Al2O3 atomic layer deposition to enhance the deposition of hydrophobic or hydrophilic coatings on micro-electromechanical devices

• US 7,553,686 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Cari F., George, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Phuc T
• Application Number:
  US10/910,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20050012975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: 438/48, 438/61, 438/618, 438/667, 438/722, 438/723, 438/724, 438/742, 438/743, 438/745, 438/197, 438/680, 359/223, 359/872
• US Class Current: 438/48
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0005 Anti-stiction coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0096 For avoiding stiction when the device is in use, i.e. after manufacture has been completed
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/112 Depositing an anti-stiction or passivation coating, e.g. on the elastic or moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0866 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by thermal means

Abstract

Micro-mechanical devices, such as MEMS, having layers thereon, and methods of forming the layers, are disclosed. In one aspect, a method may include forming a layer including an oxide of aluminum over at least a portion of a micro-mechanical device, and coating the layer by bonding material to surface hydroxyl groups of the layer. In another aspect, a method may include introducing a micro-mechanical device into an atomic layer deposition chamber, and substantially filling nanometer sized voids of the micro-mechanical device by using atomic layer deposition to introduce material into the voids. In a still further aspect, a method may include introducing an alkylaminosilane to a micro-mechanical device having a surface hydroxyl group, and bonding a silane to the micro-mechanical device by reacting the alkylaminosilane with the surface hydroxyl group.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a layer including an oxide of aluminum over at least a portion of a micro-mechanical device having a moving mechanical component using atomic layer deposition; and

coating the layer by bonding material to surface hydroxyl groups of the aluminum oxide layer, wherein said depositing the layer comprises depositing a layer having a thickness that is sufficient to fill nanometer-sized voids of the micro-mechanical device.

2. A method comprising:

forming a layer including an oxide of aluminum over at least a portion of a micro-mechanical device; and

coating the layer by bonding material to surface hydroxyl groups of the aluminum oxide layer

wherein said coating the layer comprises bonding alkylaminosilanes to the surface hydroxyl groups of the aluminum oxide layer.