Integrated structure with bidirectional vertical actuation

• US 9,035,428 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Daneman, Michael Julian, Lim, Martin, Hung, Li-Wen, Lloyd, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): LUKE, DANIEL M
• Application Number:
  US13/831,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20140264645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 257/600, 257/602
• US Class Current: 257/600
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0221 Variable capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/053 Translation according to an axis perpendicular to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0056 Adjusting the distance between two elements, at least one of them being movable, e.g. air-gap tuning
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688

Abstract

A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device includes a first substrate with a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate including a base layer, a moveable beam disposed on the base layer, at least one metal layer, and one or more standoffs disposed on the base layer such that one or more metal layers are situated on the top surface of the one or more standoffs. The MEMS device further includes a second substrate including one or more metal layers bonded to the one or more standoffs resulting in an electrical connection between at least a portion of the one or more metal layers of the second substrate and one or more of the at least one electrode on the bottom surface and the at least one electrode on the top surface.

Claims

1. A MEMS device comprising:

a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate comprising,

a base layer,

a moveable beam attached to the base layer and having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface facing the base layer, the moveable beam comprising;

one or more first electrodes disposed on the bottom surface of the moveable beam,

one or more second electrodes disposed on the top surface of the moveable beam,

one or more standoffs disposed on the first surface of the first substrate such that one or more conductive layers are situated on a top surface of the one or more standoffs; and

a second substrate comprising one or more metal layers bonded to the one or more standoffs resulting in an electrical connection between at least a portion of the one or more metal layers and one of the one or more of the first electrodes or -the one or more of the second electrodes.

2. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein an insulating layer is disposed between the one or more first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes.

3. The MEMS device of claim 1 further comprising one or more -third electrodes disposed between the moveable beam and the base layer, such that the moveable beam is displaced when an electric potential is applied between the at least one of the one or more third electrodes and the at least one of the one or more first electrodes.

4. The MEMS device of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the one or more first electrodes carries a radio frequency signal.

5. The MEMS device of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the one or more third electrodes carries a radio frequency signal.

6. The MEMS device of claim 3, further comprising one or more spacers disposed between the one or more first electrodes and the one or more third electrodes.

7. The MEMS device of claim 3, further comprising one or more fourth electrodes disposed on the second substrate, the one or more fourth electrodes exerting an electrostatic force on the moveable beam when an electric potential is applied between the one or more fourth electrodes and the at least one of the one or more second electrodes.

8. The MEMS device of claim 7, further comprising one or more spacers disposed between the one or more second electrodes and one or more fourth electrodes.

9. The MEMS device of claim 1, further comprising at least one CMOS circuit on the second substrate.

10. The MEMS device of claim 1 further comprising a redistribution layer, the redistribution layer disposed on the second surface of the first substrate.

11. The MEMS device of claim 10, further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the first substrate and the redistribution layer.

12. The MEMS device of claim 10, further comprising an electrical conducting path from the redistribution layer to at least one of the one or more third electrodes.

13. The MEMS device of claim 12 further comprising solder balls disposed on the redistribution layer.

14. The MEMS device of claim 12, further comprising one or more vias in the first substrate wherein the one or more vias contains a conductive material.

15. A MEMS device comprising:

a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate comprising,

a base layer,

a moveable beam attached to the base layer and having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface facing the base layer, the moveable beam comprising,

one or more first electrodes disposed on the bottom surface of the moveable beam,

one or more second electrodes disposed on the top surface of the moveable beam,

a first insulating layer disposed between the one or more first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes; and

a second substrate comprising;

one or more metal layers separated from one another by one or more insulating layers;

one or more standoffs having a top surface and formed from a portion of the one or more metal layers and one or more second insulating layers, a portion of the one or more metal layers situated on the top surface of the one or more standoffs and bonded to the first substrate such that an electrical connection is formed between the portion of one or more metal layers and at least one of the one or more first electrodes or at least one of the one or more second electrodes.

16. Device of claim 15 further comprising one or more -third electrodes disposed between the moveable beam and the base layer, such that the moveable beam is displaced when an electric potential is applied between the at least one of the one or more third electrodes and the at least one of the one or more first electrodes.

17. The MEMS device of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the one or more first electrodes carries a radio frequency signal.

18. The MEMS device of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the one or more third electrodes carries a radio frequency signal.

19. The MEMS device of claim 16, further comprising one or more spacers disposed between the one or more first electrodes and the one or more third electrodes.

20. The MEMS device of claim 16, further comprising one or more fourth electrodes disposed on the second substrate, the one or more fourth electrodes exerting an electrostatic force on the moveable beam when an electric potential is applied between the one or more fourth electrodes and the at least one of the one or more second electrodes.

21. The MEMS device of claim 20, further comprising one or more spacers disposed between the one or more second electrodes and one or more fourth electrodes.

22. The MEMS device of claim 15, further comprising at least one CMOS circuit on the second substrate.

23. A MEMS device comprising:

a base layer having a first surface;

at least one first actuation electrode disposed on the first surface of the base layer;

at least one first capacitor electrode disposed on the first surface of the base layer;

a moveable beam having a top surface and a bottom surface, the moveable beam disposed above the at least one first actuation electrode and the at least one first capacitor electrode,

wherein the moveable beam is attached to the base layer,

wherein the bottom surface is facing the base layer,

wherein the moveable beam further comprises,

at least one second actuation electrode disposed on the bottom surface of the moveable beam,

at least one third actuation electrode disposed on the top surface of the moveable beam,

at least one second capacitor electrode disposed on the bottom surface of the moveable beam,

at least one fourth actuation electrode disposed above the moveable beam,

wherein applying an electric potential between the at least one first actuation electrode and the at least one second actuation electrode displaces the moveable beam towards the at least one first actuation electrode,

wherein applying an electric potential between the at least one third actuation electrode and the at least one fourth actuation electrode produces an electrostatic force on the moveable beam towards the at least one fourth actuation electrode.

24. The -MEMS device of claim 23 further comprising:

a first electrostatic force generated by an electrical signal applied between the at least one first capacitor electrode and the at least one second capacitor electrode; and

a second electrostatic force generated by a second electric potential applied between the at least one third actuation electrode and the at least one fourth actuation electrode, wherein the second electrostatic force counteracts the first electrostatic force.