Methods for depositing, releasing and packaging micro-electromechanical devices on wafer substrates
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A spatial light modulator comprising:
- a lower semiconductor substrate comprising circuitry and electrodes;
an upper transparent substrate bonded in spaced apart relationship to the semiconductor substrate;
a spacer layer between the semiconductor and transparent substrates for holding the semiconductor and transparent substrates bonded together in spaced apart relation and defining a gap between the semiconductor substrate and the transparent substrate;
a rectangular array of reflective mirrors disposed within the gap;
a light blocking rectangular mask disposed as a frame around the mirrors;
wherein the mirrors comprise substantially square mirror plates having edges that are neither perpendicular nor parallel to edges of the rectangular array and torsion hinges that allow the mirror plates to move relative to the upper and lower substrates; and
wherein an edge of the transparent wafer is bonded offset from an edge of the semiconductor substrate such that a bond pad area is exposed on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for forming a MEMS device is disclosed, where a final release step is performed just prior to a wafer bonding step to protect the MEMS device from contamination, physical contact, or other deleterious external events. Without additional changes to the MEMS structure between release and wafer bonding and singulation, except for an optional stiction treatment, the MEMS device is best protected and overall process flow is improved. The method is applicable to the production of any MEMS device and is particularly beneficial in the making of fragile micromirrors.
117 Citations
55 Claims
-
1. A spatial light modulator comprising:
-
a lower semiconductor substrate comprising circuitry and electrodes;
an upper transparent substrate bonded in spaced apart relationship to the semiconductor substrate;
a spacer layer between the semiconductor and transparent substrates for holding the semiconductor and transparent substrates bonded together in spaced apart relation and defining a gap between the semiconductor substrate and the transparent substrate;
a rectangular array of reflective mirrors disposed within the gap;
a light blocking rectangular mask disposed as a frame around the mirrors;
wherein the mirrors comprise substantially square mirror plates having edges that are neither perpendicular nor parallel to edges of the rectangular array and torsion hinges that allow the mirror plates to move relative to the upper and lower substrates; and
wherein an edge of the transparent wafer is bonded offset from an edge of the semiconductor substrate such that a bond pad area is exposed on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
-
Specification