Planarization of a layer over a cavity

• US 7,884,021 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lee, Chii Guang, Pan, Shaoher X.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILCZEWSKI, MARY A
• Application Number:
  US11/679,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 438/700, 438/701, 438690-694, 438/697, 438/699, 438/702, 359/291, 359/297, 359/871, 359/872, 216/24, 216/38, 257/E21.176
• US Class Current: 438/697
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/14 by plasma treatment plasma tubes per se H01J
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00596 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B

Abstract

A method for fabricating a micro structure includes disposing a sacrificial material in a recess formed in a lower layer and forming a layer of compensatory material on the sacrificial material in the recess. The compensatory material is higher than the upper surface of the lower layer. A first portion of the compensatory material is removed to form a substantially flat surface on the sacrificial material. The substantially flat surface is substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the lower layer. An upper layer is formed on the lower layer and the substantially flat surface.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a micro structure, comprising:

disposing a sacrificial material in a recess formed in a lower layer;

forming a layer of compensatory material on the sacrificial material in the recess, wherein the compensatory material is higher than the upper surface of the lower layer;

removing a first portion of the compensatory material using isotropic etching to form a substantially flat surface on the sacrificial material, wherein the substantially flat surface is substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the lower layer; and

forming an upper layer on the lower layer and the substantially flat surface

removing the sacrificial material and a second portion of the compensatory material on the sacrificial material to form a cavity under the upper layer.

2. A method for fabricating a micro structure, comprising:

disposing a sacrificial material in a recess formed in a lower layer;

forming a photo-resist layer on the sacrificial material in the recess and the lower layer;

removing a first portion of the photo-resist layer on the lower layer and the sacrificial material to form a substantially flat surface on the sacrificial material, wherein the substantially flat surface is substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the lower layer; and

forming an upper layer on the lower layer and the substantially flat surface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of removing comprises chemical mechanical polishing the photo-resist layer to remove the first portion of the photo-resist layer on the lower layer and the sacrificial material.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

removing the sacrificial material and a second portion of the photo-resist layer on the sacrificial material to form a cavity under the upper layer.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the photo-resist layer and the sacrificial material have substantially the same material composition, and the sacrificial material and the photo-resist layer on the sacrificial material are disposed in a continuous step.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the upper layer comprises a reflective surface.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the upper layer has an upper surface that has height variation smaller than 0.1 microns.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the upper layer has an upper surface that has height variation smaller than 0.05 microns.

9. A method for fabricating a mirror plate over a substrate, comprising:

forming a hinge support post on the substrate;

forming a hinge connection post on the hinge support post and a hinge layer connected to the hinge connection post simultaneously;

forming a spacer layer on the hinge layer, wherein the spacer layer comprises a hole over the hinge connection post;

disposing a first sacrificial material in the hole in the spacer layer;

forming a layer of compensatory material on the first sacrificial material, wherein the compensatory material is higher than the upper surface of the spacer layer;

removing a first portion of the compensatory material using isotropic etching to form a substantially flat surface on the sacrificial material, wherein the substantially flat surface is substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the spacer layer;

forming a reflective layer over the hinge layer and the substantially flat surface; and

selectively removing portions of the reflective layer and the hinge layer to form the mirror plate and a hinge component that is connected to the hinge connection post and the hinge layer, wherein the mirror plate is configured to tilt around the hinge component.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

removing the sacrificial material and a second portion of the compensatory material on the sacrificial material to form a cavity under the reflective layer.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

forming a middle layer on the spacer layer and the first sacrificial material; and

selectively removing material from the middle layer to form the layer of the compensatory material above the sacrificial material.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the isotropic etching comprises plasma etching.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the compensatory material comprises photo resist, silicon, or silicon dioxide.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the compensatory material has substantially the same composition as the sacrificial material.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of forming a hinge connection post comprises:

disposing a second sacrificial material on the substrate and the hinge support post;

forming a via in the second sacrificial material to expose an upper surface of the hinge support post; and

depositing an electrically conductive material to simultaneously form the hinge connection post in the via and the hinge layer on the sacrificial material.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the hinge connection post comprises a bottom layer and a side layer that is conical or frustoconical, wherein the lower edge of the side layer is connected to the bottom layer to define a cavity.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the hinge component and the hinge layer are co-planar.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the hinge connection post, the hinge component and the hinge layer comprise an electrically conductive material.

19. A method for fabricating a mirror plate over a substrate, comprising:

forming a hinge support post on the substrate;

forming a hinge connection post on the hinge support post and a hinge layer connected to the hinge connection post;

forming a spacer layer on the hinge layer, wherein the spacer layer comprises a hole over the hinge connection post;

disposing a first sacrificial material in the hole in the spacer layer;

forming a photo-resist layer on the first sacrificial material and the spacer layer;

removing a first portion of the photo-resist layer on the spacer layer and the sacrificial material to form a substantially flat surface on the sacrificial material, wherein the substantially flat surface has substantially the same height as the upper surface of the spacer layer;

forming a reflective layer over the hinge layer and the substantially flat surface; and

selectively removing portions of the reflective layer and the hinge layer to form the mirror plate and a hinge component that is connected to the hinge connection post and the hinge layer, wherein the mirror plate is configured to tilt around the hinge component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of removing the first portion of the photo-resist layer on the spacer layer and the sacrificial material comprises chemical mechanical polishing the photo-resist layer to remove the first portion of the photo-resist layer on the spacer layer and the sacrificial material.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

removing the sacrificial material and a second portion of the photo-resist layer on the sacrificial layer to form a cavity under the reflective layer.