Abstract:
A micromechanical capacitive accelerometer is provided from a single silicon wafer. The basic structure of the micromechanical accelerometer is etched in the wafer to form a released portion in the substrate, and the released and remaining portions of the substrate are coated with metal under conditions sufficient to form a micromechanical capacitive accelerometer. The substrate is preferably etched using reactive-ion etching for at least the first etch step in the process that forms the basic structure, although in another preferred embodiment, all etching is reactive-ion etching. The accelerometer also may comprise a signal-conditioned accelerometer wherein signal-conditioning circuitry is provided on the same wafer from which the accelerometer is formed, and VLSI electronics may be integrated on the same wafer from which the accelerometer is formed. The micromechanical capacitive accelerometer can be used for airbag deployment, active suspension control, active steering control, anti-lock braking, and other control systems requiring accelerometers having high sensitivity, extreme accuracy and resistance to out of plane forces.
Abstract:
A single mask, low temperature reactive ion etching process for fabricating high aspect ratio, released single crystal microelectromechanical structures independently of crystal orientation.
Abstract:
A micromachining method is disclosed for forming a suspended micromechanical structure from {111} crystalline silicon. The micromachining method is based on the use of anisotropic dry etching to define lateral features of the structure which are etched down into a {111}-silicon substrate to a first etch depth, thereby forming sidewalls of the structure. The sidewalls are then coated with a protection layer, and the substrate is dry etched to a second etch depth to define a spacing of the structure from the substrate. A selective anisotropic wet etchant (e.g. KOH, EDP, TMAH, NaOH or CsOH) is used to laterally undercut the structure between the first and second etch depths, thereby forming a substantially planar lower surface of the structure along a {111} crystal plane that is parallel to an upper surface of the structure. The lateral extent of undercutting by the wet etchant is controlled and effectively terminated by either timing the etching, by the location of angled {111}-silicon planes or by the locations of preformed etch-stops. This present method allows the formation of suspended micromechanical structures having large vertical dimensions and large masses while allowing for detailed lateral features which can be provided by dry etch definition. Additionally, the method of the present invention is compatible with the formation of electronic circuitry on the substrate.
Abstract:
A single mask, low temperature reactive ion etching process for fabricating high aspect ratio, released single crystal microelectromechanical structures independently of crystal orientation.
Abstract:
A reactive ion etching process is used for the fabrication of submicron, single crystal silicon, movable mechanical structures and capacitive actuators. The reactive ion etching process gives excellent control of lateral dimensions while maintaining a large vertical depth in the formation of high aspect-ratio freely suspended single crystal silicon structures. The silicon etch process is independent of crystal orientation and produces controllable vertical profiles.
Abstract:
A pressure sensing module includes a substrate and a sensing layer. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The substrate includes a stepped cavity and an opening. The stepped cavity extends from the first surface to the second surface, the opening extends from the second surface to the first surface, and the stepped cavity communicates with the opening. The sensing layer is disposed on the first surface of the substrate and covers the first surface of the substrate. The sensing layer includes at least one sensing element and a cross-shaped structure. The cross-shaped structure includes a central portion and a plurality of extending portions connecting the central portion. The central portion and the extending portions respectively include at least one hollow portion. An orthographic projection of the central portion of the cross-shaped structure on the substrate overlaps with the opening of the substrate.
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:
A method for producing a micromechanical device. The method includes: providing a MEMS substrate having micromechanical functional layers bounding a cavity; structuring an oxide layer to form an oxide mask having at least one first recess having a first diameter; applying a resist mask to the oxide mask and the first recess; introducing a second recess into the resist mask in the area of the first recess, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter; introducing a first trench into the MEMS substrate through the second recess; removing the resist mask; introducing a second trench into the MEMS substrate through the first recess and simultaneously deepening the first trench at least through the micromechanical substrate; adjusting a desired gas composition at a desired pressure in the cavity; sealing the first trench using a melt plug by melting substrate material of the MEMS substrate that surrounds the first trench.
Abstract:
A method of forming a thin film structure involves performing one or more repetitions to form a template on a wafer. The repetitions include: depositing a layer of a template material to a first thickness T1; and ion beam milling the layer of the template material to remove thickness T2, where T2
Abstract:
An etching method of the invention includes: a resist pattern-forming step of forming a resist layer on a target object, the resist layer being formed of a resin, the resist layer having a resist pattern; an etching step of etching the target object via the resist layer having the resist pattern; and a resist protective film-forming step of forming a resist protective film on the resist layer. The etching step is repetitively carried out multiple times. After the etching steps are repetitively carried out multiple times, the resist protective film-forming step is carried out.