US 12,422,314 B2
Input structures that include slots that create a stress concentration region in a substrate for strain detection by a sensor
Bryan Low, Mountain View, CA (US); Julius Minglin Tsai, San Jose, CA (US); and Ali Foughi, Atherton, CA (US)
Assigned to Qorvo US, Inc., Greensboro, NC (US)
Filed by Qorvo US, Inc., Greensboro, NC (US)
Filed on Oct. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/959,821.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/253,658, filed on Oct. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0127077 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. G01L 1/00 (2006.01); G06F 3/041 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 1/005 (2013.01) [G06F 3/0414 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor module, comprising:
a substrate;
a sensor operably attached to the substrate, wherein the sensor is operable to detect a strain on the substrate;
a first slot formed in the substrate such that first peripheral edges of the first slot are defined by the substrate and the first peripheral edges are bound to a first space defined by the first slot, the first peripheral edges having a first long edge and a first short edge that intersect one another, the first long edge being longer than the first short edge; and
a second slot formed in the substrate such that second peripheral edges of the second slot are defined by the substrate and the second peripheral edges are bound to a second space defined by the second slot, the second peripheral edges having a second long edge and a second short edge that intersect one another, the second long edge being longer than the second short edge, wherein:
at least one of the first slot or the second slot is arranged along axis extending through a centerline of the sensor, wherein the axis is arranged such that one of the following is true:
the axis orthogonally intersects both the first short edge and the second short edge so at to extend through both the first space of the first slot and the second space of the second slot; and
the axis is a coincident line with at least one peripheral edge of the at least one of the first slot or the second slot, the at least one peripheral edge being at least one of the first peripheral edges and the second peripheral edges; and
the first slot and the second slot are configured to create a stress concentration region on the substrate to concentrate strain in proximity to the sensor.