Method of fabricating a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device using a pre-patterned substrate
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a recess in an upper surface at a substrate;
(b) attaching an etchable wafer to the upper surface of the substrate, including a wafer portion from which a movable structure will be formed, the wafer portion being positioned over the recess; and
(c) etching downward in the wafer at a periphery of the wafer portion to break through in to the recess, thereby releasing at least part of the movable structure from the substrate without the need for substantial undercutting wherein step (c) creates a first stationary conductive element and a variable size gap between the movable structure and the stationary conductive element.
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Abstract
A method for fabricating MEMS structure includes etching a recess in an upper surface of a substrate that is bonded to a wafer that ultimately forms the MEMS structure. 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.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a recess in an upper surface at a substrate;
(b) attaching an etchable wafer to the upper surface of the substrate, including a wafer portion from which a movable structure will be formed, the wafer portion being positioned over the recess; and
(c) etching downward in the wafer at a periphery of the wafer portion to break through in to the recess, thereby releasing at least part of the movable structure from the substrate without the need for substantial undercutting wherein step (c) creates a first stationary conductive element and a variable size gap between the movable structure and the stationary conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a recess in an upper surface of a substrate;
(b) attaching an etchable wafer to the upper surface of the substrate, including a wafer portion from which a movable structure will be formed, the wafer portion being positioned over the recess; and
(c) etching downward in the wafer at a periphery of the wafer portion to break through in to the recess, thereby releasing at least part of the movable structure from the substrate and forming a base layer that forms a lower surface of the movable structure without the need fur substantial undercutting. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a recess in an upper surface of a substrate;
(b) attaching an etchable wafer to the upper surface of the substrate, including a wafer portion from which a movable structure will be formed, the wafer portion being positioned over the recess; and
(c) etching downward in the wafer at a periphery of the wafer portion to break through in to the recess, thereby releasing at least part of the movable structure from the substrate, and forming first and second stationary conductive elements extending outwardly from the substrate, wherein the movable structure is disposed between the first and second stationary conductive elements, without the need for substantial undercutting. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification