Method of fabrication of large area micromechanical devices

• US 5,129,983 A
• Filed: 02/25/1991
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Greiff, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, William A.
• Application Number:
  US07/660,793
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 156/628, 156/643, 156/647, 156/651, 156/657, 156/659.1, 156/662, 29/621.1, 29/25.35, 310/311, 310/312, 310/321, 310/361, 310/367, 357/26, 357/69, 73/488, 73/517 R, 73/517 A, 73/517 AV, 73/518, 73/700, 73/705, 73/702, 73/708, 73/720, 73/721, 73/726, 73/727, 338/2, 338/4, 437/182, 437/220
• US Class Current: 216/2
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0072 For controlling internal stress or strain in moving or flexible elements, e.g. stress compensating layers
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/014 by depositing an etch stop layer, e.g. silicon nitride, silicon oxide, metal
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details

Abstract

A method of fabrication of micromechanical devices enables the production of large area micromechanical transducer structures which are symmetric, stress balanced structures relatively devoid of geometric distortions. Micromechanical transducer structures are fabricated implementing processes and physical characteristics which overcome the unbalanced stresses occurring in high concentration diffusion planar structures that cause problematic geometric distortions that restrict physical size. Large increases in the practical size of micromechanical devices which may be fabricated are achieved while permitting greater depths of structural features, without the resultant concentration and stress distortions. Multilevel, balanced stress structures can be created which are of varying geometries at each level to produce a "sculpted" structure.

Claims

1. A method of creating a balanced stress micromechanical structure having at least first, second and third sides, wherein said structure is defined by diffusing a mass of silicon with a dopant, said method comprising the steps of:

etching a tub in said mass of silicon, said tub defining at least one of said at least first, second and third sides of said structure;

doping said tub by applying an etch stop diffusion comprising said dopant to all exposed surfaces of said tub;

filling said tub with a silicon backfill to create a filled surface defining at least another of said first, second and third sides;

diffusing said filled surface with said dopant to create an envelope having a sealed relatively lightly doped interior bulk, said envelope comprising said at least first, second and third sides; and

etching said balanced stress micromechanical structure free from said mass of silicon.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said mass of silicon is an N type silicon mass and said dopant is boron.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

lapping said filled surface to create a mirror smooth filled surface prior to diffusing said filled surface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said silicon backfill is single crystal silicon.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said silicon backfill is polysilicon.

6. A balanced stress micromechanical structure having a selected shape and at least a first and a second selected dimension, comprising:

a mass of silicon;

means for selectively providing etch resistance to said mass of silicon to generate etch resistant silicon integral with said mass of silicon, said means for selectively providing etch resistance being disposed in at least one pattern to provide at least some patterned etch resistant silicon;

wherein said mass of silicon is exposed to etching means for selectively etching said mass of silicon while retaining said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon; and

means for preventing geometric distortion or said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon upon freeing said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon from said silicon mass.

7. The balanced stress micromechanical structure of claim 6 wherein said means for preventing geometric distortion of said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon comprises:

a first silicon surface;

a first etch resistant surface disposed on said first silicon surface substantially in conformance with said at least one pattern to provide some of said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon as a lower surface;

a first intermediate silicon fill disposed on said first etch resistant surface; and

a second etch resistant surface disposed on said first intermediate silicon fill substantially in conformance with said at least one pattern to provide some of said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon as an upper surface

wherein said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon defines said selected shape and wherein said first etch resistant surface, said intermediate silicon fill and said second etch resistant surface define at least one of said first and said second selected dimension of said balanced stess micromechanical structure.

8. The balanced stress micromechanical structure of claim 7 wherein said means for preventing geometric distortion of said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon further comprises:

at least a second intermediate silicon fill disposed on an etch resistant surface; and

at least a third etch resistant surface substantially in conformance with said at least one pattern to provide some of said at least some patterned etch resistant silicon.

9. The balanced stress micromechanical structure of claim 7 wherein said first silicon surface comprises a plurality of grooves.

10. The balanced stress micromechanical structure of claim 9 wherein said plurality of grooves have a substantially u-shaped cross-section formed by plasma etching.

11. The balanced stress micromechanical structure of claim 9 wherein said plurality of grooves have a substantially v-shaped cross-section formed by anisotropic etching.

12. The balanced stress micromechanical structure of claim 7 wherein said first intermediate silicon fill comprises epitaxially grown single crystal silicon.

13. The low net strain micromechanical structure of claim 7 wherein said first intermediate silicon fill comprises polysilicon.

14. A method of creating a planar balanced stress micromechanical structure in a mass of silicon, said method comprising the steps of:

etching a plurality of grooves in said mass of silicon;

doping said plurality of grooves by applying an etch stop diffusion to all exposed surfaces of said grooves to create an etch resistant corrugated lower surface;

filling said plurality of grooves with a silicon to create a filled surface of said planar balanced stress micromechanical structure;

diffusing said filled surface with an etch stop diffusion to create an etch resistant upper planar surface; and

etching said planar balanced stress micromechanical structure substantially free from said silicon mass.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of etching said plurality of grooves in said mass of silicon includes performing anisotropic etching whereby said grooves have a substantially v-shaped cross-section.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of etching said plurality of grooves in said mass of silicon includes performing plasma etching whereby said grooves have a substantially u-shaped cross section.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein applying said etch stop diffusion includes doping said plurality of grooves with boron dopant.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said silicon used to create said filled surface is epitaxially grown single crystal silicon.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said silicon used to create said filled surface is polysilicon.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of etching said low net strain micromechanical structure substantially free from said silicon mass includes anisotropic etching.

21. A method of fabricating a balanced stress micromechanical structure in a mass of silicon, said method comprising the steps of:

applying a etch stop dopant in a pattern on a first surface of said mass of silicon;

growing an intermediate layer of silicon over said etch stop dopant patterned on said first surface of said mass of silicon;

applying a second etch stop dopant in a second pattern on said intermediated layer of silicon; and

etching said balanced stress micromechanical structure substantially free from said mass of silicon.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said etch stop dopant is boron.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said intermediate layer of silicon is epitaxially grown single crystal silicon.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said intermediate layer of silicon is polysilicon.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of etching said balanced stress micromechanical structure substantially free from said mass of silicon includes anisotropically etching said mass of silicon to undercut said etch stop dopant in said pattern on said first surface.