Integrated getter area for wafer level encapsulated microelectromechanical systems
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device having a mechanical structure and a periphery area that are disposed over or in a substrate and in a chamber which is formed, at least in part, by a thin film encapsulation structure, the method comprising:
- forming the mechanical structure;
forming the periphery area having a plurality of gaps therein; and
sealing the chamber by depositing the thin film encapsulation structure,wherein the mechanical structure and the periphery area are formed within a single layer that extends over the substrate, andwherein the plurality of gaps and the mechanical structure are etched in a same etching process.
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Abstract
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, present invention is directed to a thin film encapsulated MEMS, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a thin film encapsulated MEMS including an integrated getter area and/or an increased chamber volume, which causes little to no increase in overall dimension(s) from the perspective of the mechanical structure and chamber. The integrated getter area is disposed within the chamber and is capable of (i) “capturing” impurities, atoms and/or molecules that are out-gassed from surrounding materials and/or (ii) reducing and/or minimizing the adverse impact of such impurities, atoms and/or molecules (for example, reducing the probability of adding mass to a resonator which would thereby change the resonator'"'"'s frequency). In this way, the thin film wafer level packaged MEMS of the present invention includes a relatively stable, controlled pressure environment within the chamber to provide, for example, a more stable predetermined, desired and/or selected mechanical damping of the mechanical structure.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device having a mechanical structure and a periphery area that are disposed over or in a substrate and in a chamber which is formed, at least in part, by a thin film encapsulation structure, the method comprising:
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forming the mechanical structure; forming the periphery area having a plurality of gaps therein; and sealing the chamber by depositing the thin film encapsulation structure, wherein the mechanical structure and the periphery area are formed within a single layer that extends over the substrate, and wherein the plurality of gaps and the mechanical structure are etched in a same etching process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device having a mechanical structure, a periphery area and a fixed electrode that are disposed over or in a substrate and in a chamber which is formed, at least in part, by a thin film encapsulation structure, the method comprising:
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forming the mechanical structure disposed over the substrate wherein at least a portion of the mechanical structure is disposed in the chamber; depositing a fluid in the chamber; forming the periphery area disposed over the substrate, wherein the periphery area includes a plurality of gaps therein, and wherein the plurality of gaps is disposed in the chamber and exposed to the fluid; forming the fixed electrode having a plurality of gaps therein; and sealing the chamber by depositing the thin film encapsulation structure over the mechanical structure and the periphery area, to partially define and seal the chamber, wherein the fluid is contained in the chamber after the chamber is sealed, wherein the mechanical structure and the periphery area are formed within a single layer that extends over the substrate, and wherein the plurality of gaps and the mechanical structure are etched in a same etching process. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device having a mechanical structure and a fixed electrode that are disposed over or in a substrate and in a chamber which is formed, at least in part, by a thin film encapsulation structure, the method comprising:
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forming the mechanical structure disposed over the substrate wherein at least a portion of the mechanical structure is disposed in the chamber; depositing a fluid in the chamber; forming a periphery area disposed over the substrate, wherein the periphery area includes a plurality of gaps therein; forming the fixed electrode having a plurality of gaps therein; and sealing the chamber by depositing the thin film encapsulation structure over the mechanical structure, to partially define and seal the chamber, wherein the fluid is contained in the chamber after the chamber is sealed; wherein the mechanical structure and the periphery area are formed within a single layer that extends over the substrate, and wherein the plurality of gaps and the mechanical structure are etched in a same etching process. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device having a mechanical structure, a periphery area and a fixed electrode that are disposed over or in a substrate and in a chamber which is formed, at least in part, by a thin film encapsulation structure, the method comprising:
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forming the mechanical structure disposed over the substrate wherein at least a portion of the mechanical structure is disposed in the chamber; depositing a fluid in the chamber; forming the periphery area disposed over the substrate, wherein the periphery area includes a plurality of gaps therein, and wherein the plurality of gaps is disposed in the chamber and exposed to the fluid; and sealing the chamber by depositing the thin film encapsulation structure over the mechanical structure and the periphery area, to partially define and seal the chamber, wherein the fluid is contained in the chamber after the chamber is sealed, wherein the mechanical structure and the periphery area are formed within a single layer that extends over the substrate, and wherein the plurality of gaps and the mechanical structure are etched in a same etching process.
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40. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device having a mechanical structure, a periphery area, a getter area, moveable and fixed electrodes that are disposed over or in a substrate and in a chamber which is formed, at least in part, by a thin film encapsulation structure, the method comprising:
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forming the mechanical structure disposed over the substrate wherein the mechanical structure includes the moveable and fixed electrodes; forming the periphery area disposed over the substrate; forming the getter area including a plurality of gaps, wherein the plurality of gaps is disposed in predetermined portions of the periphery area and the fixed electrode; forming the chamber, wherein at least a portion of the mechanical structure and the getter area are disposed in the chamber, and wherein the getter area is exposed to a fluid in the chamber; and sealing the chamber by depositing the thin film encapsulation structure over the mechanical structure and the periphery area, to partially define and seal the chamber, wherein the fluid is contained in the chamber after the chamber is sealed; and wherein the mechanical structure and the periphery area are formed within a single layer that extends over the substrate, and wherein the plurality of gaps and the mechanical structure are etched in a same etching process.
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41. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device having a mechanical structure and a periphery area that are disposed over or in a substrate and in a chamber which is formed, at least in part, by a thin film encapsulation structure, the method comprising:
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forming the mechanical structure disposed over the substrate wherein at least a portion of the mechanical structure is disposed in the chamber; depositing a fluid in the chamber; forming the periphery area disposed over the substrate, wherein the periphery area includes a plurality of gaps therein, and wherein the plurality of gaps is disposed in the chamber and exposed to the fluid; and sealing the chamber by depositing the thin film encapsulation structure over the mechanical structure and the periphery area, to partially define and seal the chamber, wherein the fluid is contained in the chamber after the chamber is sealed, and wherein the thin film encapsulation structure includes; a first encapsulation layer comprising polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide; and a second encapsulation layer, disposed on or over the first encapsulation layer, the second encapsulation layer comprising polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, germanium, silicon/germanium, gallium arsenide, or silicon carbide; and wherein the mechanical structure and the periphery area are formed within a single layer that extends over the substrate, and wherein the plurality of gaps and the mechanical structure are etched in a same etching process.
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Specification