MEMS device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate

• US 7,664,345 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chui, Clarence
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahll; Jerry T
• Application Number:
  US12/104,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20080192328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 385/8, 385/19, 359/318, 359/224, 438/673
• US Class Current: 385/8
• 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

Abstract

A microelectromechanical systems device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate having grooves formed therein. A lower electrode is deposited over the substrate and separated from an orthogonal upper electrode by a cavity. The upper electrode is configured to be movable to modulate light. A semi-reflective layer and a transparent material are formed over the movable upper electrode.

Claims

1. A method of making a microelectromechanical systems device, comprising:

providing a substrate having a plurality of trenches in a top surface of the substrate;

depositing a first electrode layer over the top surface of the substrate and onto bottom surfaces of the trenches, wherein the first electrode layer as deposited is discontinuous between the bottom surfaces of the trenches and the top surface of the substrate; and

forming a second electrode over the first electrode, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode have a first cavity therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing a sacrificial material over the first electrode layer prior to forming the second electrode; and

removing the sacrificial material after forming the second electrode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising insulating the first electrode layer from the second electrode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein insulating the first electrode layer comprises depositing a dielectric material over the first electrode layer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a semi-reflective layer over the second electrode, wherein the second electrode and the semi-reflective layer have a second cavity therebetween.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

depositing a sacrificial material over the second electrode prior to forming the semi-reflective layer; and

removing the sacrificial material after forming the semi-reflective layer.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the semi-reflective layer comprises chromium.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising depositing a transparent material over the semi-reflective layer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising etching the transparent material and semi-reflective layer to form openings therethrough.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the substrate comprises embossing the trenches in the substrate.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the substrate comprises ablating the trenches in the substrate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the substrate comprises forming the trenches in the substrate by a molding process.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the discontinuity of the first electrode layer between the bottom surfaces of the trenches and the top surface of the substrate patterns the first electrode layer.

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

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed of a substantially transparent material, wherein the first electrode layer comprises a partially transparent material, and wherein the second electrode comprises an at least partially reflective material.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed of an opaque material, wherein the first electrode layer comprises an at least partially reflective material, and wherein the second electrode comprises a partially transparent material.

17. A microelectromechanical systems device formed by the method of claim 1.

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

providing a substrate having a top surface, wherein a plurality of grooves is formed in the top surface;

depositing at least one layer over the substrate, wherein the at least one layer comprises a first conductive material and is discontinuous at the grooves, forming rows of the layer between the grooves on the top surface; and

depositing a second conductive material over the at least one layer, wherein the second conductive material is oriented orthogonally to the first conductive material on the top surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one layer further comprises a dielectric layer and a sacrificial material.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising creating a first cavity between the first conductive material and the second conductive material.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising depositing a semi-reflective layer over the second conductive material, wherein the semi-reflective layer and the second conductive material are separated by a cavity.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cavity between the semi-reflective layer and the second conductive material is created by removing a sacrificial material between the semi-reflective layer and the second conductive material.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the substrate comprises forming the plurality of grooves in the top surface of the substrate by at least one of embossing, stamping, ablation, molding, or mechanical imprinting.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising baking the substrate after forming the grooves to provide at least one of the grooves with a reentrant profile.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the substrate comprises a composite material including multiple layers, and wherein a top layer of the composite material has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion compared to a coefficient of thermal expansion of a lower layer of the composite material.