Thermoresistive Micro Sensor Device

Abstract

A thermoresistive micro sensor device includes a semiconductor chip; a through hole, which runs through the semiconductor chip from an upper side to a lower side; electrically conductive structures, wherein the middle section of each of the electrically conductive structures spans over the through hole at the upper side of the semiconductor chip; an electrically insulating arrangement for electrically insulating the electrically conductive structures and the semiconductor chip from each other, wherein the through hole runs through the electrically insulating arrangement; and a contact arrangement including contacts, wherein each of the contacts is electrically connected to one of the first end sections or one of the second end sections, so that electrical energy is fed to at least one of the electrically conductive structures to heat the respective electrically conductive structure, and so that an electrical resistance of one of the electrically conductive structures is measured at the contact arrangement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermoresistive micro sensor device for a mass flow meter for measuring a mass flow of a fluid or for a pressure meter for measuring a pressure in a fluid, the thermoresistive micro sensor device comprising:
 a semiconductor chip having an upper side and a lower side;   at least one through hole, which runs through the semiconductor chip from the upper side to the lower side;   one or more electrically conductive structures, wherein each of the electrically conductive structures comprises a first end section, a second end section and a middle section being arranged between the first end section and the second end section, wherein the first end section and the second end section of each of the electrically conductive structures are mounted to the semiconductor chip so that the middle section of each of the electrically conductive structures spans over the through hole at the upper side of the semiconductor chip;   an electrically insulating arrangement configured for electrically insulating the one or more electrically conductive structures and the semiconductor chip from each other, wherein the through hole runs through the electrically insulating arrangement; and   a contact arrangement comprising a plurality of contacts, wherein each of the plurality of contacts is electrically connected to one of the first end sections or to one of the second end sections, so that electrical energy, which is supplied to the contact arrangement, is fed to at least one of the electrically conductive structures in order to heat the respective electrically conductive structure, and so that an electrical resistance of one of the electrically conductive structures may be measured at the contact arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive structures comprise an electrically conductive heating and sensing structure, wherein the electrical energy from the contact arrangement is fed to the electrically conductive sensing and heating structure, and wherein the electrical resistance, which may be measured at the contact arrangement, is an electrical resistance of the electrically conductive heating and sensing structure. 
     
     
         3 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein in a top view a cross section of the through hole in the electrically insulating arrangement is smaller than a cross section of the through hole in the semiconductor chip. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first end section of one of the electrically conductive structures is connected to a first contact of the contact arrangement and to a second contact of the contact arrangement, and wherein the second end section of the one of the electrically conductive structures is connected to a third contact of the contact arrangement and to a fourth contact of the contact arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein in a top view a transverse width of the middle section of one of the electrically conductive structures increases from a central portion of the middle section to the first end section of the middle section and from the central portion to the second end section of the middle section. 
     
     
         6 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein in a top view the middle section of one of the electrically conductive structures comprises a plurality of electrically conductive substructures parallelly arranged to a direction from the first end section of the one of the electrically conductive structures to the second end section of the one of the electrically conductive structures, wherein the electrically conductive substructures are separated by one or more elongated openings. 
     
     
         7 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the middle section of the one of the electrically conductive structures comprises at least one electrically insulating support element, which mechanically connects at least some of the electrically conductive substructures, and which spans at least over one of the elongated openings at an angle to the direction from the first end section of the one of the electrically conductive structures to the second end section of the one of the electrically conductive structures. 
     
     
         8 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein in a top view the middle section of one of the electrically conductive structures comprises a frame-like portion having in a top view a frame-like shape. 
     
     
         9 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein in a top view the middle section of one of the electrically conductive structures comprises a perforated portion having in a top view a two-dimensional perforation comprising a plurality of through holes. 
     
     
         10 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive structures comprise a plurality of electrically conductive structures which are spaced in a horizontal direction apart from each other. ii. The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive structures comprise an electrically conductive heating structure and an electrically conductive sensing structure being different from the electrically conductive heating structure, wherein the electrical energy, which is supplied to the contact arrangement, is fed to the electrically conductive heating structure, and wherein the electrical resistance, which may be measured at the contact arrangement, is the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive sensing structure. 
     
     
         12 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein an electrostatic actuator is configured for electrostatically deflecting the electrically conductive heating structure and/or the electrically conductive sensing structure so that a distance between the electrically conductive heating structure and the electrically conductive sensing structure may be changed by applying a first voltage to the electrostatic actuator. 
     
     
         13 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein a piezoelectric actuator is configured for deflecting the electrically conductive heating structure and/or the electrically conductive sensing structure so that a distance between the electrically conductive heating structure and the electrically conductive sensing structure may be changed by applying a second voltage to the piezoelectric actuator. 
     
     
         14 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein a thermomechanical actuator is configured for deflecting the electrically conductive heating structure and/or the electrically conductive sensing structure so that a distance between the electrically conductive heating structure and the electrically conductive sensing structure may be changed by applying a current to the thermomechanical actuator. 
     
     
         15 . The thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive structures comprise a plurality of electrically conductive structures which are spaced in a vertical direction apart from each other. 
     
     
         16 . A mass flow meter for measuring a mass flow of a fluid, the mass flow meter comprising:
 a thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 ;   an electrical energy supply unit for supplying the electrical energy to the contact arrangement; and   a measuring unit for measuring the electrical resistance at the contact arrangement;   wherein the measuring unit is configured for measuring the mass flow of the fluid flowing through the through hole depending on the electrical resistance.   
     
     
         17 . A pressure meter for measuring a pressure in a fluid, the pressure meter comprising:
 a thermoresistive micro sensor device according to  claim 1 :   an electrical energy supply unit for supplying the electrical energy to the contact arrangement; and   a measuring unit for measuring the electrical resistance at the contact arrangement;   wherein the measuring unit is configured for measuring the pressure of the fluid at the through hole depending on the electrical resistance.