Method of fabricating suspended microstructures
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a suspended platform on a bonded-substrate that includes a platform substrate that is bonded to a base substrate, comprising:
- forming a dielectric layer on a support surface of the base substrate;
patterning an interface surface of the dielectric layer to define a well feature thereon;
etching the well feature until a well having a preselected depth that leaves a thin protective layer of the dielectric layer covering the support surface is formed;
bonding the base and platform substrates to each other by urging the interface surface into contact with a mounting surface of the platform substrate and annealing the base and platform substrates to fusion bond the interface surface with the mounting surface;
thinning the platform substrate to form a membrane over a sealed cavity defined by the well and the mounting surface;
patterning the membrane to define a flexture feature and a platform feature;
etching the flexture and platform features to form a plurality of trenches that extend through the membrane to the sealed cavity and define a suspended platform and a flexure; and
applying a selective etch material to remove the dielectric layer from beneath the suspended platform and the flexure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of fabricating a non-perforate suspended platform on a bonded-substrate is disclosed. The method includes forming a dielectric layer on a support surface of a base substrate followed by patterning an interface surface of the dielectric layer to define a well feature. The well feature is etched until a well having a depth that leaves a thin protective layer of the dielectric layer covering the support surface. Next a platform substrate is urged into contact with the base substrate followed by annealing the base and platform substrates to fusion bond the interface surface with a mounting surface of the platform substrate. The platform substrate is thinned, to form a membrane over a sealed cavity defined by the well and the mounting surface. The membrane is patterned and etch to form a plurality of trenches that extend through the membrane to the sealed cavity and define a suspended platform and a flexure. A selective etch material such as HF is used to remove the remaining dielectric layer from beneath the platform and the flexures thereby freeing the suspended platform and the flexures.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method of fabricating a suspended platform on a bonded-substrate that includes a platform substrate that is bonded to a base substrate, comprising:
-
forming a dielectric layer on a support surface of the base substrate;
patterning an interface surface of the dielectric layer to define a well feature thereon;
etching the well feature until a well having a preselected depth that leaves a thin protective layer of the dielectric layer covering the support surface is formed;
bonding the base and platform substrates to each other by urging the interface surface into contact with a mounting surface of the platform substrate and annealing the base and platform substrates to fusion bond the interface surface with the mounting surface;
thinning the platform substrate to form a membrane over a sealed cavity defined by the well and the mounting surface;
patterning the membrane to define a flexture feature and a platform feature;
etching the flexture and platform features to form a plurality of trenches that extend through the membrane to the sealed cavity and define a suspended platform and a flexure; and
applying a selective etch material to remove the dielectric layer from beneath the suspended platform and the flexure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification