Methods for forming and releasing microelectromechanical structures
First Claim
1. A method for making a microelectromechanical device, the method comprising:
- depositing a sacrificial material on a substrate;
forming an array of MEMS elements comprised of plates and hinges, wherein the hinges of the MEMS elements comprise an early transition metal (groups 3b-7b of the periodic table) nitride; and
releasing the MEMS elements by removing the sacrificial material in a spontaneous gas phase chemical etchant selected from interhalogens and noble gas halides, wherein the early transition metal nitride is exposed to the etchant during removal of the sacrificial material but remains after the MEMS elements are released.
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Abstract
A method for making a spatial light modulator is disclosed, that comprises forming an array of micromirrors each having a hinge and a micromirror plate held via the hinge on a substrate, the micromirror plate being disposed in a plane separate from the hinge and having a hinge made of a transition metal nitride, followed by releasing the micromirrors in a spontaneous gas phase chemical etchant. Also disclosed is a projection system that comprises such a spatial light modulator, as well as a light source, condensing optics, wherein light from the light source is focused onto the array of micromirrors, projection optics for projecting light selectively reflected from the array of micromirrors onto a target, and a controller for selectively actuating the micromirrors in the array.
169 Citations
68 Claims
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1. A method for making a microelectromechanical device, the method comprising:
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depositing a sacrificial material on a substrate;
forming an array of MEMS elements comprised of plates and hinges, wherein the hinges of the MEMS elements comprise an early transition metal (groups 3b-7b of the periodic table) nitride; and
releasing the MEMS elements by removing the sacrificial material in a spontaneous gas phase chemical etchant selected from interhalogens and noble gas halides, wherein the early transition metal nitride is exposed to the etchant during removal of the sacrificial material but remains after the MEMS elements are released. - 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, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method for making a micromirror array for a projection display, comprising:
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depositing a sacrificial material on a substrate;
forming an array of micromirrors comprised of mirror plates and hinges, wherein the hinges of the micromirrors comprise an early transition metal (groups 3-7 of the periodic table) nitride; and
releasing the micromirrors by removing the sacrificial material in a spontaneous gas phase chemical etchant selected from interhalogens and noble gas halides, wherein the early transition metal nitride is exposed to the etchant during removal of the sacrificial material but remains after the micromirrors are released.
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62. A method of making a micromirror array device, the method comprising:
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deposition a sacrificial material on a substrate;
forming an array of micromirrors comprised of mirror plates and hinges, wherein the hinges comprise TiNx; and
releasing the micromirrors by removing the sacrificial material in a spontaneous gas phase etchant comprising gas phase xenon difluoride, wherein the TiNx is exposed to the etchant during removal of the sacrificial material but remains after the micromirrors being released. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification