrared signal can be quantified by number of the switches turned on; wherein in the cantilever switch array, the vertical heights from the cantilever beams to the corresponding switches are set to increase or decrease successively.

2. The infrared sensor structure of claim 1 , wherein the switch is a metal switch or a CMOS switch, and the end of the cantilever beam comprises a metal for controlling the switch.

3. The infrared sensor structure of claim 1 , wherein the cantilever switch array is built on a semiconductor substrate, the switch is set on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and each cantilever beam is horizontally connected to side of a supporting column arranged on the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

4. The infrared sensor structure of claim 3 , wherein the cantilever beam comprises a metal layer, and the metal layer is separated from the switch, a pressure-controlled heat sink is set on the semiconductor substrate, the pressure-controlled heat sink is connected to the metal layer and controlled by a voltage for dissipating heat generated on the cantilever beam.

5. The infrared sensor structure of claim 3 , wherein the material of the supporting column is a dielectric material.

6. The infrared sensor structure of claim 1 , wherein the cantilever beam comprises a thermal isolating layer, wherein the thermal isolating layer is set between one end of the cantilever beam and a supporting column, and the thermal isolating layer is also set between the other end of the cantilever beam and the switch.

7. The infrared sensor structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure of the cantilever beam is laminated structure, and the cantilever beam comprises an infrared absorptive layer, a first thermal deformed layer and a second thermal deformed layer; wherein, the width of the infrared absorptive layer is larger than the width of either the first thermal deformed layer or the second thermal deformed layer.

8. The infrared sensor structure of claim 7 , wherein in the cantilever switch array, the material of the infrared absorptive layer is a dielectric material; the materials of the first thermal deformed layer and the second thermal deformed layer in same cantilever beam are thermal sensitive materials with different thermal expansion coefficients; the thermal expansion coefficients of the first thermal deformed layers in different cantilever beams are different, and the thermal expansion coefficients of the second thermal deformed layers in different cantilever beams are different.

9. The infrared sensor structure of claim 1 , wherein in the cantilever switch array, when the vertical heights from the cantilever beams to the corresponding switches are set to increase successively, the thermal expansion coefficients of the materials of the cantilever beams increase successively; when the vertical heights from the cantilever beams to the corresponding switches are set to decrease successively, the thermal expansion coefficients of the materials of the cantilever beams decrease successively.

Assignees

• Shanghai Ic R&D Ct Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Xiaoxu

Classifications

• H10F77/60

  Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or compensating for temperature fluctuations · CPC title

• H10F30/21

  the devices being sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• G01J5/00 Primary

  Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry · CPC title

• G01J5/0853

  having infrared absorbers other than the usual absorber layers deposited on infrared detectors like bolometers, wherein the heat propagation between the absorber and the detecting element occurs within a solid · CPC title

• G01J5/024 Primary

  Special manufacturing steps or sacrificial layers or layer structures · CPC title