Abstract:
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a MEMS device, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a MEMS device, having mechanical structures encapsulated in a chamber prior to final packaging. The material that encapsulates the mechanical structures, when deposited, includes one or more of the following attributes: low tensile stress, good step coverage, maintains its integrity when subjected to subsequent processing, does not significantly and/or adversely impact the performance characteristics of the mechanical structures in the chamber (if coated with the material during deposition), and/or facilitates integration with high-performance integrated circuits. In one embodiment, the material that encapsulates the mechanical structures is, for example, silicon (polycrystalline, amorphous or porous, whether doped or undoped), silicon carbide, silicon-germanium, germanium, or gallium-arsenide.
Abstract:
This invention discloses a process for forming durable anti-stiction surfaces on micromachined structures while they are still in wafer form (i.e., before they are separated into discrete devices for assembly into packages). This process involves the vapor deposition of a material to create a low stiction surface. It also discloses chemicals which are effective in imparting an anti-stiction property to the chip. These include polyphenylsiloxanes, silanol terminated phenylsiloxanes and similar materials.
Abstract:
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a MEMS device, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a MEMS device, having mechanical structures encapsulated in a chamber prior to final packaging and a contact area disposed at least partially outside the chamber. The contact area is electrically isolated from nearby electrically conducting regions by way of dielectric isolation trench that is disposed around the contact area. The material that encapsulates the mechanical structures, when deposited, includes one or more of the following attributes: low tensile stress, good step coverage, maintains its integrity when subjected to subsequent processing, does not significantly and/or adversely impact the performance characteristics of the mechanical structures in the chamber (if coated with the material during deposition), and/or facilitates integration with high-performance integrated circuits. In one embodiment, the material that encapsulates the mechanical structures is, for example, silicon (polycrystalline, amorphous or porous, whether doped or undoped), silicon carbide, silicon-germanium, germanium, or gallium-arsenide.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a method of improving the adhesion of a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer (SAM) coating to a surface of a MEMS structure, for the purpose of preventing stiction. The method comprises pretreating surfaces of the MEMS structure with a plasma generated from a source gas comprising oxygen and, optionally, hydrogen. The treatment oxidizes the surfaces, which are then reacted with hydrogen to form bonded OH groups on the surfaces. The hydrogen source may be present as part of the plasma source gas, so that the bonded OH groups are created during treatment of the surfaces with the plasma. Also disclosed herein is an integrated method for release and passivation of MEMS structures.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to the use of deposited thin films for chemical or biological analysis. The invention further relates to the use of these thin films in separation adherence and detection of chemical of biological samples. Applications of these thin films include desorption-ionization mass spectroscopy, electrical contacts for organic thin films and molecules, optical coupling of light energy for analysis, biological materials manipulation, chromatographic separation, head space adsorbance media, media for atomic molecular adsorbance or attachment, and substrates for cell attachment.
Abstract:
An optical scanning device, which is a MEMS element, includes a first insulating layer, a first semiconductor layer, a second insulating layer, and a second semiconductor layer that are laminated in this order, a first doped region formed at an interface between the first insulating layer and the first semiconductor layer, a second doped region formed at an interface between the first semiconductor layer and the second insulating layer, and a first wiring portion and a second wiring portion disposed on the first insulating layer apart from each other. The first doped region and the second doped region are electrically connected in parallel between the first wiring portion and the second wiring portion.
Abstract:
An ultrasound transducer device made by a process that includes the steps of forming depositing a first layer on a substrate, depositing a second layer on the first layer, patterning the second layer at a region corresponding to a location of a transducer cavity, depositing a third layer that refills regions created by patterning the second layer, planarizing the third layer to a top surface of the second layer, removing the second layer, conformally depositing a fourth layer over the first layer and the third layer, defining the transducer cavity in a support layer formed over the fourth layer; and bonding a membrane to the support layer.
Abstract:
A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device involves depositing a first layer on a substrate, depositing a second layer on the first layer, patterning the second layer at a region corresponding to a location of a transducer cavity, depositing a third layer that refills regions created by patterning the second layer, planarizing the third layer to a top surface of the second layer, removing the second layer, conformally depositing a fourth layer over the first layer and the third layer, defining the transducer cavity in a support layer formed over the fourth layer; and bonding a membrane to the support layer.
Abstract:
The invention is a process for producing an electromechanical device including a movable portion that is able to deform with respect to a fixed portion. The process implements steps based on fabrication microtechnologies, applied to a substrate including an upper layer, an intermediate layer and a lower layer. These steps are: a) forming first apertures in the upper layer; b) forming an empty cavity in the intermediate layer, which step is referred to as a pre-release step because a central portion of the upper layer lying between the first apertures is pre-released; c) applying what is called a blocking layer to the upper layer, this layer covering the first apertures, the blocking layer and the central portion together forming a suspended microstructure above the empty cavity; d) producing a boundary trench in the suspended microstructure, so as to form, in this microstructure, a movable portion and a fixed portion, the movable portion forming a movable member of the electromechanical device.
Abstract:
Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method includes forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) beam structure by venting both tungsten material and silicon material above and below the MEMS beam to form an upper cavity above the MEMS beam and a lower cavity structure below the MEMS beam.