Abstract:
The manufacture process comprises: forming a first wafer (20) of semiconductor material housing integrated electronic components forming a microactuator control circuit and a signal preamplification circuit (22); forming microactuators (10), each comprising a rotor (52) and a stator (51), in a surface portion of a second wafer (28) of semiconductor material; attaching the second wafer (28) to the first wafer (20), with the surface portion of the second wafer facing the first wafer; thinning the second wafer (28); attaching the second wafer (28) to a third wafer (75) to obtain a composite wafer (78); thinning the first wafer (20); cutting the composite wafer (78) into a plurality of dice (77) connected to a protection chip (75'); removing the protection chip (75'); attaching read/write transducers (6) to the dice (77); and attaching the dice to supporting blocks (3) for hard-disk drivers (1).
Abstract:
Integrated gyroscope (1) including a suspended mass (10); mobile actuation electrodes (11) extending from the suspended mass; and a sensing mass (6) connected to the actuation mass (10) through coupling springs (25). The suspended mass (10) is formed by an external part (10a) and an internal part (10b), electrically separated by an electrical-insulation region (23) having a closed annular shape. The electrical-insulation region (23) is laterally completely surrounded by the external part (10a) and by the internal part (10, 10b). In one embodiment, the suspended mass (10) has the shape of a closed frame delimiting an opening (18), the sensing mass (20) is formed inside the opening (18) and is connected to the internal part (10b), and the mobile actuation electrodes (11) are connected to the external part (10a).
Abstract:
The process for assembling a microactuator (10) on a R/W transducer (6) comprises the steps of: forming a first wafer (11) of semiconductor material comprising a plurality of microactuators (10) including suspended regions (15) and fixed regions (22) separated from each other by first trenches (24); forming a second wafer (25) of semiconductor material comprising blocking regions (27, 27') connecting mobile (29') and fixed (29") intermediate regions separated from each other by second trenches (33a); bonding the two wafers (11, 25) so as to form a composite wafer (39) wherein the suspended regions (15) of the first wafer (11) are connected to the mobile intermediate regions (29') of the second wafer (25), and the fixed regions (22) of the first wafer are connected to the fixed intermediate regions (29") of the second wafer; cutting the composite wafer (39) into a plurality of units (41); fixing the mobile intermediate region (29') of each unit (41) to a respective R/W transducer (6); and removing the blocking regions (27'). The blocking regions (27') are made of silicon oxide, and the intermediate regions are made of polycrystalline silicon.
Abstract:
The microstructure (77), of semiconductor material, includes a micromotor (10) and an encapsulation structure (81). The micromotor (10) is externally delimited by a first and a second faces (36, 37), opposed to one another, and by a side delimitation trench (58). The encapsulation structure (81) surrounds the micromotor (10) and has a bottom portion (29a, 29b) facing the second face (37) of the micromotor, and an outer lateral portion (82) facing the side delimitation trench (58). An outer separation trench (30b) extends through the bottom portion (29a, 29b) of the encapsulation structure (81), separates a mobile region (29b) from the external side portion (82), and defines, together with the side delimitation trench (58), a labyrinthic path for contaminating particles. A sealing ring (64a) extends on the bottom portion (29a, 29b) of the encapsulation structure (81) around an inner separation trench (30a) separating the mobile region (29b) from a fixed central region and closes a gap between the bottom portion (29a, 29b) and a mobile component (6) connected to the mobile region (29b) of the encapsulation structure (81).
Abstract:
The microactuator (9) is attached to a first face (43) of a coupling (8) formed on a suspension (5), so that the R/W transducer (6) projects from the opposite face (44). A hole (41; 56) in the coupling (8) permits passage of an adhesive mass (42) interposed between the rotor (11) of the microactuator (9) and the R/W transducer (6). A strip (40) of adhesive material extends between the die (25) accommodating the microactuator (9) and the coupling (8), and externally surrounds the microactuator (9). The coupling (8) acts as a protective shield for the microactuator (9), both mechanically and electrically; it covers the microactuator (9) at the front, and prevents foreign particles from blocking the microactuator (9); in addition it electrically insulates the R/W transducer (6), sensitive to magnetic fields, from regions of the microactuator biased to a high voltage. With the gimbal (8), the strip (40) forms a sealing structure, which in practice surrounds the microactuator (9) on all sides.
Abstract:
In a data-input device (4) an actuator element (6) that can be manually actuated, and a sensor (9) mechanically coupled to the actuator element (6). The sensor (9) is formed in a body (10) of semiconductor material housing a first sensitive element (11), which detects the actuation of the actuator element (6) and generates electrical control signals. The first sensitive element (11) is a microelectromechanical pressure sensor, formed by: a cavity (24) made within the body (10); a diaphragm (25) made in a surface portion of the body (10) and suspended above the cavity (24); and piezoresistive transducer elements (26) integrated in peripheral surface portions of the diaphragm (25) in order to detect its deformations upon actuation of the actuator element (6).