Method of forming MEMS device

• US 6,861,277 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nikkel, Eric L., Monroe, Michael G., Lazaroff, Dennis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DUNG ANH
• Application Number:
  US10/677,539
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 438/7, 438/17, 438/22, 438/29, 438/48, 359223-224, 359/291, 427/255.6
• US Class Current: 438/48
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0181 See-saws
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/058 Rotation out of a plane parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0083 Optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/904 Micromirror

Abstract

A method of forming a MEMS device includes depositing a conductive material on a substructure, forming a first sacrificial layer over the conductive material, including forming a substantially planar surface of the first sacrificial layer, and forming a first element over the substantially planar surface of the first sacrificial layer, including communicating the first element with the conductive material through the first sacrificial layer. In addition, the method includes forming a second sacrificial layer over the first element, including forming a substantially planar surface of the second sacrificial layer, forming a support through the second sacrificial layer to the first element after forming the second sacrificial layer, including filling the support, and forming a second element over the support and the substantially planar surface of the second sacrificial layer. As such, the method further includes substantially removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer, thereby supporting the second element relative to the first element with the support.

Claims

1. A method of forming a MEMS device, the method comprising:

depositing a conductive material on a substructure;

forming a first sacrificial layer over the conductive material, including forming a substantially planar surface of the first sacrificial layer;

forming a first element over the substantially planar surface of the first sacrificial layer, including communicating the first element with the conductive material through the first sacrificial layer;

forming a second sacrificial layer over the first element, including forming a substantially planar surface of the second sacrificial layer;

forming a support through the second sacrificial layer to the first element after forming the second sacrificial layer, including filling the support;

forming a second element over the support and the substantially planar surface of the second sacrificial layer; and

substantially removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer, including supporting the second element relative to the first element with the support.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the second element includes forming the second element with a substantially planar surface over an entirety thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first element includes forming openings in the first sacrificial layer to the conductive material, depositing a first material within the openings and on the substantially planar surface of the first sacrificial layer, depositing and patterning a protective material on the first material, and depositing a second material on the protective material and the first material, and includes removing a portion of the second material and the protective material to expose a portion of the first material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the support includes forming an opening through the second sacrificial layer to the first element, depositing a protective material within the opening, and filling the opening with a plug material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein forming the opening through the second sacrificial layer includes etching the second sacrificial layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the support includes filling the support with a plug material, and wherein forming the second element includes contacting the plug material with the second element.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein substantially removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer includes etching the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein etching the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer includes dry etching the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first sacrificial layer includes depositing one of silicon, an oxide, and photoresist over the conductive material.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the second sacrificial layer includes depositing one of silicon, an oxide, and photoresist over the first element.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the support includes depositing one of silicon, an oxide, a metal, and photoresist within the support.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the substructure includes a base material and at least one conductive layer formed on the base material, and wherein depositing the conductive material on the substructure includes communicating the conductive material with the at least one conductive layer of the substructure.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the base material of the substructure includes silicon and the at least one conductive layer of the substructure includes aluminum.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the substructure includes a complementary metal oxide semi-conductor structure.

15. A method of forming a micro-mirror device, the method comprising:

depositing a conductive material on a substructure;

forming a first layer of sacrificial material over the conductive material;

forming a hinge element over the first layer of sacrificial material, including communicating the hinge element with the conductive material through the first layer of sacrificial material;

forming a second layer of sacrificial material over the hinge element;

forming a plugged via through the second layer of sacrificial material to the hinge element after forming the second layer of sacrificial material;

forming a reflective element over the plugged via and the second layer of sacrificial material; and

substantially removing the first layer and the second layer of sacrificial material, including supporting the reflective element relative to the hinge element with the plugged via.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the reflective element includes forming the reflective element with a substantially planar surface over an entirety thereof.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the hinge element includes forming openings in the first layer of sacrificial material to the conductive material, depositing a first material within the openings and over the first layer of sacrificial material, depositing and patterning a protective material on the first material, and depositing a second material over the protective material and the first material, and includes removing a portion of the second material and the protective material to expose a portion of the first material.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the plugged via includes forming an opening through the second layer of sacrificial material to the hinge element, depositing a protective material within the opening, and filling the opening with a plug material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the opening through the second layer of sacrificial material includes etching the second layer of sacrificial material.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the reflective element includes contacting the plug material of the plugged via with the reflective element.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the plug material of the plugged via includes one of silicon, an oxide, a metal, and photoresist.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein substantially removing the first layer and the second layer of sacrificial material includes etching the first layer and the second layer of sacrificial material.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein etching the first layer and the second layer of sacrificial material includes dry etching the first layer and the second layer of sacrificial material.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the sacrificial material includes one of silicon, an oxide, and photoresist.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the substructure includes a base material and at least one conductive layer formed on the base material, and wherein depositing the conductive material on the substructure includes communicating the conductive material with the at least one conductive layer of the substructure.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the base material of the substructure includes silicon and the at least one conductive layer of the substructure includes aluminum.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the substructure includes a complementary metal oxide semi-conductor structure.