Method for fabricating a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device using a pre-patterned bridge
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a wafer having at least a first insulating member and a second member;
(b) removing a portion of the first member through to the second member to form a bridge from the first member and a pair of spacers defining a recess therebetween;
(c) attaching the spacers to a substrate to form a composite structure having an internal void formed therein, wherein the bridge is aligned with the internal void, and wherein the substrate provides at least one wall that at least partially defines the internal void; and
(d) etching through the second member around the periphery of the bridge to break through into the recess and release the second member from mechanical communication with the substrate.
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Abstract
A method for fabricating MEMS structures includes etching a recess in either an upper surface of a substrate that is bonded to a wafer that ultimately forms the MEMS structure, or to the lower surface of the wafer that is bonded to the substrate. Accordingly, once the etching processes of the wafer are completed, the recess facilitates the release of an internal movable structure within the fabricated MEMS structure without the use of a separate sacrificial material. Furthermore, a bridge, which is preferably insulating, is pre-etched before the wafer is attached to the substrate.
83 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a wafer having at least a first insulating member and a second member;
(b) removing a portion of the first member through to the second member to form a bridge from the first member and a pair of spacers defining a recess therebetween;
(c) attaching the spacers to a substrate to form a composite structure having an internal void formed therein, wherein the bridge is aligned with the internal void, and wherein the substrate provides at least one wall that at least partially defines the internal void; and
(d) etching through the second member around the periphery of the bridge to break through into the recess and release the second member from mechanical communication with the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a wafer having at least a first member and a second member, (b) removing a portion of the first member to form a bridge and a pair of spacers defining a recess therebetween;
(c) attaching the spacers to a substrate to form a composite structure having an internal void formed therein, wherein the bridge is aligned with the internal void; and
(d) etching through the second member around the periphery of the bridge to break through into the recess and release the bridge from mechanical communication with the substrate, wherein the etching step forms a conductive member extending from the bridge and separated from a stationary member via a gap that varies in size in response to bridge movement. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification