METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FABRICATION OF INTEGRATED TUNABLE/SWITCHABLE PASSIVE MICROWAVE AND MILLIMETER WAVE MODULES

• US 20080157897A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum VZW (IMEC International)
• Original Assignee: Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum VZW (IMEC International)
• Inventors: Beyne, Eric, Tilmans, Hendrikus, De Raedt, Walter, Jansen, Henri
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/105
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0006 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/84 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. being an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/127 Strip line switches

Abstract

An interconnect module and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of making an interconnect module on a substrate comprises forming an interconnect section on the substrate. The interconnect section comprises at least two metal interconnect layers separated by a dielectric layer. The method further comprises forming a passive device on the substrate at a location laterally adjacent to the interconnect section. The passive device comprises at least one moveable element comprising a metal layer. The method further comprises forming the metal layer and one of the at least two metal interconnect layers from substantially the same material.

Claims

1. An interconnect module device comprising:

a substrate;

an interconnect section formed on the substrate, the interconnect section comprising a plurality of fixed passive devices formed in at least a portion of at least first and second metal interconnect layers separated by a dielectric layer, wherein the fixed passive devices are connected to each other by at least one of the first and second interconnect layers; and

a passive device section formed on the substrate located laterally adjacent to the interconnect section comprising one or more variable passive devices, each comprising at least one moveable element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the minimum distance between the substrate and the second interconnect layer is greater than the minimum distance between the substrate and the first interconnect layer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one moveable element comprises at least a portion of at least one of the first and second interconnect layers.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least a third metal interconnect layer separated from the first and second interconnect layers by a second dielectric layer, wherein the at least one moveable element is formed in at least one of the first, second, and third interconnect layers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the variable passive devices comprises an RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) device, wherein the RF MEMS device comprises at least one moveable element formed in at least one of the interconnect layers.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the RF MEMS device is configured to be electrically connected between first and second electrical components, and the moveable element is configured to communicate a data carrying signal between the first and second electrical components.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the interconnect section and the RE MEMS device are formed on a multi-chip module with deposited thin film (MCM-D) substrate technology.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fixed microwave integrated passive devices (IPDs) connected with at least one of the interconnect layers.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the moveable element is configured to carry a communication signal.

10. An interconnect module device, comprising:

a substrate;

an interconnect section formed on the substrate, the interconnect section comprising at least first and second metal interconnect layers separated by a dielectric layer, wherein the minimum distance between the substrate and the second layer is greater than the minimum distance between the substrate and the first layer;

an RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) device formed on the substrate at a location laterally adjacent to the interconnect section, wherein the RF MEMS device comprises at least one moveable element formed in at least one of the first and second interconnect layers,

wherein the interconnect section comprises a plurality of fixed microwave integrated passive devices (IPDs) connected with at least one of the first and second interconnect layers.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the moveable element is configured to carry a communication signal.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the interconnect section and the RF MEMS device are formed on a multi-chip module with deposited thin film (MCM-D) substrate technology.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the RF MEMS device is configured to be electrically connected between first and second electrical components, and the moveable element is configured to communicate a data carrying signal between the first and second electrical components.

14. The device of claim 10, further comprising a third metal interconnect layer separated from the first and second interconnect layers by a second dielectric layer.

15. An interconnect module device, comprising:

a substrate;

an interconnect section formed on the substrate, the interconnect section comprising at least first and second metal interconnect layers separated by a dielectric layer, wherein the minimum distance between the substrate and the second layer is greater than the minimum distance between the substrate and the first layer;

a passive device formed on the substrate at a location laterally adjacent to the interconnect section, wherein the passive device comprises at least one moveable element formed in at least one of the first and second interconnect layers, wherein the passive device is configured to be electrically connected between first and second electrical components, and the moveable element is configured to communicate a data carrying signal between the first and second electrical components.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the minimum distance between the substrate and the second layer is greater than the minimum distance between the substrate and the first layer.

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising a third metal interconnect layer separated from the first and second interconnect layers by a second dielectric layer, wherein the at least one moveable element is formed in at least one of the interconnect layers.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the variable passive device comprises an RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) device, wherein the RF MEMS device comprises the moveable element.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the RF MEMS device is configured to be electrically connected between first and second electrical components, and the moveable element of the passive device is configured to communicate a data carrying signal between the first and second electrical components.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the interconnect section and the RF MEMS device are formed on a multi-chip module with deposited thin film (MCM-D) substrate technology.

21. The device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of fixed microwave integrated passive devices (IPDs) connected with at least one of the first and second interconnect metal layers.

22. The device of claim 15, wherein the moveable element is configured to carry a communication signal.

23. An interconnect module device, comprising:

a substrate;

an interconnect section formed on the substrate, the interconnect section comprising a first interconnect metal layer, a first intermediate dielectric layer formed on the first interconnect metal layer, a second interconnect metal layer formed on the first intermediate dielectric layer, a second intermediate dielectric layer formed on the second interconnect metal layer, and a third interconnect metal layer formed on the second intermediate dielectric layer; and

a passive device section formed on the substrate located laterally adjacent to the interconnect section, the passive device section comprising a variable passive device comprising at least one moveable element, wherein the moveable element is formed from the same material as one of the interconnect metal layers.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the variable passive device comprises an RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) device, wherein the RF MEMS device comprises the moveable element.