MEMS devices with unreleased thin film components

• US 7,012,726 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IDC, LLC
• Inventors: Miles, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanig, Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/700,641
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 359/245, 359/254, 359/291, 359/846, 216/95, 438/738, 438/749, 438/689
• US Class Current: 359/245
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00896 Temporary protection during separation into individual elements

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention provides a MEMS device. The MEMS device comprises a plurality of functional components including at least one moveable component; and a sacrificial component to at least reduce movement of the moveable component during shipping of the microelectromechanical systems device, wherein the sacrificial component can be removed after shipping.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

fabricating a microelectromechanical systems device comprising a movable component;

inhibiting at least some movement of the movable component with a sacrificial material, so that the microelectromechanical systems device can be transported with at least a reduced risk of damage to the movable component;

transporting said device;

removing the sacrificial material after the miroelectromechanical systems device has been transported; and

packaging the microelectronical systems device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing comprises removing the sacrificial material with a gas etchant.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the sacrificial material after the microelectromechanical systems device has been transported.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the microelectromechanical systems device comprises all functional components to enable full functioning of the microelectromechanical systems device upon removal of the sacrificial material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the microelectromechanical systems device comprises interferometric modulators.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said sacrificial material is deposited on an optical film.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a mechanical film is deposited on said sacrificial material.

8. A method of packaging an electronic device comprising an interferometric modulator, comprising:

fabricating an interferometric modulator comprising a movable component;

inhibiting movement of the movable component with a sacrificial material;

transporting the interferometric modulator;

removing the sacrificial material after the interferometric modulator has been transported; and

packaging the interferometric modulator into an electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the removing comprises removing the sacrificial material with a gas etchant.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the interferometric modulator comprises all functional components to enable full functioning of the interferometric modulator upon removal of the sacrificial material.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the sacrificial material is deposited during the fabricating.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said sacrificial material is deposited on an optical film.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a mechanical film is deposited on said sacrificial material.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the interferometric modulator is part of an interferometric modulator array.