Abstract:
A process for facilitating modification of an etched trench is provided. The process comprises: (a) providing a wafer comprising an etched trench, the trench having a photoresist plug at its base; and (b) removing a portion of the photoresist by subjecting the wafer to a biased oxygen plasma etch. The process is particularly suitable for preparing a trench for subsequent argon ion milling. Printhead integrated circuits fabricated by a process according to the invention have improved ink channel surface profiles and/or surface properties.
Abstract:
A method of separating MEMS devices from a structure having a substrate, a sacrificial layer positioned on a front side of the substrate and a plurality of MEMS devices embedded in the sacrificial layer includes the step of securing a front handle wafer to the sacrificial layer. The substrate is etched from a back side to the sacrificial layer to define individual MEMS integrated circuits held together with the sacrificial layer. The front handle wafer is removed and the sacrificial layer is etched away to release the MEMS integrated circuits.
Abstract:
A thermal bend actuator (6) is provided with a group of upper arms (23, 25, 26) and a group of lower arms (27, 28) which are non planar, so increasing the stiffness of the arms. The arms (23, 25, 26,27,28) may be spaced transversely of each other and do not overly each other in plan view, so enabling all arms to be formed by depositing a single layer of arm forming material
Abstract:
A method of fabricating MEMS devices is provided. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a silicon wafer having a MEMS layer arranged on a MEMS side of the wafer; (b) applying a first holding means to the MEMS side of the wafer; (c) performing at least one operation on the wafer from a back side of the wafer opposed to the MEMS side; (d) applying a second holding means to said back side of the wafer; (e) removing the first holding means; (f) performing at least one deep silicon etch on the MEMS side of the wafer to define individual MEMS chips, each chip being composed of a part of the wafer and at least one part of the MEMS layer; and (g) causing the individual chips to be released from the second holding means.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a fluid injection device. The method of the present invention applies a compensated geometric shape of the unetched isolating portions to increase the additional compensated portion for etching, or the ion implanting process to reduce the etching rate of the unetched isolating portions. Thus, crosstalk or overshoot in the isolating portions of the fluid injection device can be reduced, and the fluid injection device can be precisely manufactured in a small size.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a microelectronics device is provided, wherein the microelectronics device is formed on a substrate having a frontside and a backside. The method comprises forming a circuit element on the frontside of the substrate from a plurality of layers deposited on the frontside of the substrate, wherein the plurality of layers includes an intermediate electrical contact layer, and forming an interconnect structure after forming the electrical contact layer. The interconnect structure includes a contact pad formed on the backside of the substrate, and a through-substrate interconnect in electrical communication with the contact pad, wherein the through-substrate interconnect extends from the backside of the substrate to the electrical contact layer.
Abstract:
The present disclosure pertains to our discovery of a particularly efficient method for etching a multi-part cavity in a substrate. The method provides for first etching a shaped opening, depositing a protective layer over at least a portion of the inner surface of the shaped opening, and then etching a shaped cavity directly beneath and in continuous communication with the shaped opening. The protective layer protects the etch profile of the shaped opening during etching of the shaped cavity, so that the shaped opening and the shaped cavity can be etched to have different shapes, if desired. In particular embodiments of the method of the invention, lateral etch barrier layers and/or implanted etch stops are also used to direct the etching process. The method of the invention can be applied to any application where it is necessary or desirable to provide a shaped opening and an underlying shaped cavity having varying shapes. The method is also useful whenever it is necessary to maintain tight control over the dimensions of the shaped opening.
Abstract:
A thermal bend actuator (6) is provided with upper arms (23, 25, 26) and lower arms (27, 28) which are non planar, so increasing the stiffness of the arms. The arms (23, 25, 26, 27, 28) may be spaced transversely of each other and do not overly each other in plan view, so enabling all arms to be formed by depositing a single layer of arm forming material.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing microstructure by the anisotropic etching and bonding of substrates so as to manufacture mechanically functioning micro-structures in various forms by uniting the same or different substrate bonding technique and selective anisotropic etching technique. This invention manufactures a pyramidal optical divider or an optical divider with a pyramidal structure located on a quadrilateral pillar by bonding one substrate on a substrate different in the direction of crystallization and anisotropically etching them thereafter. This invention manufactures variously shaped nozzles by bonding those substrates crystallized in a different direction and anisotropically etching them so that substrates bonded by one photograph transferring process may form different etching holes. This invention manufactures a diaphragm having a uniform thickness and a wide area by bonding two substrates different in the direction of crystallization or in the concentration of an impurity, removing a substrate of prescribed concentration and anisotropically etching only one substrate of the remaining substrates.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of fabricating a precision etched, three dimensional device from a silicon wafer, wherein the etching is done from one side of the wafer using a two step silicon etching process. A two-sided deposition of a robust protective layer, such as polycrystalline silicon, is placed over a two-sided deposition of a chemical masking layer such as silicon dioxide. The two layers are concurrently patterned with first and second sets of vias on one side of the wafer, while the opposite side is protected by the protective layer. The protective layer is removed to permit deposition of a second masking layer such as silicon nitride, followed by deposition of a second protective layer. Again, the second protective layer prevents damage to the fragile second masking layer on the wafer backside while its frontside is patterned with a similar set of vias aligned with the first set of vias in the first masking layer. This similar set of vias is sequentially formed in both the second protective layer and the underlying second masking layers. Then the wafer is placed in an etchant bath so that the first set of recesses is anisotropically etched in the wafer frontside side. Next, the second protective layer and second masking layer are removed to permit anisotropic etching of the second set of recesses through the second set of vias in the first masking layer. If the protective layer is polycrystalline silicon, it is concurrently etch-removed during the initial etching of the silicon wafer.