Method of manufacturing MEMS based quartz hybrid filters

• US 8,782,876 B1
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Kubena, Randall L., Chang, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang, A. Dexter
• Application Number:
  US13/163,357
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 29/253.5, 295/94, 298/30, 298/42, 298/46, 298/32, 29/254.1, 296/021, 310/334, 310/366, 333/185, 333187-189
• US Class Current: 29/594
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/0542 consisting of a lateral arrangement H03H9/0566 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/542 including passive elements H03H9/545 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/43 Electric condenser making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A process for fabricating an integrated Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) filter includes bonding an insulating substrate having a first end and a second end to a base substrate, the second end of the insulating substrate cantilevered over and separated from the base substrate by a gap, forming a resonator element on the second end of the insulating substrate, forming an inductive element comprising a coil, wherein the coil is formed on the insulating substrate, and forming a capacitive element on the first side of the insulating substrate, the capacitive element comprised of two conductive plates, wherein one of the two conductive plates is formed on the insulating substrate.

Claims

1. A process for fabricating an integrated Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) filter comprising:

bonding an insulating substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side and a first end and a second end to a base substrate, the second end of the insulating substrate cantilevered over and separated from the base substrate by a gap;

forming a resonator element on the second end of the insulating substrate;

forming an inductive element on the first side of the insulating substrate; and

forming a capacitive element on the first side of the insulating substrate, the capacitive element comprised of two conductive plates, wherein one of the two conductive plates is formed on the insulating substrate.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate is crystalline quartz.

3. The process of claim 2 further including metallizing the resonator element on the insulating substrate.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the step of metallizing the resonator element includes:

metallizing a first electrode on the first side of the insulating substrate; and

metallizing a second electrode on the second side of the insulating substrate opposite the first side.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the quartz is fused quartz.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of bonding comprises:

metallizing the first side of the insulating substrate to form first metal portions of the inductive element, the capacitive element, and the resonator;

attaching a handle wafer to the first side of the insulating substrate;

thinning the insulating substrate and etching vias in the insulating substrate;

metallizing the second side of the insulating substrate to form a second metal portion of the resonator;

forming a bond pad on the base substrate;

bonding the bond pad to at least one second metal portion; and

releasing the handle wafer from the insulating substrate.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the step of attaching the handle wafer comprises:

depositing a release layer on the first side of the insulating substrate; and

deposing the handle wafer on the release layer; and

wherein the step of releasing the handle wafer includes etching away the release layer.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the handle wafer has perforations for assisting in etching away the release layer.

9. The process of claim 6 wherein bonding the bond pad to at least one second metal portion comprises low-temperature pressure bonding.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the resonator element comprises a piezoelectric resonator.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein forming the inductive element comprises:

forming a conductive spiral having a center contact point on the insulating substrate;

forming a further contact point exterior to the conductive spiral on the insulating substrate; and

forming a conductive bridge connecting the center contact point of the conductive spiral to the further contact point.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein forming the capacitive element includes:

forming a first conductive plate on the insulating substrate;

forming a dielectric layer on the first conductive plate; and

forming a second conductive plate on the dielectric layer.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein forming the resonator element comprises:

forming a first electrode plate on the first side of the insulating substrate; and

forming a second electrode plate on the second side of the insulating substrate, positioned opposite to the first electrode plate.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein:

the capacitive element and the inductive element are formed near the resonator element on the second end of the insulating substrate.

15. The process of claim 1:

wherein the capacitive element and the inductive element are formed near the first end of the insulating substrate; and

wherein the first end of the insulating substrate is not cantilevered over the base substrate.