Single crystal, dual wafer, tunneling sensor or switch with silicon on insulator substrate and a method of making same

• US 20030141562A1
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Kubena, Randall L., Chang, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,982,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/415
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0894 by non-contact electron transfer, i.e. electron tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics

Abstract

A method of making a micro electro-mechanical switch or tunneling sensor. A cantilevered beam structure and a mating structure are defined on an etch stop layer on a first substrate or wafer; and at least one contact structure and a mating structure are defined on a second substrate or wafer, the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer being of a complementary shape to the mating structure on the first substrate or wafer. A bonding layer, preferably a eutectic bonding layer, is provided on at least one of the mating structures. The mating structure of the first substrate is moved into a confronting relationship with the mating structure of the second substrate or wafer. Pressure is applied between the two substrates so as to cause a bond to occur between the two mating structures at the bonding or eutectic layer. Then the first substrate or wafer and the etch stop layer are removed to free the cantilevered beam structure for movement relative to the second substrate or wafer.

Claims

1. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a cantilevered beam structure and a mating structure on an etch stop formed on first substrate or wafer;

(b) forming at least one contact structure and a mating structure on a second substrate or wafer, the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer being of a complementary shape to the mating structure on the first substrate or wafer;

(c) positioning the mating structure of the first substrate into a confronting relationship with the mating structure of the second substrate or wafer;

(d) bonding a layer associated with said mating structure on the first substrate or wafer with a layer associated with the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer;

(e) removing at least a portion of the first substrate or wafer and the etch stop to release the cantilevered beam structure.

2. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second substrate or wafer is formed of silicon.

3. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein the silicon forming the second substrate or wafer is of a single crystalline structure.

4. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 3 wherein the crystalline structure of the silicon is <

100>

.

5. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 4 wherein the silicon is n-type.

6. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first substrate or wafer is formed of silicon and the etch stop is silicon dioxide.

7. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 6 wherein the silicon forming the first substrate or wafer is of a single crystalline structure.

8. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 7 wherein the crystalline structure of the silicon in the first substrate or wafer is <

100>

.

9. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 8 wherein the silicon of the first substrate or wafer is n-type.

10. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein heat is applied together with pressure between the two substrates so as to cause an eutectic bond to occur between the two mating structures.

11. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cantilevered beam structure is formed by:

(a) defining an thin layer of silicon adjacent said etch stop;

(b) masking and etching the thin layer of silicon to define a beam structure disposed on said etch stop;

(c) removing the first substrate or wafer by etching; and

(d) removing the etch stop by etching.

12. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 11 wherein a contact is formed on an end of said beam structure by depositing a metal through a small opening in a temporary mask layer, the small opening being sufficiently small that the metal being deposited tends to overhang the small opening increasingly as the deposition of the metal proceeds whereby the contact being deposited through the small opening assumes an elongate shape of decreasing cross section as the deposition proceeds.

13. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 11 wherein etching accomplished by plasma etching.

14. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 11 wherein the thin layer is doped with a dopant at a sufficient concentration to reduce the resistivity of the thin layer to less than 1 Ω

-cm.

15. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 11 wherein the thin layer is doped at a sufficient concentration to reduce the resistivity of the thin layer to less than 0.05 Ω

-cm.

16. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 15 wherein a layer of metal, preferably formed of individual layers of Ti, Pt and Au, is selectively deposited on said thin layer and sintered at an elevated temperature to form first and second ohmic contacts on said thin layer, said second ohmic contact being disposed near a distal end of the beam structure and the first ohmic contact forming the mating structure on the first substrate.

17. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 16 wherein a relatively thick layer of metal, preferably Ti/Pt/Au, is deposited and the sintered on a relatively thin metal layer, preferably Ti/Pt/Au, a first portion of the relatively thick layer of metal forming the mating structure on the first substrate and overlying said first ohmic contact and a second portion of the relatively thick layer of metal forming a pointed contact at said second ohmic contact.

18. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 17 further including forming Ti/Pt/Au contacts on said second substrate or wafer, at least one of said contacts on the second substrate or wafer defining the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer.

19. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 18 wherein the bonding occurs eutectically and the layer for producing an eutectic bond is provided by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic deposited on the Ti/Pt/Au contact on said second substrate and/or by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic deposited on first portion of the relatively thick layer of Ti/Pt/Au on the first substrate or wafer.

20. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 17 further including forming a protruding portion which protrudes from a major surface of said first or second substrate or wafer.

21. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 20 further including forming Ti/Pt/Au contacts on said second substrate or wafer, at least one of said contacts on the second substrate or wafer defining, in combination with the protruding portion, the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer.

22. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 21 wherein an eutectic layer is provided by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic formed on the Ti/Pt/Au contact on said second substrate and/or by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic formed on first ohmic contact on the first substrate or wafer.

23. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 20 wherein the bonding occurs eutectically and wherein silicon for the eutectic bond is provided by the silicon substrate of the first or second substrate or wafer at the mating structure.

24. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 15 wherein a layer of metal, preferably formed of individual layers of Ti, Pt and Au, is selectively deposited on said thin layer to form a first ohmic contact and a second layer of metal without a diffusion barrier, preferably Ti/Au, is selectively deposited on said thin layer to form a second ohmic contact, both metal layers being sintered at an elevated temperature, said first ohmic contact being disposed near a distal end of the beam structure and the second ohmic contact forming the mating structure on the first substrate.

25. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 15 wherein a layer of metal, preferably formed of individual layers of Ti, Pt and Au, is selectively deposited on said thin layer and is sintered at an elevated temperature to define first and second ohmic contacts, said first ohmic contact being disposed near a distal end of the beam structure and wherein mating of the first and second substrates occurs between a metal layer, preferably Au, deposited on the second substrate and the second ohmic contact on the first substrate.

26. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 14 wherein a layer of Ti/Pt/Au is selectively deposited on said thin layer to form first and second interconnected contacts on said thin layer, the contacts being interconnected by an elongate ribbon layer of Ti/Pt/Au, said second interconnected contact being disposed near a distal end of the beam structure, the elongate ribbon being disposed longitudinally on the beam structure and preferably substantially narrower than the cantilever beam structure, said first interconnected contact forming the mating structure on the first substrate.

27. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 26 further including forming a protruding portion which protrudes from a major surface of said first or second substrate or wafer.

28. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 27 further including forming Ti/Pt/Au contacts on said second substrate or wafer, at least one of said contacts on the second substrate or wafer defining, in combination with the protruding portion, the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer.

29. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 28 wherein the bonding occurs eutectically and wherein the eutectic layer is provided by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic deposited on the Ti/Pt/Au contact on said second substrate and/or by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic deposited on first interconnected contact on the first substrate or wafer.

30. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 27 wherein the bonding occurs eutectically and wherein silicon for the eutectic bond is provided by the silicon substrate of the first or second substrate or wafer at the mating structure.

31. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cantilevered beam structure is formed by:

(a) forming a etch stop layer on said first substrate or wafer,

(a) providing thin layer of silicon on said etch stop layer;

(b) masking and etching the thin layer of silicon to define a beam structure disposed adjacent said first substrate or wafer;

(c) removing the first substrate or wafer by use of an etchant to which said etch stop layer is resistant; and

(d) removing said etch stop layer using an etchant to which said cantilevered beam structure is resistant.

32. A method of making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor as claimed in claim 31 wherein a layer of Ti/Pt/Au is selectively deposited on said thin layer to form first and second metal contacts on said thin layer, said second contact being disposed near a distal end of said beam structure and said first contact forming the mating structure on the first substrate.

33. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly for making a MEM switch or tunneling sensor therefrom, the assembly comprising:

(a) a beam structure and a mating structure defined on an etch stop formed on a first substrate or wafer;

(b) at least one contact structure and a mating structure defined on a second substrate or wafer, the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer being of a complementary shape to the mating structure on the first substrate or wafer; and

(c) a pressure/heat sensitive bonding layer disposed on at least one of said mating structures for bonding the mating structure defined on the first substrate or wafer to mating structure on the second substrate in response to the application of pressure/heat therebetween.

34. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 33 wherein the second substrate or wafer is formed of silicon.

35. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 34 wherein the silicon forming the second substrate or wafer of a single crystalline structure.

36. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 35 wherein the crystalline structure of the silicon is <

100>

.

37. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 36 wherein the etch stop is silicon dioxide.

38. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 33 wherein the first substrate or wafer is formed of silicon.

39. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 38 wherein the silicon forming the first substrate or wafer of a single crystalline structure.

40. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 39 wherein the crystalline structure of the silicon in the first substrate or wafer is <

100>

.

41. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 40 wherein the etch stop is silicon dioxide.

42. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 33 wherein the cantilevered beam structure is formed from an thin layer of silicon on said first substrate or wafer, said thin layer being doped with a dopant.

43. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 42 wherein a pointed contact is disposed on an end of said beam structure.

44. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 42 wherein the thin layer is doped with a dopant at a sufficient concentration to reduce the resistivity of the thin layer to less than 1 Ω

-cm.

45. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 42 wherein the thin layer is doped with said dopant at a sufficient concentration to reduce the resistivity of the thin layer to less than less than 0.05 Ω

-cm.

46. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 45 further including first and second ohmic Ti/Pt/Au contacts on said thin layer, said second ohmic contact being disposed near a distal end of the beam structure and said first ohmic contact forming the mating structure on the first substrate or wafer.

47. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 46 wherein a relatively thick layer of Ti/Pt/Au is disposed on the first and second ohmic Ti/Pt/Au contacts, a first portion of the relatively thick layer of Ti/Pt/Au being disposed on said first ohmic Ti/Pt/Au contact and providing the mating structure on the first substrate and a second portion of the relatively thick layer of Ti/Pt/Au forming a pointed contact on said second ohmic Ti/Pt/Au contact.

48. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 47 further including Ti/Pt/Au contacts disposed on said second substrate or wafer, at least one of said contacts on the second substrate or wafer defining the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer.

49. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 48 wherein the bonding layer is provided by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic disposed on the Ti/Pt/Au contact on said second substrate and/or by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic disposed on the first portion of the relatively thick layer of Ti/Pt/Au on the first substrate or wafer.

50. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 48 wherein the silicon for the eutectic bond is provided by the silicon substrate of the first or second wafers at the mating structure.

51. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 45 further including first and second ohmic contacts on said thin layer, said second ohmic contact being disposed near a distal end of the beam structure and said first ohmic contact forming the mating structure on the first substrate.

52. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 51 further including a protruding portion which protrudes from a major surface of said first or second substrate or wafer and Ti/Pt/Au contacts on said second substrate or wafer, at least one of said contacts on the second substrate or wafer defining, in combination with the protruding portion, the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer.

53. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 52 wherein the bonding layer is provided by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic disposed on the Ti/Pt/Au contact on said second substrate and/or by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic disposed on first ohmic contact.

54. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 44 wherein first and second interconnected Ti/Pt/Au contacts are disposed on said thin layer, the contacts being interconnected by an elongate ribbon layer of Ti/Pt/Au, said second interconnected contact being disposed near a distal end of the beam structure, the elongate ribbon being disposed longitudinally on the beam structure and said first interconnected contact forming the mating structure on the first substrate.

55. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 54 wherein a protruding portion protrudes from a major surface of said first or second substrate or wafer, Ti/Pt/Au contacts are disposed on said second substrate or wafer, at least one of said contacts on the second substrate or wafer defining, in combination with the protruding portion, the mating structure on the second substrate or wafer.

56. A MEM switch or tunneling sensor assembly as claimed in claim 55 wherein the bonding layer is provided by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic disposed on the Ti/Pt/Au contact on said second substrate and/or by a layer of Au—

Si eutectic disposed on first interconnected contact.