PROCESS AND STRUCTURE FOR FABRICATION OF MEMS DEVICE HAVING ISOLATED EDGE POSTS
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising an array of MEMS devices, the array comprising, a plurality of lower electrodes located over a substrate;
- a plurality of upper strip electrodes spaced apart from the plurality of lower electrodes by a cavity, the upper strip electrodes separated by gaps;
a plurality of isolated edge posts located between the upper strip electrodes and the lower electrodes, wherein the isolated edge posts comprise a face extending along the edge of the isolated edge posts facing an adjacent gap.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of fabricating an array of MEMS devices includes the formation of support structures located at the edge of upper strip electrodes. A support structure is etched to form a pair of individual support structures located at the edges of a pair of adjacent electrodes. The electrodes themselves may be used as a hard mask during the etching of these support structures. A resultant array of MEMS devices includes support structures having a face located at the edge of an overlying electrode and coincident with the edge of the overlying electrode.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising an array of MEMS devices, the array comprising,
a plurality of lower electrodes located over a substrate; -
a plurality of upper strip electrodes spaced apart from the plurality of lower electrodes by a cavity, the upper strip electrodes separated by gaps;
a plurality of isolated edge posts located between the upper strip electrodes and the lower electrodes, wherein the isolated edge posts comprise a face extending along the edge of the isolated edge posts facing an adjacent gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of fabricating a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, comprising:
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forming an electrode layer over a substrate;
depositing a sacrificial layer over the electrode layer;
depositing a reflective layer over the sacrificial layer;
forming a plurality of support structures, said support structures extending through the sacrificial layer, wherein at least some of said plurality of support structures comprise edge support structures;
depositing a mechanical layer over the plurality of support structures;
patterning the mechanical layer to form strips, wherein said strips are separated by gaps, and wherein said gaps are located over a central portion of each of said edge support structures; and
etching portions of the reflective layer extending underneath the gaps in the mechanical layer, wherein etching the reflective layer comprises exposing the reflective layer to an etch for a period of time sufficient to electrically isolate portions of the reflective layer located underneath the strips from one another. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A MEMS device, comprising:
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first means for electrically conducting;
second means for electrically conducting;
adjacent second means for electrically conducting; and
means for supporting edge portions of and for electrically isolating said second conducting means from said adjacent second conducting means, wherein said second conducting means is electrically isolated from said first conducting means, and wherein said second conducting means is movable relative to said first conducting means in response to generating electrostatic potential between said first and second conducting means. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification