Abstract:
Zur Herstellung einer strukturierten Beschichtung, beziehungsweise zum schonenden Abheben einer Beschichtung über einem empfindlichen Bereich wird vorgeschlagen, im nicht zu beschichtenden Bereich unter der Beschichtung eine Releasefolie aufzubringen und zu strukturieren. In einem Releaseschritt wird die Releasefolie im nicht zu beschichtenden Bereich in der Haftung reduziert und anschließend zusammen mit der darüber aufgebrachten Beschichtung abgehoben.
Abstract:
The invention provides a fabrication method of batch producing nano-scale structures, such as arrays of silicon pillars of high aspect ratio. The invention also relates to providing arrays of high aspect ratio silicon pillars fabricated using the improved fabrication method. The array of silicon pillars is fabricated from arrays of low aspect ratio pyramid-shaped structures. Mask formed from a hard material, such as a metal mask, is formed on top of each of the pyramid-shaped structures in a batch process. The pyramid-shaped structures are subsequently etched to remove substrate materials not protected by the hard masks, so that a high aspect ratio pillar or shaft is formed on the pyramid-shaped low aspect ratio base, resulting in an array of high aspect ratio silicon pillars.
Abstract:
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing relatively thinner and less stiff compliant beams for a shutter assembly. A protective coating is deposited and patterned over the shutter assembly before it is released from a sacrificial mold over which the shutter assembly is formed. Because some primary surfaces of the compliant beams are in contact with the sacrificial mold, these primary surfaces are not coated with the protective coating. Therefore, when the shutter assembly is finally released, the resulting compliant beams are relatively thinner and less stiff providing a reduction in an actuation voltage used to operate the shutter assembly. In some instances, the protective coating is patterned into discontinuous segments before release.
Abstract:
A process for patterning dielectric layers of the type typically found in optical coatings in the context of MEMS manufacturing is disclosed. A dielectric coating is deposited over a device layer, which has or will be released, and patterned using a mask layer. In one example, the coating is etched using the mask layer as a protection layer. In another example, a lift-off process is shown. The primary advantage of photolithographic patterning of the dielectric layers in optical MEMS devices is that higher levels of consistency can be achieved in fabrication, such as size, location, and residual material stress.
Abstract:
A method of forming a membrane with nanometer scale pores includes forming a sacrificial etch stop layer on a substrate. A base layer is constructed on the sacrificial etch stop layer. Micrometer scale pores are formed within the base layer. A sacrificial base layer is built on the base layer. The sacrificial base layer is removed from selected regions of the base layer to define nanometer scale pores within the base layer. The resultant membrane has sub-fifty nanometer pores formed within it.
Abstract:
A method of forming a MEMS device (10) includes forming a sacrificial layer (34) over a substrate (12). The method further includes forming a metal layer (42) over the sacrificial layer (34) and forming a protection layer (44) overlying the metal layer (42). The method further includes etching the protection layer (44) and the metal layer (42) to form a structure (56) having a remaining portion of the protection layer formed over a remaining portion of the metal layer. The method further includes etching the sacrificial layer (34) to form a movable portion of the MEMS device, wherein the remaining portion of the protection layer protects the remaining portion of the metal layer during the etching of the sacrificial layer (34) to form the movable portion of the MEMS device (10).
Abstract:
New compositions and methods of using those compositions as protective layers during the production of semiconductor and MEMS devices are provided. The compositions comprise a cycloolefin copolymer dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system, and can be used to form layers that protect a substrate during acid etching and other processing and handling. The protective layer can be photosensitive or non-photosensitive, and can be used with or without a primer layer beneath the protective layer. Preferred primer layers comprise a basic polymer in a solvent system.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a multi-layer substrate structure comprising obtaining a first and second wafer, such as two silicon wafers, wherein at least one of the wafers may be optionally provided with a material layer such as an oxide layer (302, 404), forming a cavity on the bond side of the first wafer (306, 406), depositing, preferably by ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition), a material layer, such as alumina layer, on either wafer arranged so as to at least in places face the other wafer and cover at least portion of the cavity of the first wafer, such as bottom, wall and/or edge thereof, and enable stopping etching, such as plasma etching, into the underlying material (308, 408), and bonding the wafers provided with at least the aforesaid ALD layer as an intermediate layer together to form the multi-layer semiconductor substrate structure (310, 312). A related multi-layer substrate structure is presented.