Methods for depositing, releasing and packaging micro-electromechanical devices on wafer substrates
First Claim
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1. A substrate assembly comprising:
- a lower substrate comprising a plurality of mirror device areas, each mirror device area comprising a mirror array having a rectangular active area and a plurality of deflectable mirrors within the rectangular active area and wherein each area in the plurality of mirror device areas is physically separable from all other areas in the plurality of mirror device areas so that a corresponding mirror array in a separated one of the areas is operable independent of a corresponding mirror area in any of the other areas in the plurality of mirror device areas;
wherein the mirrors have a plurality of mirror edges that are neither parallel nor perpendicular to the edges of the active area;
an upper light transmissive substrate bonded to the lower substrate with gaps therebetween and covering the plurality of mirror device areas; and
an intermediate substrate bonded between the upper and lower substrates and with open areas defining a plurality of cavities at each mirror device location in the gaps.
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Abstract
A method for forming a MEMS device is disclosed, where a final release step is performed just prior to a wafer bonding step to protect the MEMS device from contamination, physical contact, or other deleterious external events. Without additional changes to the MEMS structure between release and wafer bonding and singulation, except for an optional stiction treatment, the MEMS device is best protected and overall process flow is improved. The method is applicable to the production of any MEMS device and is particularly beneficial in the making of fragile micromirrors.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A substrate assembly comprising:
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a lower substrate comprising a plurality of mirror device areas, each mirror device area comprising a mirror array having a rectangular active area and a plurality of deflectable mirrors within the rectangular active area and wherein each area in the plurality of mirror device areas is physically separable from all other areas in the plurality of mirror device areas so that a corresponding mirror array in a separated one of the areas is operable independent of a corresponding mirror area in any of the other areas in the plurality of mirror device areas; wherein the mirrors have a plurality of mirror edges that are neither parallel nor perpendicular to the edges of the active area; an upper light transmissive substrate bonded to the lower substrate with gaps therebetween and covering the plurality of mirror device areas; and an intermediate substrate bonded between the upper and lower substrates and with open areas defining a plurality of cavities at each mirror device location in the gaps. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A wafer assembly comprising:
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a lower semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of mirror device areas, each mirror device area comprising a mirror array having mirrors disposed in a rectangular array area and wherein each area in the plurality of mirror device areas is physically separable from all other areas in the plurality of mirror device areas so that a corresponding mirror array in a separated one of the areas is operable independent of a corresponding mirror area in any of the other areas in the plurality of mirror device areas; wherein the mirrors have mirror edges that are neither parallel nor perpendicular to edges of the rectangular array area; an upper light transmissive wafer bonded in spaced apart relationship to the lower wafer and covering the plurality of mirror device areas; and one or more intermediate wafers bonded between the upper and lower wafer and having open areas corresponding to each mirror device location. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification