Sacrificial layer technique to make gaps in MEMS applications

• US 7,358,580 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Peng, Ma, Qing
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman; W. David
• Application Number:
  US11/241,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20060027891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 257/414, 257/415, 438/50, 216/2
• US Class Current: 257/415
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00126 Static structures not provided for in groups B81C1/00031 - B81C1/00119
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0109 Sacrificial layers not provided for in B81C2201/0107 - B81C2201/0108
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/0072 of microelectro-mechanical resonators or networks micromembranes or microbeams B81B2203/01; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C

Abstract

A method comprising over an area of a substrate, forming a plurality of three dimensional first structures; following forming the first structures, conformally introducing a sacrificial material over the area of the substrate; introducing a second structural material over the sacrificial material; and removing the sacrificial material. An apparatus comprising a first structure on a substrate; and a second structure on the substrate and separated from the first structure by an unfilled gap defined by the thickness of a removed film.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first structure on a surface of a substrate, the surface of the substrate defining a horizontal plane; and

a second structure above the surface of the substrate and separated from the first structure by a vertical gap, wherein the distance between a side surface of the first structure and a side surface of the second structure is between 50 Angstrom and 2000 Angstrom,

wherein the second structure is separated from the surface of the substrate by a horizontal gap and wherein the distance between a lower surface of the first structure and the surface of the substrate is between 50 Angstrom and 2000 Angstrom.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third structure on the surface of the substrate, wherein the second structure is suspended between the first structure and the third structure and wherein the distance between a side surface of the third structure and the side surface of the second structure is between 50 Angstrom and 2000 Angstrom.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an electrical source coupled to the third structure.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a first structure on a surface of a substrate, the surface of the substrate defining a horizontal plane;

a second structure above the surface of the substrate and separated from the first structure by a vertical gap, wherein the vertical gap is at least 1 micron and the second structure is separated from the surface of the substrate by a horizontal gap, wherein the horizontal gap is at least 1 micron; and

a third structure on the surface of the substrate, wherein the second structure is suspended between the first structure and the third structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the vertical gap is larger than the horizontal gap.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the horizontal gap is larger than the vertical gap.