MEMS device and interconnects for same

• US 7,580,172 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: U'Ren, Gregory D., Zee, Stephen, Kothari, Manish, Sasagawa, Teruo, Tung, Ming-Hau, Lewis, Alan G., Batey, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz; Jordan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US11/540,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 359/245
• US Class Current: 359/245
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/047 Optical MEMS not provided for in B81B2201/042 - B81B2201/045
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0006 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/007 Interconnections between the MEMS and external electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/006 of the gap-closing type H02N1/004 takes precedence

Abstract

A microelectromechanical systems device having an electrical interconnect between circuitry outside the device and at least one of an electrode and a movable layer within the device. At least a portion of the electrical interconnect is formed from the same material as a conductive layer between the electrode and a mechanical layer of the device. In an embodiment, this conductive layer is a sacrificial layer that is subsequently removed to form a cavity between the electrode and the movable layer. The sacrificial layer is preferably formed of molybdenum, doped silicon, tungsten, or titanium. According to another embodiment, the conductive layer is a movable reflective layer that preferably comprises aluminum.

Claims

1. A microelectromechanical systems device, comprising:

a fixed electrode;

a reflective layer in a display region of the device;

a mechanical layer over the reflective layer;

a conductive layer between the fixed electrode and the reflective layer; and

an electrical interconnect in a peripheral region of the device, the electrical interconnect in electrical communication with circuitry outside the device and at least one of the fixed electrode and the reflective layer, wherein at least a portion of the electrical interconnect and the conductive layer are formed from a same material, wherein a thickness of the portion of the electrical interconnect corresponds to a thickness of the conductive layer.

2. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a sacrificial layer etchable in the display region to create a cavity between the reflective layer and the fixed electrode.

3. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 2, wherein the same material is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, doped silicon, tungsten, and titanium.

4. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the device is an interferometric modulator.

5. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the reflective layer is suspended from the mechanical layer.

6. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is in electrical communication with said display, said processor being configured to process image data;

a memory device in electrical communication with said processor.

7. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 6, further comprising:

a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to said display.

8. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 7, further comprising:

a controller configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said driver circuit.

9. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 7, further comprising:

an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

10. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 9, wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

11. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 6, further comprising:

an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

33. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the portion of the electrical interconnect is the same as the thickness of the conductive layer.

34. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 1, wherein the electrical interconnect in the peripheral region is encapsulated by a protective layer and wherein the conductive material in the display region is at least partially exposed.

35. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 34, further comprising a support structure in the display region, wherein the protective layer comprises material of the support structure.

36. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 34, wherein the protective layer comprises the mechanical layer.

37. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 34, wherein the protective layer comprises a layer of reflective material.

12. A method of forming a microelectromechanical systems device, the method comprising:

providing a fixed electrode;

forming a conductive layer over the fixed electrode;

patterning the conductive layer to form at least a portion of an electrical interconnect in a peripheral region of the device and to form at least a portion of a sacrificial layer in a display region of the device, wherein a thickness of the electrical interconnect corresponds to a thickness of the sacrificial layer, the electrical interconnect in electrical communication with circuitry outside the device and at least one of the fixed electrode and a second electrode over the sacrificial layer; and

forming a mechanical layer over the conductive layer after patterning the conductive layer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the sacrificial layer, wherein, after removing the sacrificial layer, the second electrode is movable.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrical interconnect comprises aluminum.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the conductive layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, doped silicon, tungsten, and titanium.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising creating a cavity between the fixed electrode and the mechanical layer in the display region after patterning the conductive layer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein creating the cavity comprises selectively removing the conductive layer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein selectively removing the conductive layer comprises etching with xenon difluoride.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising, after patterning the conductive layer, encapsulating the conductive material in the peripheral region to protect the portion of the electrical interconnect from being etched during creating the cavity.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the device is an interferometric modulator.

21. A method of forming a microelectromechanical systems device, the method comprising

providing a fixed electrode formed over a substrate;

forming a movable layer over the fixed electrode in a display region of the device;

forming a mechanical layer over the movable layer;

depositing a conductive layer between the fixed electrode and the mechanical layer, wherein a portion of the conductive layer forms at least a part of an electrical interconnect in a peripheral region of the device, the electrical interconnect in electrical communication with circuitry outside the device and at least one of the fixed electrode and the movable layer; and

selectively removing the conductive layer to create at least one cavity in the display region, wherein a thickness of the part of the electrical interconnect corresponds to a height of the cavity.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the device is an interferometric modulator.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein forming the movable layer comprises forming a portion of the electrical interconnect, wherein the movable layer comprises aluminum.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the conductive layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, doped silicon, tungsten, and titanium.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein forming the electrical interconnect comprises:

depositing a layer comprising silicon; and

selectively doping the silicon.

26. A microelectromechanical systems device, comprising:

a fixed electrode;

a movable layer in a display region of the device;

a mechanical layer over the movable layer;

a cavity between the fixed electrode and the movable layer; and

an electrical interconnect in a peripheral region of the device, the electrical interconnect in electrical communication with circuitry outside the device and at least one of the fixed electrode and the movable layer, wherein a thickness of a portion of the electrical interconnect corresponds to a height of the cavity.

27. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 26, wherein the device is an interferometric modulator.

28. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 26, wherein the movable layer is suspended from the mechanical layer.

38. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 26, wherein the portion is made from a material that is selectively etchable with a material of the movable layer.

39. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 26, wherein the electrical interconnect in the peripheral region is encapsulated by a protective layer.

40. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 39, further comprising a support structure in the display region, wherein the protective layer comprises material of the support structure.

41. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 39, wherein the protective layer comprises the mechanical layer.

42. The microelectromechanical systems device of claim 39, wherein the protective layer comprises a layer of reflective material.

29. A method of forming a microelectromechanical systems device, the method comprising:

providing fixed electrode;

depositing a conductive material over the fixed electrode;

forming a movable layer over the conductive layer;

depositing a mechanical layer over the movable layer, wherein the conductive material forms at least a portion of an electrical interconnect in a peripheral region of the device, the electrical interconnect in electrical communication with circuitry outside the device and at least one of the fixed electrode and the movable layer; and

selectively removing the conductive material in a display region of the device to form a cavity between the fixed electrode and the movable layer after the mechanical layer is deposited.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the device is an interferometric modulator.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the conductive material is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, doped silicon, tungsten, and titanium.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein selectively removing the conductive material comprises etching with xenon difluoride.

43. The method of claim 29, further comprising, before selectively removing the conductive material, forming a protective layer encapsulating the conductive material in the peripheral region.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein forming the protective layer comprises forming a support structure over the conductive material.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein forming the protective layer comprises depositing the mechanical layer.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein forming the protective layer comprises forming the movable layer.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the conductive material is selectively etchable relative to material of the protective layer.