Micro-machining
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a micro-mechanical sensor comprising taking a first wafer with an insulating layer formed thereon and with a second wafer bonded to the insulating layer and(a) patterning and subsequently etching one of either said first or second wafers such that channels are created in said etched wafer terminating adjacent to said insulating layer;
- and (b) etching said insulating layer to remove portions of said insulating layer adjacent said etched wafer such that those portions of said etched wafer below a predetermined size become substantially freely suspended above the other wafer wherein said insulating layer between said first and said second wafers comprises at least one layer of undoped oxide and at least one layer of doped oxide.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of fabricating a micro-mechanical sensor (101) comprising the steps for forming an insulating layer (6) onto the surface of a first wafer (4) bonding a second wafer (2) to the insulating layer (6), patterning and subsequently etching either the first (4) or second wafer (6) such that channels (18,20) are created in either the first (2) or second (4) wafer terminating adjacent the insulating layer (6) and etching the insulating layer (6) to remove portions of the insulating layer (6) below the etched wafer such that those portions of the etched wafer below a predetermined cross section, suspended portions (22), become substantially freely suspended above the un-etched wafer. This method uses Silicon on Insulator technology. Also disclosed is a micro-mechanical gyroscope structure (101) allowing an anisotropic silicon to be used to fabricate a sensor functioning as if fabricated from isotropic silicon.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a micro-mechanical sensor comprising taking a first wafer with an insulating layer formed thereon and with a second wafer bonded to the insulating layer and
(a) patterning and subsequently etching one of either said first or second wafers such that channels are created in said etched wafer terminating adjacent to said insulating layer; - and
(b) etching said insulating layer to remove portions of said insulating layer adjacent said etched wafer such that those portions of said etched wafer below a predetermined size become substantially freely suspended above the other wafer wherein said insulating layer between said first and said second wafers comprises at least one layer of undoped oxide and at least one layer of doped oxide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23)
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9. A method of fabricating a micro-mechanical sensor comprising taking a first wafer with an insulating layer formed thereon and with a second wafer bonded to the insulating layer and
(a) patterning and subsequently etching one of either said first or second wafers such that channels are created in said etched wafer terminating adjacent to said insulating layer; - and
(b) etching said insulating layer to remove portions of said insulating layer adjacent said etched wafer such that those portions of said etched wafer below a predetermined size become substantially freely suspended above the other wafer wherein some of the channels created in said etched wafer prior to the performing of step (b) are refilled with a refill material. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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15. A method of fabricating a micro-mechanical sensor comprising taking a first wafer with an insulating layer formed thereon and with a second wafer bonded to the insulating layer and
(a) patterning and subsequently etching one of either said first or second wafers such that channels are created in said etched wafer terminating adjacent to said insulating layer; - and
(b) etching said insulating layer to remove portions of said insulating layer adjacent said etched wafer such that those portions of said etched wafer below a predetermined size become substantially freely suspended above the other wafer wherein stress between the first and second wafer is reduced by providing said insulating layer as a series of at least three layers. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification