Abstract:
Systems and methods for manufacturing a chip comprising a plurality of MEMS devices arranged in an integrated circuit are provided. In one aspect, the systems and methods provide for a chip including electronic elements formed on a semiconductor material substrate. The chip further includes a stack of interconnection layers including layers of conductor material separated by layers of dielectric material. MEMS devices are formed within the stack of interconnection layers by applying gaseous HF to a first layer of dielectric material positioned highest in the stack of interconnection layers. The stack of interconnection layers includes at least one unetched layer of dielectric material, and at least one layer of conductor material for routing connections to and from the electronic elements.
Abstract:
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) solar cell device. The MEMS solar cell device includes a substrate, a sensing membrane exposed to light radiation being spaced from the substrate, a collector electrode disposed between the substrate and the sensing membrane, and a cavity defined between the sensing membrane and the collector electrode. The collector electrode collects charge carriers generated by light radiation on the sensing membrane within the cavity. A solar module or panel may be provided including a plurality of the cells arranged in an array on a substrate.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a CMOS integrated micromechanical device fabricated in accordance with a standard CMOS foundry fabrication process. The standard CMOS foundry fabrication process is characterized by a predetermined layer map and a predetermined set of fabrication rules. The device includes a semiconductor substrate formed or provided in accordance with the predetermined layer map and the predetermined set of fabrication rules. A MEMS resonator device is fabricated in accordance with the predetermined layer map and the predetermined set of fabrication rules. The MEMS resonator device includes a micromechanical resonator structure having a surface area greater than or equal to approximately 20 square microns. At least one CMOS circuit is coupled to the MEMS resonator member. The at least one CMOS circuit is also fabricated in accordance with the predetermined layer map and the predetermined set of fabrication rules.
Abstract:
A microelectromechanical resonator may include one or more resonator masses that oscillates in a bulk mode and that includes a first plurality of regions each having a density, and a second plurality of regions each having a density, the density of each of the second plurality of regions differing from the density of each of the first plurality of regions. The second plurality of regions may be disposed in a non-uniform arrangement. The oscillation may include a first state in which the resonator mass is contracted, at least in part, in a first and/or a second direction, and expanded, at least in part, in a third and/or a fourth direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction, the fourth direction being opposite the third direction.
Abstract:
A method of fabricating an array (110) of micromechanical resonant members (112), including the steps of: using MEMS techniques to form a set of resonant members at a common first resonant frequency; and using MEMS techniques to provide said resonant members with frequency trimming masses (220, 220', 320, 320'), said frequency trimming masses reducing said first resonant frequency of each resonant member by a different amount, such that said resonant members resonate at frequencies different to one another.
Abstract:
A method for fabrication of single crystal silicon micromechanical resonators using a two-wafer process, including either a Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) (104) or insulating base and resonator wafers (108) , wherein resonator anchors (122, 124) , a capacitive air gap (116) , isolation trenches (128, 130) , and alignment marks are micromachined in an active layer (114) of the base wafer; the active layer of the resonator wafer (124) is bonded directly to the active layer of the base wafer; the handle (144) and dielectric layers (140) of the resonator wafer are removed; viewing windows are opened in the active layer of the resonator wafer; masking the single crystal silicon semiconductor material active layer of the resonator wafer with photoresist material; a single crystal silicon resonator is machined in the active layer of the resonator wafer using silicon dry etch micromachining technology; and the photoresist material is subsequently dry stripped.
Abstract:
Thermally induced frequency variations in a micromechanical resonator are actively or passively mitigated by application of a compensating stiffness, or a compressive/tensile strain. Various composition materials may be selected according to their thermal expansion coefficient and used to form resonator components on a substrate. When exposed to temperature variations, the relative expansion of these composition materials creates a compensating stiffness, or a compressive/tensile strain.
Abstract:
Thermally induced frequency variations in a micromechanical resonator are actively or passively mitigated by application of a compensating stiffness, or a compressive/tensile strain. Various composition materials may be selected according to their thermal expansion coefficient and used to form resonator components on a substrate. When exposed to temperature variations, the relative expansion of these composition materials creates a compensating stiffness, or a compressive/tensile strain.
Abstract:
A method for fabricating a variable capacitive device including providing a base silicon-bearing compound electrode (107a-107c) which is vertically-inclined with respect to a substrate, depositing a sacrificial layer on the base electrode, depositing a silicon-bearing compound electrode (116a-117d) on the sacrificial layer which is also vertically-inclined with respect to the substrate, and removing the sacrificial layer from between the base silicon-bearing compound electrode (107a-107c) and the grown silicon-bearing compound electrode.(116a-116d) A variable capacitive device having a fixed vertically-inclined silicon-bearing compound electrode and a movable vertically-inclined silicon-bearing compound electrode produced by arranging a sacrificial layer on a base silicon-bearing compound electrode, depositing a grown silicon-bearing compound electrode on the sacrificial layer, and etching the sacrificial layer. Between the fixed silicon-bearing compound and the movable silicon-bearing compound electrode is a nanogap (120a-120d), the nanogap having a uniform width.