PREFERENTIALLY DEPOSITED LUBRICANT TO PREVENT ANTI-STICTION IN MICROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS

• US 20070114883A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Dongmin, Xiong, Fulin, Worley, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/311
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0005 Anti-stiction coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0096 For avoiding stiction when the device is in use, i.e. after manufacture has been completed
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/112 Depositing an anti-stiction or passivation coating, e.g. on the elastic or moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a device that has an improved usable lifetime due to the presence of a lubricant that reduces the likelihood of stiction occurring between the various moving parts in an electromechanical device. Embodiments of the present invention also generally include a device, and a method of forming a device, that has one or more surfaces or regions that have a volume of lubricant disposed thereon that acts as a ready supply of “fresh” lubricant to prevent stiction occurring between interacting components found within the device. In one aspect, components within the volume of lubricant form a gas or vapor phase that reduces the chances of stiction-related failure in the formed device. In one example, aspects of this invention may be especially useful for fabricating and using micromechanical devices, such as MEMS devices, NEMS devices, or other similar thermal or fluidic devices.

Claims

1. A process for forming a micromechanical device assembly, the process comprising:

positioning the micromechanical device within a processing region that is formed between one or more inner surfaces of one or more walls of an enclosure;

forming a fluid channel in the one or more walls of the enclosure, wherein the fluid channel extends between one of the one or more inner surfaces and an exterior surface of one of the one or more walls; and

delivering a plurality of lubricant molecules to the processing region through the formed fluid channel, wherein the plurality of lubricant molecules have a head group that is adapted to bond to a surface of one of the one or more walls.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the micromechanical device comprises a spatial light modulator.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein a portion of the one or more walls is a semiconductor substrate on which the micromechanical device is formed.

4. The process of claim 1, further comprising disposing a plurality of lubricant molecules within the fluid channel.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the head group is selected from a group consisting of an oxysilane functional group, a trichlorosilane functional group and a carboxilate functional group.

6. The process of claim 1, further comprising sealing the processing region by positioning a cap over the end of the fluid channel that is in contact with the exterior surface of the one or more walls.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein a portion of one of the one or more walls is an optically transparent material.

8. A process for forming a micromechanical device assembly, the process comprising:

forming a base and a lid;

bonding the base to the lid to form a sealed processing region;

positioning the micromechanical device within the processing region that is formed between base and the lid; and

delivering a first plurality of lubricant molecules to the processing region after bonding the base to the lid, wherein the first plurality of lubricant molecules have a first head group that is adapted to bond to a surface of one of the one or more walls.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising delivering a second plurality of lubricant molecules to the processing region, wherein the plurality of second lubricant molecules have a second head group that is adapted to bond to an end region of each of the first plurality of lubricant molecules.

10. The process of claim 8, further comprising forming a fluid channel in the base or the lid, wherein the fluid channel extends between an inner surface of the base or the lid and an exterior surface of the base or the lid.

11. The process of claim 8, wherein the bonding process is performed using a process selected from a group consisting of an anodic bonding process, a eutectic bonding process and a glass frit bonding process.

12. The process of claim 8, wherein the micromechanical device comprises a spatial light modulator.

13. The process of claim 8, wherein the first head group is selected from a group consisting of an oxysilane functional group, a trichlorosilane functional group and a carboxilate functional group.

14. A process for forming a micromechanical device assembly, the process comprising:

positioning the micromechanical device within a processing region that is formed between one or more inner surfaces of one or more walls of an enclosure;

forming a fluid channel in the one or more walls of the enclosure, wherein the fluid channel extends between one of the one or more inner surfaces and an exterior surface of one of the one or more walls;

delivering a first plurality of lubricant molecules to the processing region, wherein the first plurality of lubricant molecules have a head group that is adapted to bond to a surface of one of the one or more walls; and

delivering a second plurality of lubricant molecules to the processing region, wherein the plurality of second lubricant molecules have a head group that is adapted to bond to an end region of each of the first plurality of lubricant molecules.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein the micromechanical device comprises a spatial light modulator.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein a portion of the one or more walls is a semiconductor substrate on which the micromechanical device is formed.

17. The process of claim 14, further comprising disposing a plurality of lubricant molecules within the fluid channel.

18. The process of claim 14, wherein the head group is selected from a group consisting of an oxysilane functional group, a trichlorosilane functional group and a carboxilate functional group.

19. The process of claim 14, further comprising sealing the processing region by positioning a cap over the end of the fluid channel that is in contact with the exterior surface of the one or more walls.

20. The process of claim 14, wherein a portion of one of the one or more walls is an optically transparent material.