INTEGRATED MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM DEVICES AND METHODS FOR MAKING THE SAME

• US 20150048902A1
• Filed: 08/19/2013
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: ROGERS, JOHN E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,172,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/186
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0006 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2007/006 MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/0072 of microelectro-mechanical resonators or networks micromembranes or microbeams B81B2203/01; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 3/0073 Integration with other electronic structures
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0115 comprising only inductors and capacitors H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/462 Microelectro-mechanical filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/465 in combination with other electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/505 for microelectro-mechanical filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/525 for microelectro-mechanical filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

Integrated Microelectromechanical System (“MEMS”) devices and methods for making the same. The integrated MEMS device comprises a substrate (200) with first electronic circuitry (206) formed thereon, as well as a MEMS filter device (100). The MEMS filter device has a transition portion (118) configured to (a) electrically connect the MEMS filter device to second electronic circuitry and (b) suspend the MEMS filter device over the substrate such that a gas gap exists between the substrate and the MEMS filter device. The transition portion comprises a three dimensional hollow ground structure (120) in which an elongate center conductor (122) is suspended. The RF MEMS filter device also comprises at least two adjacent electronic elements (102/110) which are electrically isolated from each other via a ground structure of the transition portion, and placed in close proximity to each other.

Claims

1. An integrated Microelectromechanical Systems (“

MEMS”

) device, comprising;

a substrate;

a transition portion connected to and at least partially extending transversely away from a major surface of the substrate;

a MEMS filter device (a) mechanically suspended above the major surface of the substrate exclusively by the transition portion, and (b) electrically connected to first electronic circuitry external thereto by the transition portion; and

a gas gap between the major surface of the substrate and the MEMS filter device.

2. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 1, further comprising second electronic circuitry is formed on the major surface of the substrate so as to reside between the substrate and the MEMS filter device, wherein a gas gap exists between the circuitry and the MEMS filter device.

3. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 2, wherein a first conductive material used to fabricate the MEMS filter device has a first melting point that is different from second melting points of all second conductive materials used to form the second electronic circuitry by no more than 100°

C.

4. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 2, wherein an isolation between the MEMS filter device and the second electronic circuitry is less than forty decibels.

5. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein the transition portion comprises a three dimensional hollow ground structure in which an elongate center conductor is suspended.

6. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 5, further comprising a dielectric strap connected between two opposing sidewalls of the transition portion so as to suspend the elongate center conductor within the three dimensional hollow ground structure.

7. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 5, wherein the elongate center conductor is separated from the three dimensional hollow ground structure via a gas gap on all sides thereof.

8. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein the RF MEMS filter device comprises at least two adjacent electronic elements which are electrically isolated from each other via a ground structure of the transition portion.

9. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 8, wherein the adjacent electronic elements are electrically isolated from each other on one side via two spaced apart sidewalls of the ground structure of the transition portion.

10. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 8, wherein the adjacent electronic elements are electrically isolated from each other on one side via a common sidewall of the ground structure of the transition portion.

11. The integrated MEMS device according to claim 10, wherein the common sidewall has a thickness that is greater than at least one other adjoining sidewall of the ground structure.

12. A method for making an integrated Microelectromechanical Systems (“

MEMS”

) device, comprising;

forming first electronic circuitry on a major surface of a substrate;

forming a MEMS filter structure on the major surface of the substrate; and

removing at least one first resist layer from the MEMS filter structure to form (a) a MEMS filter device suspended over the major surface of the substrate exclusively by a transition portion electrically connecting the MEMS filter device to the first electronic circuitry, and (b) a gas gap between the MEMS filter device and the major surface of the substrate.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising forming second electronic circuitry on the substrate so as to reside between the substrate and the MEMS filter device, wherein a gas gap exists between the second electronic circuitry and the MEMS filter device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the second electronic circuitry is formed using a first conductive material having a first melting point, and the MEMS filter device is formed using a second conductive material having a second melting point that is different from the first melting point by no more than 100°

C.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising removing at least one second resist layer from the MEMS filter structure such that the transition portion is defined by a three dimensional hollow ground structure in which an elongate center conductor is suspended.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising connecting a dielectric strap between two opposing sidewalls of the transition portion whereby the elongate center conductor can be suspended within the three dimensional hollow ground structure.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising providing a gas gap between the elongate center conductor and the three dimensional hollow ground structure.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising electrically isolating at least two adjacent electronic elements of the RF MEMS filter device from each other using two spaced apart sidewalls of the ground structure of the transition portion.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising electrically isolating at least two adjacent electronic elements of the RF MEMS filter device from each other using a common sidewall of the ground structure of the transition portion.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the common sidewall has a thickness that is greater than at least one other second adjoining sidewall of the ground structure.