Shaped MEMS contact

• US 7,601,554 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Crane, Robert L., Coutu, Ronald A. Jr., Kladitis, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, JACK S J
• Application Number:
  US11/047,345
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 438/48, 438/52, 200/181
• US Class Current: 438/48
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/014 having a cantilever fixed on one side connected to one or more dimples
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0118 Cantilevers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/019 characterized by their profile
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/04 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00103 Structures having a predefined profile, e.g. sloped or rounded grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0015 Cantilevers switches using MEMS H01H1/0036; electrostatic relays using micromechanics H01H59/0009; microelectro-mechanical resonators H03H9/02244
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0052 Special contact materials used for MEMS

Abstract

A MEMS switch fabrication process and apparatus inclusive of a bulbous rounded surface movable contact assembly that is integral with the switch movable element and achieving of long contact wear life with low contact electrical resistance. The disclosed process is compatible with semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication materials and procedures and includes an unusual photoresist reflow step in which the bulbous contact shape is quickly defined in three dimensions from more easily achieved integrated circuit mask and etching-defined precursor shapes. A plurality of differing photoresist materials are used in the process. A large part of the contact and contact spring formation used in the invention is accomplished with low temperature processing including electroplating. Alternate processing steps achieving an alloy metal contact structure are included. Use of a subroutine of processing steps to achieve differing but related portions of the electrical contact structure is also included.

Claims

1. A method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch, said method comprising the steps of:

fabricating a metallic anchor member, a metallic contact actuation electrode and a metallic lower contact support element for said radio frequency MEMS contact switch on a surface of an insulating substrate member;

a first covering step comprising covering said metallic anchor member, said metallic contact actuation electrode and said metallic lower contact support element with a layer of sacrificial photoresist material;

forming a selectively configured anchor member perturbation and a rectangularly configured moveable contact member precursor perturbation in said layer of sacrificial photoresist material;

reflowing said layer of sacrificial photoresist material selectively configured anchor member perturbation and said rectangularly configured moveable contact member precursor perturbation into sloping sidewall and curving cross-section shapes by applying thereto an elevated temperature sequence having selected time and temperature magnitudes;

a second covering step comprising covering said layer of sacrificial photoresist material including said sloping sidewall and curving cross-section shapes with a layer of intimately contacting movable contact-supporting metal of selected lateral extent;

said selected lateral extent layer of movable contact-support metal including both a contact metal anchoring portion received on said selectively configured anchor member perturbation and a bulbous movable contact portion formed within an upper contact member precursor perturbation of said sacrificial photoresist material during said second covering step; and

releasing said layer of intimately contacting movable contact-support metal and said bulbous movable contact portion from said layer of sacrificial photoresist material, said releasing enabling electrical movement control of said contact-support metal with said bulbous upper contact portion by influence of said contact actuation electrode.

2. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said step of fabricating a metallic anchor member, a metallic contact actuation electrode and a metallic lower contact support element for said MEMS radio frequency electrical switch includes use of a subroutine fabrication sequence having the steps of:

successively covering an electrically insulating substrate member with first and second photoresist material layers;

etching a mask selected first aperture in said second photoresist material layer;

etching through said first aperture a second aperture in said first photoresist material layer to expose a selected portion of said substrate member;

covering an exposed surface of said second photoresist material layer and said exposed portion of said substrate member with a metal film; and

removing said first and second photoresist material layers and said metal film covered surface of said second photoresist material layer from said substrate member with a photoresist dissolving sequence.

3. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 2 wherein further includes an evaporated deposition of first and second metallic film layers onto said exposed portion of said substrate member.

4. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 3 wherein said second metallic film layer is comprised of Gold and said first metallic film layer is comprised of a Gold substrate adhesion metal film.

5. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 4 wherein said Gold substrate adhesion metal film is comprised of Chromium metal.

6. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said substrate is comprised of sapphire material.

7. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said method further includes a step of adding a layer of electrical contact metal over said metallic lower contact support element intermediate said fabricating and said covering steps.

8. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said first covering step sacrificial photoresist material layer is comprised of a PMGI photoresist material of two to three micrometers thickness.

9. The method for making electrical contract elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said selectively configured anchor member precursor perturbation extends totally through said sacrificial photoresist material to said metallic anchor member.

10. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 1 wherein said rectangularly configured moveable contact member precursor perturbation extends only partially through said layer of sacrificial photoresist material and has a depth of between 0.7 and 1.2 micrometers.

11. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS CONTACT switch of claim 1 wherein said reflowing step elevated temperature time and temperature magnitudes include 250 degrees Celsius for a time between three and four minutes.

12. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 2 wherein said second covering step includes an electroplating deposition of metal inclusive of a thin film metallic covering over said sacrificial photoresist material.

13. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS contact switch of claim 12 wherein said second covering step electroplating deposition includes metallic Gold material.

14. The method for making electrical contact elements for a radio frequency MEMS switch of claim 1 wherein said releasing step includes use of a photoresist stripping agent operating at a temperature above room temperature.