Method of creating MEMS device cavities by a non-etching process
First Claim
1. An unreleased microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, comprising:
- a substrate;
an optical layer over the substrate;
a heat-vaporizable polymer layer over the substrate, the heat-vaporizable polymer layer being configured to vaporize upon heating to a temperature in the range of about 200 degrees C. to about 350 degrees C.; and
an electrically conductive layer over the heat-vaporizable polymer layer;
wherein the heat-vaporizable polymer is selected such that the optical layer is at least partially reflective after heat vaporization of the heat-vaporizable polymer layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
MEMS devices (such as interferometric modulators) may be fabricated using a sacrificial layer that contains a heat vaporizable polymer to form a gap between a moveable layer and a substrate. One embodiment provides a method of making a MEMS device that includes depositing a polymer layer over a substrate, forming an electrically conductive layer over the polymer layer, and vaporizing at least a portion of the polymer layer to form a cavity between the substrate and the electrically conductive layer. Another embodiment provides a method for making an interferometric modulator that includes providing a substrate, depositing a first electrically conductive material over at least a portion of the substrate, depositing a sacrificial material over at least a portion of the first electrically conductive material, depositing an insulator over the substrate and adjacent to the sacrificial material to form a support structure, and depositing a second electrically conductive material over at least a portion of the sacrificial material, the sacrificial material being removable by heat-vaporization to thereby form a cavity between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An unreleased microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, comprising:
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a substrate; an optical layer over the substrate; a heat-vaporizable polymer layer over the substrate, the heat-vaporizable polymer layer being configured to vaporize upon heating to a temperature in the range of about 200 degrees C. to about 350 degrees C.; and an electrically conductive layer over the heat-vaporizable polymer layer; wherein the heat-vaporizable polymer is selected such that the optical layer is at least partially reflective after heat vaporization of the heat-vaporizable polymer layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification