METHOD OF FABRICATING MEMS DEVICES (SUCH AS IMod) COMPRISING USING A GAS PHASE ETCHANT TO REMOVE A LAYER
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of fabricating a microelectromechanical structure (MEMS), the method comprising etching a deposited sacrificial layer with a gas phase etchant, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, and germanium.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improvements in an interferometric modulator that cavity defined by two walls.
-
Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A method of fabricating a microelectromechanical structure (MEMS), the method comprising etching a deposited sacrificial layer with a gas phase etchant, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, and germanium.
-
5. An apparatus comprising:
an unreleased microelectromechanical device comprising at least one thin film disposed, at least in part, on a substrate, wherein the thin film is configured to contact a sacrificial component;
wherein the sacrificial component is etchable by a gas phase etchant;
wherein the substrate is substantially non-etchable by the gas phase etchant, and wherein the sacrificial component comprises at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, and germanium.- View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
-
8. A method of forming a movable microelectromechanical device comprising:
-
disposing a sacrificial layer on a substrate, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, and germanium. disposing a microelectromechanical structure over the sacrificial layer and the substrate, the microelectromechanical structure comprising at least one thin film; and etching the sacrificial layer with a gas phase etchant to release the microelectromechanical structure from the sacrificial layer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An apparatus comprising:
-
a substrate configured to be non-etchable by gas phase etching; and an interferometric modulator disposed, at least in part, on the substrate, wherein the interferometric modulator comprises at least one thin film, wherein the thin film is configured to contact a sacrificial component, and wherein the sacrificial component is configured to define the optical properties of the interference modulator and is etchable with a gas phase etchant. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of making an array of microelectromechanical structures on a production line comprising micromachining electromechanical structures on a surface of a glass or plastic substrate that is at least as large as 8″
- ×
8″
or at least as large as 8″
in diameter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
- ×
Specification