Mirror structure with single crystal silicon cross-member

• US 7,369,297 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Inventors: McGinley, Brian K., Mohn, Jonathan D., Woo, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman; Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRA, TUYEN Q
• Application Number:
  US11/299,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20060087717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/295, 359/298, 359/222, 359/223
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

Hydrogen cleave silicon process for light modulating mirror structure using single crystal silicon as the base cross-member. Existing processes use two critical alignment steps that can contribute to higher actuation voltages and result in lower manufacturing yields. The hydrogen cleave process simplifies the manufacturing process to one step: transferring a thin film of single crystal silicon to the CMOS substrate, resulting in minimal alignment error and providing large bonding area.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a mirror structure, the method comprising:

forming a cavity in a first substrate;

implanting hydrogen ions in a second substrate;

bonding the first substrate to the second substrate; and

separating a portion of the second substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first substrate comprises addressing and control circuitry formed using CMOS techniques.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavity is formed in a first side of the first substrate.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the cavity is etched to a predetermined distance from the first side of the first substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the predetermined distance is 0.5 to 1.0 μ

m.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second substrate is a single piece of material.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the single piece of material is single crystal silicon.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein separating a portion of the second substrate comprises cleaving off a carrier wafer portion of the second substrate.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing a reflective layer to form a mirror plate coupled to the second substrate.

10. A method of fabricating a mirror structure for a micro mirror used in display applications, the method comprising:

forming a recessed region in a bonding side of a first substrate;

performing hydrogen doping of a silicon substrate to form a carrier wafer portion of the silicon substrate;

joining the bonding side of the first substrate to the silicon substrate; and

separating the carrier wafer portion of the silicon substrate.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

forming a first metal layer coupled to the silicon substrate;

depositing a sacrificial layer coupled to the first metal layer;

patterning a via down to the first metal layer;

depositing a second metal layer coupled to the sacrificial layer and in the via to form a mirror plate; and

etching the mirror plate to form the micro mirror.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein separating the carrier wafer portion of the silicon substrate comprises a hydrogen-induced silicon layer cleavage process.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the hydrogen-induced silicon layer cleavage process comprises a physical process.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the hydrogen-induced silicon layer cleavage process comprises heating at under 400°

C.

15. A micro mirror for a spatial light modulator, the micro mirror comprising:

a substrate comprising;

addressing and control circuitry including one or more CMOS cells and operable for receiving actuation signals; and

a cavity formed in a bonding side of the substrate and operable for providing a motion space during motion of the micro mirror in response to the actuation signals;

a silicon cross-member coupled to the bonding side of the substrate, wherein the silicon cross-member comprises a cleaved surface; and

a micro mirror coupled to the cleaved surface of the silicon cross-member and operable for moving in response to the actuation signals.

16. The micro mirror of claim 15 wherein the micro mirror is operable for rotating about an axis of rotation aligned with an axis of the silicon cross-member in response to the actuation signals.

17. The micro mirror of claim 15 further comprising a reflective surface coupled to the micro mirror.

18. The micro mirror of claim 15 wherein the cleaved surface of the silicon cross-member is aligned with a hydrogen ion implantation line.

19. The micro mirror of claim 18 wherein the cavity is recessed to a predetermined depth with respect to the bonding surface of the first substrate.

20. A reflecting structure comprising:

a first substrate including addressing and control circuitry operable for receiving actuation signals, and a cavity in a bonding side operable for providing a motion space during motion of a micro mirror in response to the actuation signals; and

a second substrate coupled to the bonding side and including the micro mirror operable for moving in response to the actuation signals, wherein the second substrate comprises a moveable silicon cross-member coupled to the micro mirror.

21. The reflecting structure of claim 20 wherein the reflecting structure comprises a cleaved surface.

22. The reflecting structure of claim 20 wherein the micro mirror comprises a deposited reflecting surface.

23. The reflecting structure of claim 22 wherein the deposited reflecting surface comprises aluminum.

24. The reflecting structure of claim 22 wherein the micro mirror further comprises an adhesive layer underlying the deposited reflecting surface.

25. The reflecting structure of claim 20 wherein the second substrate further comprises a reflecting material beneath the micro mirror.

26. The reflecting structure of claim 25 wherein the reflecting material comprises a metal layer or a multilayer metal stack.

27. The reflecting structure of claim 20 wherein the first and second substrates comprise single crystal silicon.

28. A method of fabricating a reflecting structure comprising:

forming in a first substrate, addressing and control circuitry operable for receiving actuation signals, and a cavity in a bonding side operable for providing a motion space during motion of a micro mirror in response to the actuation signals;

bonding a second substrate to the bonding side of the first substrate;

fabricating a micro mirror on the second substrate operable for moving in response to the actuation signals; and

forming a moveable silicon cross-member in the second substrate, the micro mirror coupled to the silicon cross-member.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the second substrate is bonded to the first substrate by contacting a carrier wafer with the first substrate, and then cleaving the carrier wafer along an ion implant line to remove an upper portion of the carrier wafer.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the cleaving comprises a physical or heat cleave process.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the cleaving is carried out at a temperature of less than 400°

C.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising implanting hydrogen into the second substrate prior to bonding.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein fabricating the micro mirror comprises depositing a reflecting material over a sacrificial layer, and then removing the sacrificial layer.