Method of fabricating a hinge

• US 7,674,392 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TOUCH MICRO-SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY CORP. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TOUCH MICRO-SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY CORP. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Inventors: Ho, Hsien-Lung
• Primary Examiner(s): Norton; Nadine
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANGADI, MAKI A
• Application Number:
  US11/557,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20080017612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 216/41, 310/309, 359/871
• US Class Current: 216/41
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00142 Bridges deformable micromirrors G02B26/0841

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of fabricating a hinge. First, a wafer is provided, and a hinge region and at least two through regions are defined on the wafer. The wafer in the hinge region is partially removed from a bottom surface of the wafer. Subsequently, the wafer in the through regions is completely removed from a top surface of the wafer, and the hinge is formed. Thereafter, a wafer level test is performed on the hinge of the wafer. Next, an etching process is performed to adjust the shape of the hinge. According to the method of the present invention, the thickness of the hinge is no longer limited by the thickness of the wafer, and the hinge can accept the wafer level test.

Claims

1. A method of forming a hinge, comprising:

providing a wafer comprising a first surface and a second surface, the wafer defining at least a hinge region and at least two through regions, the two through regions being respectively positioned on two sides of the hinge region;

removing parts of the wafer in the hinge region from the first surface of the wafer;

removing the wafer in the two through regions from the second surface of the wafer until the wafer is removed through to the first surface so as to form a hinge, wherein the hinge and the wafer are monolithically-formed;

performing a wafer level test on the wafer; and

etching the wafer after the wafer level test so as to adjust a geometric shape of the hinge according to a test datum of the wafer level test.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the parts of the wafer in the hinge region forms a cavity, which has a cross-sectional area getting larger outward, in the first surface of the wafer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer accepts a wafer level resonance frequency test in the step of performing the wafer level test.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of removing parts of the wafer in the hinge region is performed by means of etching.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the wafer in the two through regions is performed by means of etching.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second surface of the wafer is bonded to a carrier with a bonding layer in the step of removing the parts of the wafer in the hinge region.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first surface of the wafer is bonded to a carrier with a bonding layer in the step of removing the wafer in the two through regions, and the bonding layer does not contact the wafer in the hinge region.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the parts of the wafer in the hinge region comprises:

forming an etching mask on the first surface of the wafer, the etching mask exposing the hinge region;

etching parts of the wafer, which are not covered by the etching mask, from the first surface; and

removing the etching mask.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the geometric shape of the hinge is performed by means of a dry etching process.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the geometric shape of the hinge etches the wafer from the first surface.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the geometric shape of the hinge etches the wafer from the second surface.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the geometric shape of the hinge comprises:

bonding the second surface of the wafer to a carrier with a bonding layer; and

performing an etching process to etch the wafer from the first surface of the wafer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the geometric shape of the hinge comprises:

forming an etching mask on the second surface of the wafer, the etching mask exposing the hinge region;

performing an etching process to etch parts of the wafer, which are not covered by the etching mask, from the second surface; and

removing the etching mask.

12. The method as claimed in 1, wherein the step of adjusting the geometric shape of the hinge changes a thickness of the hinge.