Texas Instruments Incorporated
Photo-sensitive silicon package embedding self-powered electronic system

Abstract:

A self-powered electronic system comprises a first chip of single-crystalline semiconductor embedded in a second chip of single-crystalline semiconductor shaped as a container bordered by ridges. The assembled chips are nested and form an electronic device assembled, in turn, in a slab of weakly p-doped low-grade silicon shaped as a container bordered by ridges. The flat side of the slab includes a heavily n-doped region forming a pn-junction with the p-type bulk. A metal-filled deep silicon via through the p-type ridge connects the n-region with the terminal on the ridge surface as cathode of the photovoltaic cell with the p-region as anode. The voltage across the pn-junction serves as power source of the device.