MEMS variable capacitor and method for producing the same

• US 20080055815A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMEC International
• Original Assignee: Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum VZW (IMEC International)
• Inventors: Rottenberg, Xavier
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/278
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/33 Thin- or thick-film capacitors thin- or thick-film circuits H01L27/00; capacitors without a potential-jump or surface barrier specially adapted for integrated circuits, details thereof, multistep manufacturing processes therefor H01L28/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/18 due to change in inclination, e.g. by flexing, by spiral wrapping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/43 Electric condenser making

Abstract

One inventive aspect relates a variable capacitor comprising first and second electrically conductive electrodes, arranged above a support structure and spaced apart from each other and defining the capacitance of the capacitor. At least one of the electrodes comprises at least one bendable portion. The bendable portion(s) are actuated by a DC voltage difference which is applied over the electrodes to vary the capacitance. In preferred embodiments, the support structure comprises a layer of higher permittivity than the atmosphere surrounding the electrodes and the electrodes configure as an interdigitated structure upon actuation. Also disclosed is a 2-mask process for producing such capacitors.

Claims

1. A variable capacitor comprising:

first and second electrically conductive electrodes arranged above a support structure, the electrodes defining the capacitance of the capacitor and being arranged such that orthogonal projections of the electrodes on the plane of the support structure are non-overlapping, at least one of the electrodes comprising at least one bendable portion being movable perpendicular to the support structure; and

an actuation element configured to apply a voltage difference between the electrodes to actuate the bendable portion thus varying the capacitance of the variable capacitor.

2. The variable capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the actuation element further comprises a layer within the support structure having a higher permittivity value than the atmosphere surrounding the electrodes.

3. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes are arranged substantially in the same plane, with the bendable portions laying out of the plane in idle state, and laying substantially in the plane upon actuation with a predetermined first voltage.

4. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein each of the electrodes comprises at least one of the bendable portions.

5. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the bendable portions are configured to be pulled towards the support structure upon actuation with a predetermined second voltage.

6. The variable capacitor according to claim 5, wherein upon actuation with the second voltage the bendable portions come into physical contact with the support structure.

7. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the bendable portions are cantilevered structures comprising an anchored portion and a free-standing portion.

8. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes comprise patterned metal layers.

9. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes are formed out of the same layer.

10. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes comprise one or more sub layers.

11. The variable capacitor according to claim 10, wherein one of the sub layers is formed as a piezoelectric layer for enabling piezoelectric actuation in a first actuation stage.

12. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein one of the electrodes is fixed on the support structure.

13. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the support structure comprises recesses arranged for accepting the bendable portions when actuated.

14. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes are digitated structures when not actuated, and are configured to form an interdigitated structure upon actuation.

15. The variable capacitor according to claim 14, wherein the length of the digitated structures is varied.

16. The variable capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the support structure is a multilayer structure.

17. The variable capacitor according to claim 16, wherein the support structure comprises an MCM-D substrate.

18. A device comprising the variable capacitor according to claim 2.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the device is an LC-tank.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the device is a relay.

21. The device according to claim 18, wherein the device is a shunt relay capacitor.

22. The device according to claim 18, wherein the device is a series relay capacitor.

23. A method of producing a variable capacitor in a 2-mask process, comprising:

providing a sacrificial layer on a support substrate;

producing a conductive layer on the sacrificial layer in a predetermined plane;

patterning the conductive layer so as to define first and second electrodes of the variable capacitor, at least one of which comprises at least one bendable portion; and

releasing the at least one bendable portion by local removal of the sacrificial layer, whereby the bendable portion or portions curl out of the plane of the conductive layer.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the patterning of the conductive layer comprises defining the first electrode and the second electrode as interdigitated structures.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising forming recesses in the support substrate, the recesses being arranged for accepting the bendable portions when actuated.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the electrodes are positioned such that orthogonal projections of the electrodes on the plane of the support substrate are non-overlapping, and the bendable portion is movable perpendicular to the support substrate.

27. A variable capacitor comprising:

means formed above a support structure for defining the capacitance, the defining means further comprising means being movable perpendicular to the support structure and thus varying the capacitance; and

means for controlling the movement of the movable means.

28. The variable capacitor of claim 27, wherein the defining means comprises first and second electrically conductive electrodes arranged above a support structure, the electrodes defining the capacitance of the capacitor and being arranged such that orthogonal projections of the electrodes on the plane of the support structure are non-overlapping, at least one of the electrodes comprising at least one bendable portion being movable perpendicular to the support structure.

29. The variable capacitor of claim 28, wherein the controlling means comprises an actuation element configured to apply a voltage difference between the electrodes to actuate the bendable portion thus varying the capacitance of the variable capacitor.