METHOD OF MANUFACTURE FOR MICROELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICES

• US 20090068781A1
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IDC, LLC
• Inventors: Chui, Clarence, Kothari, Manish, Tung, Ming-Hau, Gally, Brian James, Batey, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,704,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/50
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0008 Structures for avoiding electrostatic attraction, e.g. avoiding charge accumulation
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00579 Avoid charge built-up
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12542 More than one such component

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device includes forming at least two conductive layers on a substrate. An isolation layer is formed between the two conductive layers. The conductive layers are electrically coupled together and then the isolation layer is removed to form a gap between the conductive layers. The electrical coupling of the layers mitigates or eliminates the effects of electrostatic charge build up on the device during the removal process.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device, the method comprising:

forming a first conductive layer, an isolation layer, and a second conductive layer, wherein the isolation layer is between the first and second conductive layers;

electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer;

removing the isolation layer to form a gap between the first and second conductive layers; and

electrically decoupling the first conductive layer from the second conductive layer after removing the isolation layer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a third conductive layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein forming the isolation layer comprises forming a first isolation layer and a second isolation layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the isolation layer comprises performing an etch of the isolation layer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein performing an etch comprises performing a dry gas etch.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein performing an etch comprises performing a dry vapor-phase etch.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein performing an phase etch comprises performing a xenon difluoride etch.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer comprises using a gas.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the gas is an ionized gas.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the gas is used to remove the isolation layer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the isolation layer comprises performing a vapor-phase etch with a first gas, and wherein electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second layer together comprises using a second gas.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the microelectromechanical device is exposed to both the first gas and the second gas simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the microelectromechanical device is exposed to a gas mixture comprising the first gas and the second gas.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first gas comprises xenon difluoride.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second gas is an ionized gas.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer comprises coupling the first and second conductive layers externally.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer comprises coupling the first and second conductive layers together internally.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer comprises electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer in an inactive area of the substrate.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically coupling comprises electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer during fabrication of at least a portion of the MEMS device.

20. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device comprising a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an isolation layer between the first and second conductive layers, the method comprising:

electrically coupling the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer; and

electrically decoupling the first conductive layer from the second conductive layer after removing the isolation layer.