Capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer and methods of making the same

• US 20070180916A1
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Smith, Lowell, Tian, Wei-Cheng, Mills, David, Wei, Ching-Yeu, Chu, Stanley, Wodnicki, Robert, Kwon, Hyon-Jin, Fisher, Rayette
• Application Number:
  US11/350,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20070180916A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/649
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

A method of making a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer cell is provided. The method includes providing a carrier substrate, where the carrier substrate comprises glass. The step of providing the glass substrate may include forming vias in the glass substrate. Further, the method includes providing a membrane such that at least one of the carrier substrate, or the membrane comprises support posts, where the support posts are configured to define a cavity depth. The method further includes bonding the membrane to the carrier substrate by using the support posts, where the carrier substrate, the membrane and the support posts define an acoustic cavity.

Claims

1. A method of making a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer cell, comprising:

providing a carrier substrate, wherein the carrier substrate comprises glass;

providing a membrane such that at least one of the carrier substrate, or the membrane comprises support posts, wherein the support posts are configured to define a cavity depth; and

bonding the membrane to the carrier substrate by using the support posts, wherein the carrier substrate, the membrane and the support posts define an acoustic cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the glass comprises a sodium rich glass.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the glass comprises a borosilicate glass.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the carrier substrate further comprises providing a bottom electrode on the carrier substrate such that the acoustic cavity is bounded by the bottom electrode and the membrane.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the membrane further comprises growing an electrically insulating layer to the membrane such that the electrically insulating layer is disposed inside the acoustic cavity after the membrane is bonded to the carrier substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of bonding comprises one of an anodic bonding, a solder bonding, a chemical bonding, or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a bonding temperature is in a range from about 25°

C. to about 600°

C.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a surface treatment to one of the carrier substrate, the membrane, the support posts, or combinations thereof, prior to the step of bonding the membrane to the carrier substrate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the carrier substrate further comprises forming a via in the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of forming the via comprises:

forming a channel in the carrier substrate, wherein the channel extends through a thickness of the carrier substrate; and

disposing an electrically conductive layer in the channel, wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises an electrically conductive material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of disposing the electrically conductive material comprises:

forming a seed layer on inner walls of the via; and

electroplating the electrically conductive layer on the seed layer

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the seed layer comprises chromium, or gold, or both.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises copper, or nickel, or both.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises a conductive polymer.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein an orientation of the via is skewed relative to a surface of the substrate.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein an orientation of the via is perpendicular relative to a surface of the substrate.

17. A method of making a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer cell, comprising:

providing a carrier substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the carrier substrate comprises glass;

forming a via in the carrier substrate, wherein the via extends from the first surface to the second surface of the carrier substrate; and

coupling a membrane to the carrier substrate to define an acoustic cavity, wherein a depth of the acoustic cavity is defined by support posts, and wherein one of the carrier substrate, or the membrane comprises the support posts.

18. A method of making a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer array, comprising

providing a glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is partitioned into a plurality of portions;

forming vias in the glass substrate, wherein the vias extend from the first surface of the glass substrate to the second surface of the glass substrate;

depositing bottom electrodes on each of the portions of the first surface of the glass substrate;

coupling a plurality of membranes to the glass substrate such that each membrane is coupled to a portion of the glass substrate to define an acoustic cavity, and wherein a depth of the acoustic cavity is defined by support posts disposed within one of the glass substrate, or the membrane; and

depositing contact pads on the first surface of the glass substrate such that the contact pads are formed on the portions of the glass substrate which does not employ the acoustic cavity, and wherein each contact pad is in electrical communication with a corresponding via.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing bottom electrodes on the first surface of the glass substrate.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising depositing a dielectric layer on the plurality of membranes.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising depositing top electrodes on the membrane.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising depositing an insulating layer on the bottom electrodes.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming vacuum holes in the plurality of membranes.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling comprises anodic bonding, solder bonding, chemical bonding, or combinations thereof.

25. A capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer cell, comprising;

a glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and

a membrane bonded to the first surface of the glass substrate, wherein one of the first surface of the glass substrate or the membrane defines a cavity.

26. The cell of claim 25, further comprising an electrically insulating layer disposed in the cavity, wherein the insulating layer is coupled to the membrane.

27. The cell of claim 25, wherein the glass substrate comprises a via, wherein the via is configured to provide electrical communication between the membrane and electrical circuitry coupled to the second surface of the glass substrate.

28. The cell of claim 25, further comprising a bottom electrode disposed in the cavity and coupled to the first surface of the glass substrate.

29. The cell of claim 25, wherein the membrane is coupled to the first substrate by anodic bonding.

30. A system, comprising:

a transducer array comprising a plurality of capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer cells, each cell comprising;

a glass substrate having a first surface and a second surface;

a membrane bonded to the first surface of the glass substrate, wherein one of the first surface of the glass substrate or the membrane comprises support posts, and wherein the glass substrate, the membrane and the support posts define a cavity;

an electrically insulating layer disposed in the cavity and coupled to the first surface of the glass electrode; and

a bottom electrode disposed in the cavity.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising contact pads disposed on the first surface of the glass substrate.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising vias formed in the glass substrate, where the vias are in electrical communication with the contact pads.