Method for microfabricating structures using silicon-on-insulator material
First Claim
1. A method for producing micromachined devices, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafer, which comprises (i) a handle layer, (ii) a dielectric layer, and (iii) a device layer;
wherein a mesa etch has been made on the device layer of the SOI wafer, (b) obtaining a substrate, wherein a pattern has been formed onto the substrate;
(c) bonding the SOI wafer and the substrate together;
(d) removing the handle layer of the SOI wafer;
(e) removing the dielectric layer of the SOI wafer; and
(f) after step (e), performing a structural etch on the device layer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a general fabrication method for producing MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and related devices using Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafer. The method includes providing an SOI wafer that has (i) a handle layer, (ii) a dielectric layer, and (iii) a device layer, wherein a mesa etch has been made on the device layer of the SOI wafer, providing a substrate, wherein a pattern has been etched onto the substrate, bonding the SOI wafer and the substrate together, removing the handle layer of the SOI wafer, removing the dielectric layer of the SOI wafer, then performing a structural etch on the device layer of the SOI wafer to define the device.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A method for producing micromachined devices, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) obtaining a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafer, which comprises (i) a handle layer, (ii) a dielectric layer, and (iii) a device layer;
wherein a mesa etch has been made on the device layer of the SOI wafer, (b) obtaining a substrate, wherein a pattern has been formed onto the substrate;
(c) bonding the SOI wafer and the substrate together;
(d) removing the handle layer of the SOI wafer;
(e) removing the dielectric layer of the SOI wafer; and
(f) after step (e), performing a structural etch on the device layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for making an accelerometer, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) obtaining a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafer, which comprises (i) a handle layer, (ii) a dielectric layer, and (iii) a device layer;
wherein a mesa etch has been made on the device layer of the SOI wafer;
(b) obtaining a substrate, wherein a pattern has been formed onto the substrate;
(c) bonding the SOI wafer and the substrate together;
(d) removing the handle layer of the SOI wafer;
(e) removing the dielectric layer of the SOI wafer; and
(f) after step (e), performing a structural etch on the device layer, such that the etches of the mesa etch and the structural etch provide a pattern for an accelerometer.
-
Specification