METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTIVE SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR MIRROR DEVICES

• US 20040245215A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tzeng, Jiann-Tyng, Chang, Yuh-Hwa
• Granted Patent: US 6,841,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/26
• 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

Abstract

A method for manufacturing reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices is disclosed. In the method, a portion of a mirror layer and a first sacrificial layer beneath the portion of the mirror layer are removed simultaneously to expose the substrate while defining a pattern of the mirror layer. Then, a second sacrificial layer is deposited conformally, and substrate contact openings and a mirror layer contact opening are defined in the second sacrificial layer at the same time. Subsequently, a support material layer is deposited conformally and etched back, so as to form supporting posts of the mirror layer in the substrate contact openings. Before the support material layer is etched back, the substrate contact openings can be filled with a photoresist material first, so as to maintain the support material layer in the substrate contact openings and increase the structural intensity of the supporting posts.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices, the method comprising:

providing a substrate, wherein a first sacrificial layer and a mirror layer are formed in sequence to stack on the substrate;

removing a portion of the mirror layer and a portion of the first sacrificial layer to form a plurality of openings in the mirror layer and the first sacrificial layer and to expose a portion of the substrate;

forming a second sacrificial layer to cover the mirror layer, the first sacrificial layer, and the substrate;

removing a portion of the second sacrificial layer to form a substrate contact opening in each of the openings and to at least form a mirror layer contact opening on the mirror layer;

forming a support material layer to conformally cover the second sacrificial layer, the openings, the substrate contact opening, and the mirror layer contact opening; and

performing an etching back step to remove a portion of the support material layer until exposing the second sacrificial layer.

2. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, wherein the material of the substrate is a transparent material.

3. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, wherein the material of the substrate is glass.

4. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, wherein the material of the first sacrificial layer is amorphous silicon.

5. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, wherein the mirror layer is an SiO_x layer/AlSiCu layer/SiO_x layer compound structure.

6. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, wherein the material of the second sacrificial layer is amorphous silicon.

7. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, wherein the material of the support material layer is SiN.

8. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, between the step of forming the support material layer and the etching back step, further comprises forming a photoresist layer filling in a portion of the openings.

9. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 1, after the etching back step, further comprises forming a hinge layer on the second sacrificial layer, the support material layer, and the mirror layer.

10. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 9, wherein the hinge layer is a Ti layer/SiN_x layer/Ti layer compound structure.

11. A method for manufacturing reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices, the method comprising:

providing a substrate, wherein a first sacrificial layer and a mirror layer are formed in sequence to stack on the substrate;

removing a portion of the mirror layer and a portion of the first sacrificial layer to form a plurality of openings in the mirror layer and the first sacrificial layer and to expose a portion of the substrate;

forming a second sacrificial layer to cover the mirror layer, the first sacrificial layer, and the substrate;

removing a portion of the second sacrificial layer to form a substrate contact opening in each of the openings and to at least form a mirror layer contact opening on the mirror layer;

forming a support material layer to conformally cover the second sacrificial layer, the openings, the substrate contact opening, and the mirror layer contact opening;

forming a photoresist layer to fill a portion of the openings; and

performing an etching back step to remove a portion of the support material layer until exposing the second sacrificial layer.

12. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 11, wherein the material of the substrate is a transparent material.

13. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 11, wherein the material of the substrate is glass.

14. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 11, wherein the material of the first sacrificial layer is amorphous silicon.

15. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 11, wherein the mirror layer is an SiO_x layer/AlSiCu layer/SiO_x layer compound structure.

16. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 11, wherein the material of the second sacrificial layer is amorphous silicon.

17. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 11, wherein the material of the support material layer is SiN.

18. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 11, after the etching back step, further comprises forming a hinge layer on the second sacrificial layer, the support material layer, and the mirror layer.

19. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 18, wherein the hinge layer is a Ti layer/SiN_x layer/Ti layer compound structure.

20. A method for manufacturing reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices, the method comprising:

providing a substrate, wherein a first sacrificial layer and a mirror layer are formed in sequence to stack on the substrate;

removing a portion of the mirror layer and a portion of the first sacrificial layer to form a plurality of openings in the mirror layer and the first sacrificial layer and to expose a portion of the substrate;

forming a second sacrificial layer to cover the mirror layer, the first sacrificial layer, and the substrate;

removing a portion of the second sacrificial layer to form a substrate contact opening in each of the openings and to at least form a mirror layer contact opening on the mirror layer; and

providing a support layer in the substrate contact opening in each of the openings and a portion of the mirror layer contact opening.

21. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 20, wherein the material of the substrate is a transparent material.

22. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 20, wherein the material of the substrate is glass.

23. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 20, wherein the material of the first sacrificial layer is amorphous silicon.

24. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 20, wherein the mirror layer is an SiO_x layer/AlSiCu layer/SiO_x layer compound structure.

25. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 20, wherein the material of the second sacrificial layer is amorphous silicon.

26. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 20, wherein the material of the support layer is SiN.

27. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 20, after the step of proving the support layer, further comprises forming a hinge layer on the second sacrificial layer, the support layer, and the mirror layer.

28. The method for manufacturing the reflective spatial light modulator mirror devices according to claim 27, wherein the hinge layer is a Ti layer/SiN_x layer/Ti layer compound structure.