Method for the production of a component, and component

• US 8,258,590 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Litef Gmbh (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Litef Gmbh (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Geiger, Wolfram, Breng, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Minh-Loan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erdem, Fazli
• Application Number:
  US12/451,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 257/415, 257/619, 257/E21.502, 257/E29.324, 257/416, 257/417, 257/419, 257/420, 257/E21.001, 438/51, 438/459, 438/53
• US Class Current: 257/415
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0235 Accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0006 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0118 Bonding a wafer on the substrate, i.e. where the cap consists of another wafer

Abstract

A method for producing a component, especially a micromechanical, micro-electro-mechanical or micro-opto-electro-mechanical component, as well as such a component which has an active structure that is embedded in a layer structure. Strip conductor bridges are formed by etching first and second depressions having a first and second, different etching depth into a covering layer of a first layer combination that additionally encompasses a substrate and an insulation layer. The deeper depression is used for insulating the strip conductor bridge while the shallower depression provides a moving space for the active structure with the moving space being bridged by the strip conductor bridge.

Claims

1. A method for producing a component, in particular a micromechanical, micro-electromechanical or micro-opto-electromechanical component, comprising the following steps:

production of a first layer assembly, which has a first substrate, on the latter a first insulation layer and on the latter an at least partly conductive covering layer,

after producing the first layer assembly, production of first depressions and second depressions in the covering layer, wherein the first depressions have a first etching depth and the second depressions have a second etching depth, which is smaller than the first etching depth and smaller than the thickness of the covering layer, and the first etching depth is at least equal to the thickness of the covering layer,

after producing the first and second depressions, application of an at least partly conductive structure layer to the covering layer, in such a way that the structure layer adjoins the covering layer on that side of the covering layer, in which the second depressions are produced, and at least in regions.

2. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 1,

characterized in that

an active structure of the component is produced by patterning the structure layer, wherein the patterning is effected before or after the application of the structure layer to the covering layer.

3. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that metal contact-making areas are produced in regions on the surface of the structure layer opposite to the covering layer.

4. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that an encapsulation layer for encapsulating the active structure is applied to the surface of the structure layer opposite to the covering layer.

5. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the encapsulation layer, before being applied to the covering layer, is provided with contact holes that enable access to the metal contact-making areas after the encapsulation layer has been applied to the covering layer.

6. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the structure layer is applied to the covering layer by means of the following steps:

production of a second layer assembly, which comprises a second substrate and a second insulation layer, which covers at least part of the surface of the second substrate,

application of the structure layer to the second insulation layer, and

application of the second layer assembly to the covering layer in such a way that the structure layer adjoins the covering layer at least in regions.

7. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that an active structure of the component is produced by patterning the structure layer, wherein the patterning is effected before or after the application of the structure layer to the second layer assembly.

8. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the first and the second layer assemblies and also the structure layer are configured such that after the application of the second layer assembly, at least a part of the structure layer which comprises the active structure is hermetically tightly sealed by the first and second layer assemblies.

9. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that contact holes are formed in the second substrate.

10. The method for producing a component as claimed in claim 9 characterized in that in the side of the second substrate facing the structure layer, before the application of the structure layer to the second layer assembly, third depressions are produced, the lateral positions of which correspond at least in part to the lateral positions of the contact holes that are formed later in the second substrate.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that

in the side of the second substrate facing the structure layer, before the application of the structure layer to the second layer assembly, fourth depressions are produced, the lateral positions of which correspond at least in part to the lateral positions of the active structure of the structure layer.

12. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that

the second depressions produced in the covering layer and/or the first depressions are produced at lateral positions which correspond at least in part to the lateral positions of the active structure of the structure layer.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that

the etching depth of the fourth depressions is chosen to be at least approximately equal to the second etching depth of the second depressions of the covering layer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the first substrate, if appropriate second substrate and also the structure layer and the covering layer are composed of the same material, in particular silicon.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the different first and second etching depths of the first depressions and second depressions and/or the different third and fourth etching depths of the third depressions and fourth depressions are produced by means of a two-stage dry etching step by means of a double mask.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

electrodes for the active structure are produced at the positions of the second depressions in/on the covering layer.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

fifth depressions having a fifth etching depth, which differs from the first etching depth and the second etching depth, are realized in the covering layer, and in that

electrodes for the active structure are produced at the positions of the fifth depressions in/on the covering layer.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

an interconnect bridge is produced in the covering layer by means of the method, said interconnect bridge connecting an electrode within the active structure to the structure layer outside the active structure.

19. A micromechanical, micro-electromechanical or micro-opto-electromechanical component, comprising:

a first layer assembly, which has a first substrate, on the latter a first insulation layer and on the latter a covering layer,

an at least partly conductive structure layer arranged on the covering layer, and

first depressions and second depressions in the covering layer, said depressions proceeding from an interface with the structure layer, wherein the first depressions have a first etching depth and the second depressions have a second etching depth, which is smaller than the first etching depth and smaller than the thickness of the covering layer, and the first etching depth is at least equal to the thickness of the covering layer.

20. The micromechanical, micro-electromechanical or micro-opto-electromechanical component as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that an active structure of the component is formed by patterning the structure layer.

21. The component as claimed in claim 20, characterized by metal contact-making areas on the surface of the structure layer opposite to the covering layer.

22. The component as claimed in claim 20, characterized by

an encapsulation layer for encapsulating the active structure on the surface of the structure layer opposite to the covering layer.

23. The component as claimed in claim 21, characterized by an encapsulation layer for encapsulating the active structure on the surface of the structure layer opposite to the covering layer, and contact holes in the encapsulation layer for enabling access to the metal contact-making areas.

24. The component as claimed in claim 19,

characterized by a second layer assembly, which has a second substrate and a second insulation layer, which covers at least part of the surface of the second substrate, wherein the second layer assembly is arranged on the side of the structure layer opposite to the covering layer.

25. The component as claimed in claim 24, characterized in that an active structure of the component is formed by patterning the structure layer.

26. The component as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the first and the second layer assemblies and also the structure layer are configured such that a part of the structure layer which comprises the active structure is hermetically tightly sealed by the first and second layer assemblies.

27. The component as claimed in claim 24, characterized in that contact holes are formed in the second substrate.

28. The component as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that in the side of the second substrate facing the structure layer, third depressions are present, the lateral positions of which correspond at least in part to the lateral positions of the contact holes.

29. The component as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that

in the side of the second substrate facing the structure layer, fourth depressions are present, the lateral positions of which correspond at least in part to the lateral positions of the active structure of the structure layer.

30. The component as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that

the second depressions present in the covering layer and/or the first depressions are at lateral positions which correspond at least in part to the lateral positions of the active structure of the structure layer.

31. The component as claimed in claim 29, characterized in that

a fourth etching depth of the fourth depressions is at least approximately equal to the second etching depth of the second depressions of the covering layer.

32. The component as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that

the first substrate, if appropriate second substrate and also the structure layer and the covering layer are composed of the same semiconductor material, in particular silicon.

33. The component as claimed in claim 19, characterized by

electrodes in/on the covering layer at the positions of the second depressions.

34. The component as claimed in claim 19, characterized by

fifth depressions having a fifth etching depth in the covering layer and by electrodes in/on the covering layer at the positions of the fifth depressions.

35. The component as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that

at least one interconnect bridge is formed in the covering layer, said at least one interconnect bridge connecting an electrode within the active structure to the structure layer outside the active structure.