Method of micromachining a scanning torsion mirror

• US 6,122,090 A
• Filed: 11/10/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Kino, Gordon S., Neuzil, Pavel
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, James
• Application Number:
  US09/438,098
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 359/198, 359/199, 359/201, 359/202, 359/223, 359/224, 359/846, 359/848, 359/900, 216/41, 204/192.17, 204/192.26, 204/192.27, 204/192.37
• US Class Current: 359/224.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1821 for rotating or oscillating mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A method of forming a silicon nitride scanning torsion mirror which includes depositing a silicon nitride layer on a support substrate, etching the silicon nitride layer to form a mirror supported within the layer by integral torsion hinges and then selectively etching the substrate under the mirror to form a well.

Claims

1. The method of fabricating a silicon nitride mirror supported in a silicon nitride layer by torsion hinges comprising

depositing a silicon oxide layer on a silicon member,

depositing a low stress layer of silicon nitride on said oxide layer by low pressure chemical vapor deposition,

sputtering an aluminum layer on the surface of the silicon nitride layer,

lithographically patterning and etching said aluminum layer to form spaced reflective electrodes and leads,

lithographically patterning and etching the silicon nitride layer and the silicon oxide layer to form an open frame exposing said silicon member, and to define a mirror having a mirror body,

etching the silicon member under the mirror body to form a well beneath the mirror whereby the mirror is suspended by the silicon nitride layer by integral silicon nitride torsion hinges, and

selectively etching the silicon oxide layer beneath the mirror.

2. A method as in claim 1 in which the member comprises an intrinsic silicon layer carried on a silicon oxide layer formed on a silicon layer or body.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the aluminum layer is etched and patterned to form first mirrors on a mirror body and second mirrors on a frame surrounding the mirror body and in which the silicon nitride layer and silicon oxide layer are etched to form first and second frames defining a mirror body within a mirror frame with orthogonal hinges whereby the silicon nitride mirror body is pivoted orthogonal to the silicon nitride frames.