Mirror micromechanical structure and related manufacturing process

• US 10,288,874 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Carminati, Roberto, Conti, Sebastiano, Constantini, Sonia
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G
• Application Number:
  US15/293,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20170031153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 3592122
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2518 Projection by scanning of the object
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0858 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/008 using micromirror devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/211 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/236 using varifocal lenses or mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A mirror micromechanical structure has a mobile mass carrying a mirror element. The mass is drivable in rotation for reflecting an incident light beam with a desired angular range. The mobile mass is suspended above a cavity obtained in a supporting body. The cavity is shaped so that the supporting body does not hinder the reflected light beam within the desired angular range. In particular, the cavity extends as far as a first side edge wall of the supporting body of the mirror micromechanical structure. The cavity is open towards, and in communication with, the outside of the mirror micromechanical structure at the first side edge wall.

Claims

1. A mirror micromechanical structure, comprising:

a supporting body made of semiconductor material and having a top surface including a cavity;

a mobile mass having a top surface coplanar with the top surface of the supporting body and suspended above the cavity in a configuration which permits oscillation of the mobile mass about an axis of rotation; and

a mirror element supported by the mobile mass in a condition of rest to reflect an incident light beam at a rest angle;

wherein the mirror element further causes the reflected incident light beam to travel over an angular range bisected by the rest angle in response to oscillation of the mobile mass; and

wherein the cavity is shaped in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation so that the supporting body does not block the reflected incident light beam over the angular range.

2. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the angular range has an angular extension comprised between −

(15 to 25°

) and +(15 to 25°

) with respect to the rest angle.

3. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the cavity provides a first open region on a first side of the mobile mass and a second open region on a second side of the mobile mass, the second side located opposite the first side relative to the axis of rotation, the second open region being larger than the first open region.

4. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 3, wherein the supporting body has a side edge, and wherein the second open region extends to the side edge.

5. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the cavity extends as far as a first side edge wall of the supporting body, being open towards, and communicating with, an outside edge of the mirror micromechanical structure at the first side edge wall.

6. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 5, wherein the cavity has a first width, at the first side edge wall, and a second width, underneath the mobile mass, wherein the second width is smaller than the first width.

7. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the mobile mass is coupled to anchorages towards the supporting body via elastic torsional elements that define the axis of rotation.

8. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 1, further comprising a structural body in which the mobile mass is defined and coupled to the supporting body.

9. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 8, wherein the structural body and the supporting body are defined from a silicon-on-insulator wafer.

10. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the mobile mass has two end portions which are opposing, each end portion including a recess extending into the end portion along a length of the recess.

11. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 10, wherein each of the end portions of the mobile mass further includes an elastic element, the elastic element having a first end connected to an anchorage at the supporting body and a second end connected to the mobile mass within the recess.

12. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 11, wherein the elastic element extends along the length of the recess and is configured to permit oscillation of the mobile mass about the axis of rotation about the supporting body.

13. A mirror micromechanical structure, comprising:

a supporting body made of semiconductor material and having a top surface including a cavity;

a mobile mass having a top surface coplanar with the top surface of the supporting body and having two end portions which are opposing, each end portion including a recess extending into the end portion along a length and further including an elastic element having a first end connected to an anchorage at the supporting body and a second end connected to the mobile mass within the recess, the elastic element extending within and along the length of the recess, the elastic element configured to permit oscillation of the mobile mass about an axis of rotation with respect to the supporting body; and

a mirror element positioned at a central portion of the mobile mass and configured to reflect an incident light beam over an angular range;

wherein the cavity is shaped in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation so that the supporting body does not block the reflected incident light beam over the angular range.

14. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 13, wherein the cavity provides a first open region on a first side of the mobile mass and a second open region on a second side of the mobile mass, the second side located opposite the first side relative to the axis of rotation, the second open region being larger than the first open region.

15. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 13, wherein the supporting body is defined from a silicon-on-insulator wafer.

16. The mirror micromechanical structure of claim 13, wherein the end portions of the mobile mass further include a plurality of electrodes configured to actuate oscillation of the mobile mass.

17. A method for fabricating a mirror micromechanical structure, the method comprising:

providing a first wafer;

selectively removing a through pattern on the first wafer to form a mobile mass, two end portions which are opposing, two anchorage ends, and two elastic elements each connecting one of the two end portions to one of the two anchorage ends such that the mobile mass is rotatable about the two anchorage ends in an axis of rotation defined by the two elastic elements;

attaching a mirror element onto the mobile mass, wherein the mirror element is configured to reflect an incident light beam with an angular range;

bonding a second wafer to a support wafer to form a silicon body;

setting the two anchorage ends onto the silicon body; and

carving an opening in the silicon body to avoid hindrance of a light beam reflected by the mirror element within the angular range.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein selectively removing the through pattern on the first wafer further forms a plurality of mobile electrodes on the two end portions for actuating the mobile mass to rotatably oscillate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein selectively removing the through pattern on the first wafer further forms a plurality of fixed electrodes to interact with the plurality of mobile electrodes on the two end portions.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first wafer comprises an active layer of a silicon-on-insulator structure, the second wafer comprises a deep layer of a silicon-on-insulator structure.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein carving the opening in the silicon body comprises etching the second wafer from back.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein selectively removing the through pattern on the first wafer comprises selective etching.