Micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) device having a blocking layer formed between closed chamber and a dielectric layer of a CMOS substrate

• US 9,617,150 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chu, Chia-Hua, Cheng, Chun-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, ANH D
• Application Number:
  US14/049,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 257254
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0035 for maintaining a controlled atmosphere inside of the chamber containing the MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0041 maintaining a controlled atmosphere with techniques not provided for in B81B7/0038
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00238 Joining a substrate with an electronic processing unit and a substrate with a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00277 for maintaining a controlled atmosphere inside of the cavity containing the MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00301 Connecting electric signal lines from the MEMS device with external electrical signal lines, e.g. through vias
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00793 Avoid contamination, e.g. absorption of impurities or oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/013 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/053 Depositing a protective layers
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0118 Bonding a wafer on the substrate, i.e. where the cap consists of another wafer
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0792 Forming interconnections between the electronic processing unit and the micromechanical structure

Abstract

Embodiments of mechanisms for forming a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) device are provided. The MEMS device includes a CMOS substrate and a MEMS substrate bonded with the CMOS substrate. The CMOS substrate includes a semiconductor substrate, a first dielectric layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of conductive pads formed in the first dielectric layer. The MEMS substrate includes a semiconductor layer having a movable element and a second dielectric layer formed between the semiconductor layer and the CMOS substrate. The MEMS substrate also includes a closed chamber surrounding the movable element. The MEMS substrate further includes a blocking layer formed between the closed chamber and the first dielectric layer of the CMOS substrate. The blocking layer is configured to block gas, coming from the first dielectric layer, from entering the closed chamber.

Claims

1. A micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a dielectric layer formed over the semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of conductive pads formed in the dielectric layer;

a MEMS substrate bonded with the dielectric layer, wherein the MEMS substrate comprises;

a semiconductor layer having a sensing element;

a closed chamber surrounding the sensing element; and

a blocking layer having a first portion formed between the semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer, wherein the blocking layer is configured to block gas, coming from the dielectric layer, from entering the closed chamber, and the blocking layer has a second portion extending from the first portion upward toward the semiconductor layer;

an etch stop layer above the first portion of the blocking layer and surrounding the chamber, wherein the etch stop layer is spaced apart from the first portion of the blocking layer; and

a conductive plug penetrating through the semiconductor layer of the MEMS substrate and the first portion of the blocking layer.

2. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking layer is made of a semiconductor material.

3. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closed chamber has a pressure in a range from about 10E−

7 torr to about 760 torr.

4. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the etch stop layer is a low stress silicon nitride layer.

5. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cap substrate bonded with the MEMS substrate through a bonding structure, wherein the sensing element is hermetically sealed by the cap substrate and the bonding structure, and the closed chamber is between the cap substrate and the dielectric layer.

6. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductive plug is in direct contact with the first portion of the blocking layer.

7. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second portion of the blocking layer penetrates through the etch stop layer, the second portion and the first portion of the blocking layer are made of a same material, and the conductive plug penetrates through the second portion of the blocking layer and is in direct contact with the second portion of the blocking layer.

8. A micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of conductive pads formed in the dielectric layer;

a MEMS substrate bonded with the dielectric layer, wherein the MEMS substrate comprises;

a semiconductor layer having a movable element;

a closed chamber surrounding the movable element; and

a blocking layer having a first portion separating the closed chamber from the dielectric layer, wherein the first portion is formed between the semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer, the blocking layer has a second portion extending from the first portion upward toward the semiconductor layer, and the blocking layer is configured to prevent gas, coming from the dielectric layer, from entering the closed chamber;

an etch stop layer surrounding the closed chamber, wherein the etch stop layer is a low stress silicon nitride layer; and

a conductive plug penetrating through the semiconductor layer of the MEMS substrate and the first portion of the blocking layer.

9. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the blocking layer is made of a semiconductor material, and the conductive plug is in direct contact with the first portion of the blocking layer.

10. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conductive plug penetrates through the second portion of the blocking layer.

11. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a second dielectric layer formed between the semiconductor layer of the MEMS substrate and the blocking layer, wherein the second portion of the blocking layer penetrates through the second dielectric layer.

12. A micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) device, comprising:

a CMOS substrate, wherein the CMOS substrate comprises;

a semiconductor substrate;

a first dielectric layer formed over the semiconductor substrate; and

a plurality of conductive pads formed in the first dielectric layer;

a MEMS substrate bonded with the CMOS substrate, wherein the first dielectric layer is between the semiconductor substrate and the MEMS substrate, and the MEMS substrate comprises;

a semiconductor layer having a movable element;

a second dielectric layer formed between the semiconductor layer and the CMOS substrate;

a chamber surrounding the movable element; and

a blocking layer having a first portion formed between the chamber and the first dielectric layer of the CMOS substrate, wherein the blocking layer has a second portion extending from the first portion upward toward the semiconductor layer, the second portion of the blocking layer penetrates through the second dielectric layer, and the blocking layer is configured to block gas, coming from the first dielectric layer, from entering the chamber; and

a conductive plug penetrating through the semiconductor layer of the MEMS substrate and the first portion of the blocking layer.

13. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an etch stop layer above the first portion of the blocking layer and surrounding the chamber, wherein the etch stop layer is spaced apart from the first portion of the blocking layer.

14. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the etch stop layer is made of silicon nitride.

15. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the conductive plug penetrates through the second dielectric layer and is electrically connected to one of the conductive pads.

16. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second portion and the first portion of the blocking layer are made of a same material, and the conductive plug penetrates through the second portion of the blocking layer and is in direct contact with the second portion of the blocking layer.

17. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 12, wherein a bottom surface of the conductive plug is between the semiconductor substrate of the CMOS substrate and a top surface of the conductive plug.

18. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blocking layer is made of polysilicon.

19. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a cap substrate bonded with the MEMS substrate through a bonding structure;

a cavity between the cap substrate and the semiconductor layer; and

a sealing element separating the cavity and the chamber.

20. The MEMS device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a cap substrate bonded with the MEMS substrate through a bonding structure, wherein the movable element is hermetically sealed by the cap substrate and the bonding structure, and the chamber is between the cap substrate and the second dielectric layer.