Device having thin black mask and method of fabricating the same

• US 7,969,638 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhong, Fan, Luo, Qi, Xu, Gang, Wang, Chun-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greece; James R
• Application Number:
  US12/101,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20090257105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 359/577, 359/578, 359/580, 359/584, 359/586, 359/588, 359/589, 359/590, 359/242
• US Class Current: 359/242
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays

Abstract

A thin black mask is created using a single mask process. A dielectric layer is deposited over a substrate. An absorber layer is deposited over the dielectric layer and a reflector layer is deposited over the absorber layer. The absorber layer and the reflector layer are patterned using a single mask process.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a black mask comprising a first, second, and a third layer in succession;

the first layer with a first extinction coefficient to refractive index ratio;

the second layer with a second extinction coefficient to refractive index ratio;

the third layer with a third extinction coefficient to refractive index ratio;

wherein the first extinction coefficient to refractive index ratio is less than the second extinction coefficient to refractive index ratio and the second extinction coefficient to refractive index ratio is less than the third extinction coefficient to refractive index ratio, and wherein the first layer contacts the second layer, and the second layer contacts the third layer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the black mask comprises a stack of interference films.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the stacked layers comprise:

a dielectric layer deposited over a substrate,

an absorber layer deposited over the dielectric layer, and

a reflector layer deposited over the absorber layer.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the dielectric layer has an extinction coefficient in a range from 0 to 0.1 and a refractive index in a range of 1 to 3.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the absorber layer has an extinction coefficient in a range from 1 to 4 and a refractive index in a range of 1 to 5.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the reflector layer has an extinction coefficient in a range from 1 to 5 and a refractive index in a range of 0.1 to 5.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the dielectric layer comprises at least two layers of material.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the absorber layer comprises at least two layers of material.

9. The device of claim 3, wherein the reflector layer comprises at least two layers of material.