METHOD OF FABRICATING AND ENCAPSULATING MEMS DEVICES
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating and encapsulating a suspended microstructure onto a substrate at least comprising:
- depositing a first sacrificial carbon film onto the substrate;
photolithographically patterning the first sacrificial carbon film;
depositing a structural film;
photolithographically patterning the structural film and partially exposing the first sacrificial carbon film;
depositing a second sacrificial carbon film;
photolithographically patterning the second sacrificial carbon film;
depositing an encapsulating film covering the second sacrificial carbon film, the structural film and the first sacrificial carbon film;
photolithographically patterning the encapsulating film to form a plurality of thru-film sacrificial release holes;
selectively removing the first sacrificial carbon film and the second sacrificial carbon film by using a selective gaseous etch process in a reactor chamber so that the structural film is suspended in a cavity above the substrate; and
depositing a hole-sealing film so that the thru-film sacrificial release holes are sealed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of fabricating and encapsulating MEMS devices is disclosed, using least two carbon films as the dual sacrificial layers sandwiching a MEMS structural film which is anchored onto a substrate and covered by an encapsulating film containing a plurality of thru-film sacrificial release holes. The dual sacrificial carbon films are selectively removed via plasma-enhanced oxygen or nitrogen ashing through the thru-film sacrificial release holes for releasing the MEMS structural film inside a cavity formed between the encapsulating film and the substrate. The thru-film sacrificial release holes, preferably with a relative high asperity ratio, are then sealed off by depositing a hole-sealing film in a physical vapor deposition process or a chemical vapor deposition process or combination.
54 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating and encapsulating a suspended microstructure onto a substrate at least comprising:
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depositing a first sacrificial carbon film onto the substrate; photolithographically patterning the first sacrificial carbon film; depositing a structural film; photolithographically patterning the structural film and partially exposing the first sacrificial carbon film; depositing a second sacrificial carbon film; photolithographically patterning the second sacrificial carbon film; depositing an encapsulating film covering the second sacrificial carbon film, the structural film and the first sacrificial carbon film; photolithographically patterning the encapsulating film to form a plurality of thru-film sacrificial release holes; selectively removing the first sacrificial carbon film and the second sacrificial carbon film by using a selective gaseous etch process in a reactor chamber so that the structural film is suspended in a cavity above the substrate; and depositing a hole-sealing film so that the thru-film sacrificial release holes are sealed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification