Method of manufacture for microelectromechanical devices

• US 20050249966A1
• Filed: 05/04/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IDC, LLC
• Inventors: Chui, Clarence, Kothari, Manish, Tung, Ming-Hau, Gally, Brian James, Batey, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,476,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/622
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0008 Structures for avoiding electrostatic attraction, e.g. avoiding charge accumulation
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00579 Avoid charge built-up
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12542 More than one such component

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device includes forming at least two conductive layers on a substrate. An isolation layer is formed between the two conductive layers. The conductive layers are electrically coupled together and then the isolation layer is removed to form a gap between the conductive layers. The electrical coupling of the layers mitigates or eliminates the effects of electrostatic charge build up on the device during the removal process.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device, comprising:

forming at least two conductive layers on a substrate;

forming a isolation layer between the two conductive layers;

electrically coupling the conductive layers together; and

removing the isolation layer to form a gap between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

2. The method of claim 1, forming at least two conductive layers further comprising forming three conductive layers.

3. The method of claim 2, forming an isolation layer further comprises forming two isolation layers.

4. The method of claim 1, removing the isolation layer further comprising performing an etch of the isolation layer.

5. The method of claim 4, the etch process further comprising a dry, gas etch.

6. The method of claim 5, the dry, gas etch further comprising a xenon-difluorine etch.

7. The method of claim 1, electrically coupling the conductive layers together further comprising coupling the conductive layers together externally.

8. The method of claim 7, coupling the conductive layers together externally further comprising one selected from the group comprised of:

using a conductive wire, applying a probe structure, and using an ionized gas to remove the isolation layers.

9. The method of claim 1, electrically coupling the conductive layers together further comprising coupling the conductive layers together internally.

10. The method of claim 1, electrically coupling the conductive layers together further comprising using a conductive wire to provide electrical connection to the conductive layers.

11. The method of claim 1, electrically coupling the conductive layers together further comprising using a conductive wire to provide electrical connection to the conductive layers and then connecting the wire to a common voltage potential.

12. The method of claim 1, electrically coupling the conductive layers together further comprising using conductive wires for each conductive layer and electrically connecting all of the wires to the same potential.

13. The method of claim 1, electrically coupling the conductive layers together further comprising electrically coupling the conductive layers together in an inactive area of the substrate.

14. An apparatus to manufacture microelectromechanical devices, comprising:

a conductive wire to allow conductive layers to be electrically coupled together prior to an etch process.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, the conductive wire further comprising an external conductive wire to connect the conductive layers together.

16. The method of claim 14, the conductive wire further comprising an internal conductive connection to connect the conductive layers together.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, the conductive wire further comprising a conductive wire to connect the conductive layers together and to a common potential.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, the conductive wire further comprising a conductive wire to connect the conductive layers individually to a common potential.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, the conductive wire being provided in a gas etch chamber.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, the conductive layers further comprising metal layers.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, one of the conductive layers further comprising an electrode layer.