Processing a sacrificial material during manufacture of a microfabricated product
First Claim
1. A method for processing a sacrificial material of an intermediate microfabricated product, the method comprising:
- forming a hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer as the sacrificial material on a surface of a base structure, wherein the forming occurs in a hydrocarbon-nitrogen atmosphere;
forming a structural layer on at least a portion of a surface of the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer, wherein the structural layer is a flexible membrane; and
oxidizing the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer to release the structural layer to define an air gap between the flexible membrane and the base structure.
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Abstract
A method for processing a sacrificial material of an intermediate microfabricated product includes forming a hydrogen-containing carbon layer on a surface of a base structure and releasing hydrogen from the hydrogen-containing carbon layer to obtain a hydrogen-released (i.e., densified) carbon layer with low shrink. The method further includes forming a structural layer on at least a portion of a surface of the hydrogen-released carbon layer, and oxidizing the hydrogen-released (densified) carbon layer to release the structural layer. In this manner, a cavity is formed between the base structure and the structural layer. The ashing of the hydrogen-released carbon layer leaves substantially no residues within the cavity of the intermediate or final microfabricated product. Further embodiments provide a method for manufacturing a microfabricated product, to an intermediate microfabricated product, and to a microfabrication equipment.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for processing a sacrificial material of an intermediate microfabricated product, the method comprising:
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forming a hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer as the sacrificial material on a surface of a base structure, wherein the forming occurs in a hydrocarbon-nitrogen atmosphere; forming a structural layer on at least a portion of a surface of the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer, wherein the structural layer is a flexible membrane; and oxidizing the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer to release the structural layer to define an air gap between the flexible membrane and the base structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for manufacturing a microfabricated product, the method comprising:
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forming a hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer on a surface of a base structure, the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer serving as a sacrificial layer in the manufacturing of the microfabricated product, wherein the forming occurs in a hydrocarbon-nitrogen atmosphere, and wherein the microfabricated product is an electromechanical transducer, wherein the base structure comprises a counter electrode of the electromechanical transducer and wherein the hydrogen-content of the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer is less than 50%; forming a structural layer on at least a portion of a surface of the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer, wherein the structural layer is a flexible membrane; and removing the hydrogen-containing and nitrogen-containing carbon layer by means of a dry etching process to define an air gap between the flexible membrane and the counter electrode. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification