Sacrificial spacer process and resultant structure for MEMS support structure
First Claim
1. An interferometric modulator, comprising:
- a substrate;
an optical stack over the substrate;
a deformable layer;
a plurality of support structures arranged over the substrate and configured to support the deformable layer;
a cavity defined by the optical stack, the support structures, and the deformable layer; and
a movable mirror disposed within the cavity, wherein the movable mirror is secured to the deformable layer, wherein a cavity ceiling spaced above an edge of the mirror comprises a step transitioning toward the substrate and defining a lower corner at the bottom of the step;
wherein a distance from a sidewall of the movable mirror to the lower corner of the ceiling step is more than 25 percent greater than a distance from an upper surface of the movable mirror to the cavity ceiling above the edge of the mirror when the interferometric modulator is in a relaxed condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device and method of manufacturing the same. MEMS such as an interferometric modulator include a sidewall spacer formed adjacent to a movable mirror. The sidewall spacer may be a sacrificial spacer that is removed during fabrication, or it may remain in the final product. Increased clearance is provided between the movable mirror and a support structure during actuation of the movable mirror, thereby avoiding contact during operation of the interferometric modulator. The deformable layer may be deposited in a more continuous fashion over the contour of a lower layer as determined by the contour of the sidewall spacer, resulting in a stronger and more resilient deformable layer.
322 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An interferometric modulator, comprising:
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a substrate; an optical stack over the substrate; a deformable layer; a plurality of support structures arranged over the substrate and configured to support the deformable layer; a cavity defined by the optical stack, the support structures, and the deformable layer; and a movable mirror disposed within the cavity, wherein the movable mirror is secured to the deformable layer, wherein a cavity ceiling spaced above an edge of the mirror comprises a step transitioning toward the substrate and defining a lower corner at the bottom of the step; wherein a distance from a sidewall of the movable mirror to the lower corner of the ceiling step is more than 25 percent greater than a distance from an upper surface of the movable mirror to the cavity ceiling above the edge of the mirror when the interferometric modulator is in a relaxed condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, comprising:
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a substrate; a deformable layer; a plurality of support structures arranged over the substrate and configured to support the deformable layer; a cavity defined by the substrate, the support structures, and the deformable layer; and a movable conductor disposed within the cavity, wherein the movable conductor is secured to the deformable layer, and wherein the movable conductor comprises a side wall with an inward reentrant region; wherein the deformable layer comprises an upwardly convex surface proximal to the inward reentrant region of the sidewall of the movable conductor. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An interferometric modulator comprising:
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means for transmitting light; means for reflecting light; means for movably supporting the reflecting means and for providing a restoring force in response to a movement of the reflecting means towards or away from the transmitting means; a cavity defined by the reflecting means and the supporting means, wherein the reflecting means is disposed within the cavity; and means for horizontally spacing an edge of the reflecting means from the supporting means more than a vertical distance between an upper surface of the reflecting means and a lower surface of the supporting means. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification