Method to fabricate a highly perforated silicon diaphragm with controlable thickness and low stress

• US 20040253760A1
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Knowles Electronics Llc (Knowles Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research (Government of Singapore)
• Inventors: Wang, Zhe, Zhang, Qingxin
• Application Number:
  US10/462,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20040253760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/53
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0257 Microphones or microspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0118 Cantilevers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0127 Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00666 Treatments for controlling internal stress or strain in MEMS structures
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0164 by doping the layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/003 for diaphragms or their outer suspension

Abstract

A method of fabricating a highly perforated silicon diaphragm is described. A single crystal silicon substrate of a first conductivity type is provided. First ions of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type are implanted into the single crystal silicon substrate to form an etch stop layer. Second ions of the first conductivity type are selectively implanted into the single crystal silicon substrate to form a pattern of holes in a portion of the substrate. Third ions of the first conductivity type are implanted overlying the pattern of holes and forming a first ohmic contact region. Fourth ions of the second conductivity type are implanted into the substrate not surrounding the pattern of holes to form a second ohmic contact region. A nitride layer is deposited on a frontside and a backside of the silicon substrate. Contacts are formed through the nitride layer to the first and second ohmic contact regions. Thereafter, the backside nitride layer is patterned and from the backside, the silicon substrate not covered by the nitride layer is etched away to the etch stop layer and, simultaneously, the pattern of holes is selectively etched away to complete formation of a perforated diaphragm.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a perforated silicon diaphragm comprising:

providing a single crystal silicon substrate of a first conductivity type;

blanket implanting first ions of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type into said single crystal silicon substrate to form an etch stop layer;

selectively implanting second ions of said first conductivity type into said single crystal silicon substrate to form a pattern of holes in a portion of said substrate;

implanting third ions of said first conductivity type overlying said pattern of holes and forming a first ohmic contact region;

implanting fourth ions of said second conductivity type not surrounding said pattern of holes to form a second ohmic contact region;

thereafter depositing a nitride layer on a frontside and a backside of said silicon substrate;

forming contacts through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions;

thereafter patterning said backside nitride layer; and

from the backside, etching away said silicon substrate not covered by said nitride layer to said etch stop layer and simultaneously selectively etching away said pattern of holes to complete formation of said perforated diaphragm.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first conductivity type is P-type and wherein said second conductivity type is N-type.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first ions are N−

ions, said second ions are P+ ions, said third ions are P++ ions, and said fourth ions are N++ ions.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said nitride layer is deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said nitride layer has a thickness of between about 1000 and 1500 Angstroms.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said etch stop layer has a depth into said silicon substrate of between about 1 and 10 microns.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of forming contacts through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions comprises:

etching contact openings through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions;

depositing a metal layer within said contact openings and overlying said nitride layer; and

patterning said metal layer to form a first electrode contacting said first ohmic contact region and a second electrode contacting said second ohmic contact region.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of etching away said silicon substrate not covered by said nitride layer to said etch stop layer and simultaneously selectively etching away said pattern of holes comprises KOH with a 4 electrode electrochemical etching (ECE) configuration.

9. A method of fabricating a perforated silicon diaphragm comprising:

providing a single crystal silicon substrate of a first conductivity type;

blanket implanting first ions of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type into said single crystal silicon substrate to form an etch stop layer wherein a depth of said etch stop layer into said silicon substrate determines a thickness of said perforated diaphragm;

selectively implanting second ions of said first conductivity type into said single crystal silicon substrate to form a pattern of holes in a portion of said substrate;

implanting third ions of said first conductivity type overlying said pattern of holes and forming a first ohmic contact region;

implanting fourth ions of said second conductivity type not surrounding said pattern of holes to form a second ohmic contact region;

thereafter depositing a nitride layer on a frontside and a backside of said silicon substrate;

forming contacts through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions;

thereafter patterning said backside nitride layer; and

from the backside, etching away said silicon substrate not covered by said nitride layer to said etch stop layer and simultaneously selectively etching away said pattern of holes to complete formation of said perforated diaphragm.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said first conductivity type is P-type and wherein said second conductivity type is N-type.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein said first ions are N−

ions, said second ions are P+ ions, said third ions are P++ ions, and said fourth ions are N++ ions.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein said nitride layer is deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein said nitride layer has a thickness of between about 1000 and 1500 Angstroms.

14. The method according to claim 9 wherein said etch stop layer has a depth into said silicon substrate of between about 1 and 10 microns.

15. The method according to claim 9 wherein said step of forming contacts through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions comprises:

etching contact openings through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions;

depositing a metal layer within said contact openings and overlying said nitride layer; and

patterning said metal layer to form a first electrode contacting said first ohmic contact region and a second electrode contacting said second ohmic contact region.

16. The method according to claim 9 wherein said step of etching away said silicon substrate not covered by said nitride layer to said etch stop layer and simultaneously selectively etching away said pattern of holes comprises KOH with a 4 electrode electrochemical etching (ECE) configuration.

17. A method of fabricating a perforated silicon diaphragm comprising:

providing a single crystal silicon substrate of a first conductivity type;

blanket implanting at a first dose first ions of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type into said single crystal silicon substrate to form an etch stop layer wherein a depth of said etch stop layer into said silicon substrate determines a thickness of said perforated diaphragm;

selectively implanting at a second dose second ions of said first conductivity type into said single crystal silicon substrate to form a pattern of holes in a portion of said substrate;

implanting at a third dose third ions of said first conductivity type overlying said pattern of holes and forming a first ohmic contact region;

implanting at a fourth dose fourth ions of said second conductivity type not surrounding said pattern of holes to form a second ohmic contact region;

thereafter depositing a nitride layer on a frontside and a backside of said silicon substrate;

forming contacts through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions;

thereafter patterning said backside nitride layer; and

from the backside, etching away said silicon substrate not covered by said nitride layer to said etch stop layer and simultaneously selectively etching away said pattern of holes to complete formation of said perforated diaphragm.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein said first dose is lower than then second, third, and fourth doses.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein said first conductivity type is P-type and wherein said second conductivity type is N-type.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein said first ions are N−

ions, said second ions are P+ ions, said third ions are P++ ions, and said fourth ions are N++ ions.

21. The method according to claim 17 wherein all of said steps up to said patterning said backside nitride layer step can be CMOS compatible processes.

22. The method according to claim 17 wherein said etch stop layer has a depth into said silicon substrate of between about 1 and 10 microns.

23. The method according to claim 17 wherein said step of forming contacts through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions comprises:

etching contact openings through said nitride layer to said first and second ohmic contact regions;

depositing a metal layer within said contact openings and overlying said nitride layer; and

patterning said metal layer to form a first electrode contacting said first ohmic contact region and a second electrode contacting said second ohmic contact region.

24. The method according to claim 17 wherein said step of etching away said silicon substrate not covered by said nitride layer to said etch stop layer and simultaneously selectively etching away said pattern of holes comprises KOH with a 4 electrode electrochemical etching (ECE) configuration.

25. The method according to claim 23 wherein said step of implanting at a third dose third ions of said first conductivity type overlying said pattern of holes connects said pattern of holes together to provide external electric biases for said ECE configuration.