Method of selective etching using etch stop layer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An unreleased interferometric modulator comprising:
- a sacrificial layer;
a metal mirror layer over the sacrificial layer; and
a thin uniform layer between the sacrificial layer and the metal mirror layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The fabrication of a MEMS device such as an interferometric modulator is improved by employing an etch stop layer between a sacrificial layer and a mirror layer. The etch stop may reduce undesirable over-etching of the sacrificial layer and the mirror layer. The etch stop layer may also serve as a barrier layer, buffer layer, and/or template layer.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An unreleased interferometric modulator comprising:
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a sacrificial layer;
a metal mirror layer over the sacrificial layer; and
a thin uniform layer between the sacrificial layer and the metal mirror layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of making an interferometric modulator, comprising:
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depositing a sacrificial layer over a first mirror layer;
depositing an etch stop layer over the sacrificial layer;
depositing a second mirror layer over the etch stop layer; and
removing the sacrificial layer to expose a portion of the etch stop layer underlying the second mirror layer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of making an interferometric modulator, comprising:
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depositing a sacrificial layer over a first mirror layer;
depositing an etch stop layer over the sacrificial layer;
depositing a second mirror layer over the etch stop layer; and
removing a portion of the second mirror layer to expose the etch stop layer, thereby forming an exposed portion of the etch stop layer and an unexposed portion of the etch stop layer, the unexposed portion of the etch stop layer underlying a remaining portion of the second mirror layer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of making an interferometric modulator, comprising:
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depositing a sacrificial layer over a first mirror layer, the sacrificial layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon, germanium and molybdenum;
depositing a thin uniform layer over the sacrificial layer, the thin uniform layer having a thickness in the range of about 100 Å
to about 700 Å
, the thin uniform layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a silicon oxide, amorphous silicon, a silicon nitride, germanium, titanium, and tungsten;
depositing a second mirror layer over the thin uniform layer, the second mirror layer comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Al—
Si, Al—
Cu, Al—
Ti, and Al—
Nd;
removing a portion of the second mirror layer to expose the thin uniform layer, thereby forming an exposed portion of the thin uniform layer and an unexposed portion of the thin uniform layer, the unexposed portion of the thin uniform layer underlying a remaining portion of the second mirror layer; and
removing the sacrificial layer to expose the previously unexposed portion of the thin uniform layer underlying the remaining portion of the second mirror layer.
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Specification