Abstract:
Disclosed is an art for a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT), which suppresses deformation in a cavity, non-uniformity in the thickness of an insulating film enclosing the cavity, and deterioration in the flatness of the surface profile of a membrane, even when the bottom electrode of the ultrasonic transducer is electrically connected from the bottom of the bottom electrode. The ultrasonic transducer is provided with: a bottom electrode (306); an electric connection part (304) which is connected to the bottom electrode from the bottom of the bottom electrode; a first insulating film which is formed so as to cover the bottom electrode; a cavity (308) which is formed on the first insulating film so as to overlap the bottom electrode when seen from above; a second insulating film which is formed so as to cover the cavity (308); and a top electrode (310) which is formed on the second insulating film so as to overlap the cavity (308) when seen from above. The electric connection part (304) to the bottom electrode (306) is positioned so as to not overlap the cavity (308) when seen from above.
Abstract:
Some embodiments of the present invention provide processes and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating multilayer structures (e.g. mesoscale or microscale structures) with improved endpoint detection and parallelism maintenance for materials (e.g. layers) that are planarized during the electrochemical fabrication process. Some methods involve the use of a fixture during planarization that ensures that planarized planes of material are parallel to other deposited planes within a given tolerance. Some methods involve the use of an endpoint detection fixture that ensures precise heights of deposited materials relative to an initial surface of a substrate, relative to a first deposited layer, or relative to some other layer formed during the fabrication process. In some embodiments planarization may occur via lapping while other embodiments may use a diamond fly cutting machine.
Abstract:
A micromechanical component and a method for producing the component are provided. The micromechanical component includes a substrate and a micromechanical functional layer of a first material provided over the substrate. The functional layer has a first and second regions, which are connected by a third region of a second material, and at least one of the regions is part of a movable structure, which is suspended over the substrate.
Abstract:
Some embodiments of the present invention provide processes and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating multilayer structures (e.g. mesoscale or microscale structures) with improved endpoint detection and parallelism maintenance for materials (e.g. layers) that are planarized during the electrochemical fabrication process. Some methods involve the use of a fixture during planarization that ensures that planarized planes of material are parallel to other deposited planes within a given tolerance. Some methods involve the use of an endpoint detection fixture that ensures precise heights of deposited materials relative to an initial surface of a substrate, relative to a first deposited layer, or relative to some other layer formed during the fabrication process. In some embodiments planarization may occur via lapping while other embodiments may use a diamond fly cutting machine.
Abstract:
Some embodiments of the present invention provide processes and apparatus for electrochemically fabricating multilayer structures (e.g. mesoscale or microscale structures) with improved endpoint detection and parallelism maintenance for materials (e.g. layers) that are planarized during the electrochemical fabrication process. Some methods involve the use of a fixture during planarization that ensures that planarized planes of material are parallel to other deposited planes within a given tolerance. Some methods involve the use of an endpoint detection fixture that ensures precise heights of deposited materials relative to an initial surface of a substrate, relative to a first deposited layer, or relative to some other layer formed during the fabrication process. In some embodiments planarization may occur via lapping while other embodiments may use a diamond fly cutting machine.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a microfluidic device including at least two substrates provided with a fluid channel, comprising the steps of: a) etching at least a channel and one or more fluid ports in a first and/or a second substrate; b) depositing a first layer on a surface of the second substrate; c) partially removing the first layer in accordance with a predefined geometry; d) depositing a second layer on top of the first layer and the substrate surface; e) planarizing the second layer so as to smooth the upper surface thereof; f) aligning the first and second substrate; g) bonding the first substrate on the planarized second layer of the second substrate.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a process for selective etching during semiconductor manufacturing. The process starts by receiving a silicon substrate with a first layer composed of a first material, which is covered by a second layer composed of a second material. The process then performs a first etching operation that etches some but not all of the second layer, so that a portion of the second layer remains covering the first layer. Next, the system performs a second etching operation to selectively etch through the remaining portion of the second layer using a selective etchant. The etch rate of the selective etchant through the second material is faster than an etch rate of the selective etchant through the first material, so that the second etching operation etches through the remaining portion of the second layer and stops at the first layer.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a process that uses selective etching to form a structure on a silicon substrate. The process starts by receiving the silicon substrate with a first layer composed of a first material, which includes voids created by a first etching operation. The process then forms a second layer composed of a second material over the first layer, so that the second layer fills in portions of voids in the first layer created by the first etching operation. Next, the process performs a chemo-mechanical polishing operation on the second layer down to the first layer so that only remaining portions of the second layer, within the voids created by the first etching operation, remain. The system then forms a third layer composed of a third material over the first layer and the remaining portions of the second layer, and performs a second etching operation using a selective etchant to remove the remaining portions of the second layer, thereby creating voids between the first layer and the third layer.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a process that uses selective etching to form a structure on a silicon substrate. The process starts by receiving the silicon substrate with a first layer composed of a first material, which includes voids created by a first etching operation. The process then forms a second layer composed of a second material over the first layer, so that the a second layer fills in portions of voids in the first layer created by the first etching operation. Next, the process performs a chemo-mechanical polishing operation on the second layer down to the first layer so that only remaining portions of the second layer, within the voids created by the first etching operation, remain. The system then forms a third layer composed of a third material over the first layer and the remaining portions of the second layer, and performs a second etching operation using a selective etchant to remove the remaining portions of the second layer, thereby creating voids between the first layer and the third layer.
Abstract:
A micro inertia sensor fabrication method in which thick silicon bonded to glass is processed at a high sectional ratio, is provided. In this method, silicon is bonded to a glass substrate, the bonded silicon is polished to have a desired thickness, a silicon structure is formed by etching the polished silicon using an RIE method, and the silicon structure is separated from the bottom by selectively etching glass below the silicon structure via grooves in etched silicon. Since the thick silicon bonded to glass is processed at a high sectional ratio, the area and thickness of the silicon to be measured are increased. Also, this method is simple since only one mask is used.