Optical interference display cell and method of making the same

• US 7,706,044 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Wen-Jian, Tsai, Hsiung-Kuang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben; Loha
• Application Number:
  US11/413,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20060257070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 359/214, 359/223, 359/224, 359/243, 359/245, 359/247, 359/254, 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/295, 359/298, 359/846, 345/60, 345/87, 345/90, 345/107, 348/203, 216/12, 216/41, 216/72, 257/59, 427/100
• US Class Current: 359/254
• 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

An optical interference display cell is described. A first electrode and a sacrificial layer are sequentially formed on a transparent substrate and at least two openings are formed in the first electrode and the sacrificial layer to define a position of the optical interference display cell. An insulated heat-resistant inorganic supporter is formed in each of the openings. A second electrode is formed on the sacrificial layer and the supporters. Finally, a remote plasma etching process is used for removing the sacrificial layer.

Claims

1. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, comprising:

a first electrode formed over a substrate;

a second electrode formed over the first electrode and spaced apart from the first electrode by a cavity, wherein the second electrode comprises at least one hole extending through the second electrode; and

at least two heat-resistant supporters formed over the substrate, wherein the second electrode is formed over and is supported by said supporters, and wherein the supporters comprise an inorganic material.

2. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the supporters comprise an insulating material.

3. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the MEMS device comprises an optical interference display cell.

4. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the supporters each extend through an opening in the first electrode.

5. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises a deformable electrode.

6. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the heat-resistant supporters comprise silicate or dielectric material.

7. The MEMS device of claim 6, wherein the heat-resistant supporters comprise silicate, wherein the silicate is selected from the group consisting of spin-on glass, phosphosilicate glass (PSG), borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) and silicon oxide.

8. The MEMS device of claim 6, wherein the heat-resistant supporters comprise dielectric material, wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, and metal oxide.

9. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the supporters are heat-resistant at a temperature higher than 250°

C.

10. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, comprising:

a first electrode formed over a substrate;

a second electrode formed over the first electrode and spaced apart from the first electrode by a cavity, wherein the second electrode comprises at least one hole extending through the second electrode; and

at least two inorganic supporters formed over the substrate, wherein the second electrode is formed over and is supported by said supporters.

11. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, comprising:

a first electrode formed over a substrate;

a second electrode formed over the first electrode and spaced apart from the first electrode by a cavity, wherein the second electrode comprises at least one hole extending through the second electrode; and

at least two heat-resistant supporters formed over the substrate, wherein the second electrode is formed over and is supported by said supporters, and wherein the MEMS device comprises an optical interference display cell.

12. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, comprising:

a first electrode formed over a substrate;

a second electrode formed over the first electrode and spaced apart from the first electrode by a cavity, wherein the second electrode comprises at least one hole extending through the second electrode; and

at least two heat-resistant supporters formed over the substrate, wherein the second electrode is formed over and is supported by said supporters, and wherein the supporters each extend through an opening in the first electrode.