Abstract:
In a process for manufacturing a SOI wafer, the following steps are envisaged: forming, in a monolithic body (20) of semiconductor material having a front face (20a), a buried cavity (27), which extends at a distance from the front face (20a) and delimits, with the front face (20a), a surface region (28) of the monolithic body (20), the surface region (28) being surrounded by a bulk region (21) and forming a flexible membrane suspended above the buried cavity (27); forming, through the monolithic body (20), at least one access passage (30; 40), which reaches the buried cavity (27); and filling the buried cavity (27) uniformly with an insulating region (35, 36). The surface region (28) is continuous and formed by a single portion of semiconductor material, and the buried cavity (27) is contained and completely insulated within the monolithic body (20); the step of forming at least one access passage (30; 40) is performed after the step of forming a buried cavity (27).
Abstract:
In a process for manufacturing an integrated differential pressure sensor, the steps of: forming, in a monolithic body (30) of semiconductor material having a first face (30a) and a second face (30b), a cavity (36) extending at a distance from the first face (30a) and delimiting therewith a flexible membrane (37); forming an access passage (42; 42, 44), in fluid communication with the cavity (36); and forming, in the flexible membrane (37), at least one transduction element (38, 72) configured so as to convert a deformation of the flexible membrane (37) into electrical signals. The cavity (36) is formed in a position set at a distance from the second face (30b) and delimits, together with the second face (30b), a portion of the monolithic body (30). In order to form the access passage (42; 42, 44), the monolithic body (30) is etched so as to form an access trench (42) extending through it.
Abstract:
The process comprises the steps of forming, on a monocrystalline-silicon body (11), an etching-aid region (13) of polycrystalline silicon; forming, on the etching-aid region (13), a nucleus region (17) of polycrystalline silicon, surrounded by a protective structure (26) having an opening (22') extending as far as the etching-aid region (13); TMAH-etching the etching-aid region (13) and the monocrystalline body (11), forming a tub shaped cavity (30); removing the top layer (19) of the protective structure (26); and growing an epitaxial layer (33) on the monocrystalline body (11) and the nucleus region (17). The epitaxial layer, of monocrystalline type (33a) on the monocrystalline body (11) and of polycrystalline type (33b) on the nucleus region (17), closes upwardly the etching opening (22'), and the cavity (30) is thus completely embedded in the resulting wafer (34).
Abstract:
For manufacturing an SOI substrate, the following steps are carried out: providing a wafer (1) of semiconductor material; forming, inside the wafer, a plurality of passages forming a labyrinthine cavity (9) and laterally delimiting a plurality of pillars of semiconductor material (10); and oxidizing the pillars of semiconductor material to form a buried insulating layer. For forming the labyrinthine cavity, a trench is first formed in a substrate (2); an epitaxial layer (11) is grown, which closes the trench at the top; the wafer is annealed so as to deform the pillars and cause them to assume a minimum-energy handlebar-like shape; and a peripheral portion of the wafer is removed to reach the labyrinthine cavity, and side inlet openings (13a) are formed in the labyrinthine cavity. Oxidation is performed by feeding an oxidizing fluid through the side inlet openings (13a).
Abstract:
A process for manufacturing an SOI wafer, including the steps of: forming, in a wafer (1) of semiconductor material, cavities (8; 19) delimiting structures (7; 17) of semiconductor material; thinning out the structures (7) through a thermal process; and completely oxidizing the structures (7).
Abstract:
Method for manufacturing electromagnetic radiation reflecting devices (23), said method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a silicon substrate (1) defined by at least one first free surface (2), b) forming on said first surface a layer of protective material provided with an opening which exposes a region of the first free surface (2), c)etching the region of the free surface (2) by means of an anisotropic agent to remove at least one portion of the substrate and define a second free surface (16) of the substrate inclined in relation to said first surface. Furthermore, said first free surface (2) is parallel to the crystalline planes {110} of silicon substrate and said step c) comprises a progressing step of the anisotropic agent such that the second free surface (16) resulting from the etching step is parallel to the planes {100} of said substrate (1).
Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer including SOI-insulation wells envisages forming, in a die region (5; 105) of a semiconductor body (2, 17; 102, 117), buried cavities (20, 21, 22; 110', 111', 112') and semiconductor structural elements (13', 14', 15'; 113', 114', 115'), which traverse the buried cavities and are distributed in the die region (5; 105). The process moreover includes the step of oxidizing selectively first adjacent semiconductor structural elements (13'; 113'), arranged inside a closed region (6; 106), and preventing oxidation of second semiconductor structural elements (14'; 114') outside the closed region (6; 106), so as to form a die buried dielectric layer (29; 129) selectively inside the closed region (6; 106).
Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a suspended structure (20) of semiconductor material envisages the steps of: providing a monolithic body (10) of semiconductor material having a front face (10a); forming a buried cavity (17) within the monolithic body (10), extending at a distance from the front face (10a) and delimiting, with the front face (10a), a surface region (18) of the monolithic body (10), said surface region (18) having a first thickness (w 1 ); carrying out a thickening thermal treatment such as to cause a migration of semiconductor material of the monolithic body (10) towards the surface region (18) and thus form a suspended structure (20) above the buried cavity (17), the suspended structure (20) having a second thickness (w 2 ) greater than the first thickness (w 1 ). The thickening thermal treatment is an annealing treatment.