MICRO-ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SYSTEM (MEMS) AND RELATED ACTUATOR BUMPS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN STRUCTURES
First Claim
1. A method of forming a MEMS structure, comprising:
- patterning a wiring layer on a substrate to form fixed actuator electrodes and a contact point;
forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer;
patterning the sacrificial material with an array of trenches above the wiring layer, the trenches being dimensioned to a predetermined height and width;
filling the array of trenches with material;
forming a MEMS beam above the filled array of trenches and in contact with the material in the array of trenches;
forming additional sacrificial material over the MEMS beam;
forming a lid over the additional sacrificial material over the MEMS beam;
forming at least one vent hole in the lid; and
venting the sacrificial material under the MEMS beam and the additional sacrificial material over the MEMS beam, such that the material within the array of trenches become suspended from an underside of the MEMS beam, forming an array of actuator bumps at the predetermined height and width.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are provided. The method of forming a MEMS structure includes forming fixed actuator electrodes and a contact point on a substrate. The method further includes forming a MEMS beam over the fixed actuator electrodes and the contact point. The method further includes forming an array of actuator electrodes in alignment with portions of the fixed actuator electrodes, which are sized and dimensioned to prevent the MEMS beam from collapsing on the fixed actuator electrodes after repeating cycling. The array of actuator electrodes are formed in direct contact with at least one of an underside of the MEMS beam and a surface of the fixed actuator electrodes.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of forming a MEMS structure, comprising:
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patterning a wiring layer on a substrate to form fixed actuator electrodes and a contact point; forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer; patterning the sacrificial material with an array of trenches above the wiring layer, the trenches being dimensioned to a predetermined height and width; filling the array of trenches with material; forming a MEMS beam above the filled array of trenches and in contact with the material in the array of trenches; forming additional sacrificial material over the MEMS beam; forming a lid over the additional sacrificial material over the MEMS beam; forming at least one vent hole in the lid; and venting the sacrificial material under the MEMS beam and the additional sacrificial material over the MEMS beam, such that the material within the array of trenches become suspended from an underside of the MEMS beam, forming an array of actuator bumps at the predetermined height and width. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A MEMS structure comprising:
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a first set of wires on a substrate, comprising fixed actuator electrodes and a contact; a MEMS beam comprising a second set of wires above the first set of wires; and an array of mini-bumps between the first set of wires and the second set of wires, wherein the array of mini-bumps prevent portions of the second set of wires from contacting the fixed actuator electrodes, upon actuation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A MEMS structure, comprising:
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fixed actuator electrodes and a contact point; a MEMS beam over the fixed actuator electrodes and the contact point; and an array of actuator electrodes in alignment with portions of the fixed actuator electrodes, which are sized and dimensioned to prevent the MEMS beam from contacting an actuator portion of the fixed actuator electrodes, wherein the array of actuator electrodes are in direct contact with and extending from at least one of an underside of the MEMS beam and a surface of the fixed actuator electrodes.
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25. A hardware description language (HDL) design structure encoded on a machine-readable data storage medium, the HDL design structure comprising elements that when processed in a computer-aided design system generates a machine-executable representation of a MEMS structure, wherein the HDL design structure comprises:
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a first set of wires on a substrate, comprising fixed actuator electrodes and a contact; a second set of wires above the first set of wires; and an array of mini-bumps between the first set of wires and the second set of wires, wherein the array of mini-bumps prevent portions of the second set of wires from contacting the fixed actuator electrodes, upon actuation.
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Specification