Method of fabricating devices incorporating microelectromechanical systems using at least one UV curable tape

• US 6,383,833 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Simkovic, Viktor
• Application Number:
  US09/575,158
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 438/21, 438/50, 438/51, 438/52, 438/53, 438/458, 438/464, 438/113, 438/114
• US Class Current: 438/51
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00873 characterised by special arrangements of the devices, allowing an easier separation

Abstract

A method of fabricating devices incorporating microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) using a UV curable tape includes providing a substrate 14 with a MEMS layer 18 arranged on one side 12 of the substrate 14. A further layer 10 is applied to the side 12 of the substrate 14. At least one operation is performed on the substrate 14 from a side 22 of the substrate 14 opposed to the side 12 having the MEMS layer 18. A holding tape 38 is applied to the side 22 of the substrate. At least one operation is then performed on the further layer 10 to define individual chips 20. Each chip 20 is composed of a part of the substrate 24, at least one part of the MEMS layer 18 and a part of the further layer 10. Individual chips 20 are then able to be released from the tape 38 by exposing the tape 38 to UV light.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating MEMS devices, the method including the steps of:

providing a substrate with a MEMS layer arranged on one side of the substrate;

permanently applying a further, guard layer to said one side of the substrate to overlie said MEMS layer;

performing at least one operation on the substrate from a side of the substrate opposed to the side having the MEMS layer;

applying a holding means to said opposed side of the substrate;

performing at least one operation on the further layer to define individual chips, each chip being composed of a part of the substrate, at least one part of the MEMS layer and a part of the further layer; and

causing the individual chips to be released from the holding means for removal from the holding means.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the operations performed on the substrate include separating the substrate into discrete parts, each part carrying said at least one MEMS part.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the operations performed on the further layer include separating the further layer into discrete parts, one part associated with each part of the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 which includes performing the operations on the further layer after application of the holding means to the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 which includes bonding the holding means to the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the holding means is bonded to the layer by means of an adhesive which is curable by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, and in which the method includes exposing localised regions of the holding means to UV light to release one chip at a time from the holding means to enable each chip to be removed individually from the holding means.

7. The method of claim 6 which includes applying a handling means to the holding means, the handling means being transparent to UV light so that UV light is transmitted through the handling means to cure the adhesive of the holding means.

8. The method of claim 6 which includes removing each chip from the holding means by a transporting means.