Method for making an optical micromirror and micromirror or array of micromirrors obtained by said method

• US 7,022,249 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teem Photonics
• Original Assignee: Teem Photonics
• Inventors: Valette, Serge
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Shamim
• Application Number:
  US10/467,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 216/2, 216/24, 216/26, 359/291
• US Class Current: 216/24
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/045 Optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0181 See-saws
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/058 Rotation out of a plane parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0062 Devices moving in two or more dimensions, i.e. having special features which allow movement in more than one dimension
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an optical micro-mirror including a fixed part and a moveable part, with a reflection device connected to the fixed part by an articulation mechanism. This method realizes a stack including a mechanical substrate, a first layer of thermal oxidation material, and at least one second layer of material for forming the moveable part, realizes the articulation mechanism, realizes the reflection device on the second layer, realizes the moveable part by etching of at least the second layer of material, and eliminates the thermal oxidation layer to liberate the moveable part. Such an optical micro-mirror may find possible applications to optical routing or image projection systems.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an optical micro-mirror including a fixed part and a moveable part connected to the fixed part by an articulation mechanism, the moveable part including a reflector, the method comprising:

a) forming a stack formed of a mechanical substrate, a sacrificial layer of a specific thickness of thermal oxidation material as a first layer, and an assembly for forming the moveable part and including at least one layer of material as a second layer;

b) forming the articulation mechanism;

c) forming the moveable part by etching of at least the second layer of material to obtain at least one pattern; and

d) removing at least in part the sacrificial layer for clearing the moveable part that is then connected to a rest of the micro-mirror corresponding to the fixed part using the articulation mechanism, wherein;

the step a) of forming the stack comprises transferring onto the mechanical substrate the second layer, the substrate and/or the second layer including on their faces to be transferred a thermal oxidation layer that will form the first layer after the transferring.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is formed on the second layer by deposition of reflector material in monolayer or multilayers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial layer comprised of thermal oxidation material has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 micron.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second layer is a layer of monocrystalline material.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transferring comprises sealing by molecular adhesion.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second layer can be combined with an intermediate substrate using a communication zone capable of enabling removal of the intermediate substrate.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the articulation mechanism is formed prior to the removing d) by localized etching of layers disposed on top of the substrate to form at least one via and by epitaxy across each via, epitaxial material in each via forming wholly or in part an articulation element of the articulation mechanism.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the articulation mechanism is formed by:

localized etchings prior to the transferring, to form at least a first via in the layer or layers disposed on top of the substrate and to form at least a second via in the layer or layers disposed on the second layer and that will be facing the substrate;

epitaxy across the first via forming a first part of an articulation element and epitaxy in the second via forming a second part of the articulation element, the first and second parts opposing during the transferring and forming after the transferring an articulation element of the articulation mechanism.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein for forming the articulation mechanism of a micro-mirror, one single element of articulation is formed and disposed under the moveable part to form a pivot for the moveable part, the pivot linking the moveable part to the fixed part.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein for forming the articulation mechanism of a micro-mirror, two articulation elements are formed and disposed on either side of the moveable part to form a hinge connecting the moveable part to the fixed part.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the articulation mechanism is formed by etching the second layer.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is made of silicon, the first layer is a thermal oxide of silicon, the second layer is comprised of monocrystalline silicon, and the articulation mechanism is comprised of monocrystalline silicon.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising e) attenuating the second layer.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising e) forming in the mechanical substrate at least one cavity facing at least one part of one of ends of the moveable part.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the at least one cavity of the substrate is formed by anisotropic etching.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the micro-mirror is electrically controlled, and further comprising e) realizing a control device by formation of facing electrodes on the substrate and on the moveable part.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein when the substrate and the moveable part are at least in facing semiconductor materials parts, the electrodes are formed by ionic implantation of dopants, whether or not followed by thermal diffusion appropriate to the dopants.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein connection lines of the electrodes to the control device are formed by ionic implantation of dopants followed by appropriate thermal diffusion of the dopants, the connection lines are formed on a face of the substrate facing the moveable part, the electrode or electrodes of the moveable part being connected to one or plural of the connection lines by the articulation mechanism, contacts being in addition provided at ends of the connection lines with a view of their connection to the control device.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein connection lines of the electrodes to the control device are formed by plated through holes across the substrate, the electrode or electrodes of the moveable part being connected to one or a plurality of the plated-through holes by the articulation mechanism, contacts being in addition provided at ends of the connection lines with a view of their connection to the command electronics.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moveable part comprises at least first and second parts, the first part comprising the reflector and at least one second part surrounding the first part, the articulation mechanism connecting the second part to the fixed part and an intermediate articulation mechanism connecting the first part of the moveable part to the second part.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the intermediate articulation device mechanism a hinge.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the intermediate articulation mechanism is formed by etching of the second layer.

23. The method according to claim 1, applied to formation of an array of micro-mirrors.

24. The micro-mirror or array of micro-mirrors obtained according to the method defined according to claim 1.

25. A method for manufacturing an optical micro-mirror including a fixed part and a moveable part connected to the fixed part by an articulation mechanism, the moveable part including a reflector, the method comprising:

forming a stack comprising a mechanical substrate, a sacrificial layer of thermal oxidation material, and an assembly layer for forming the moveable part;

forming the articulation mechanism;

forming the moveable part by etching in the assembly layer to obtain at least one pattern; and

removing at least in part the sacrificial layer for clearing the moveable part that is then connected to a rest of the micro-mirror corresponding to the fixed part using the articulation mechanism, wherein;

the step of forming the stack further comprises forming at least one thermal oxidation layer on the assembly layer, wherein the step of forming the stack further comprises transferring onto the mechanical substrate said at least one thermal oxidation layer that will form the sacrificial layer after the transferring.

26. The method for manufacturing an optical micro-mirror according to claim 25, wherein the step of forming the stack further comprises forming at least one thermal oxidation layer on the substrate.

27. The method for manufacturing an optical micro-mirror according to claim 25, wherein the step of forming the stack further comprises forming at least two thermal oxidation layers.

28. The method for manufacturing an optical micro-mirror according to claim 27, wherein the step of forming the stack further comprises transferring the substrate onto the assembly layer oxidized face to oxidized face.

29. A method for manufacturing an optical micro-mirror including a fixed part and a moveable part connected to the fixed part by an articulation mechanism, the moveable part including a reflector, the method comprising:

forming a stack comprising a mechanical substrate, a sacrificial layer of a specific thickness of thermal oxidation material as a first layer, and an assembly for forming the moveable part and including at least one layer of material as a second layer;

forming the articulation mechanism;

forming the moveable part by etching of at least the second layer of material to obtain at least one pattern;

removing at least in part the sacrificial layer for clearing the moveable part that is then connected to a rest of the micro-mirror corresponding to the fixed part using the articulation mechanism; and

forming in the mechanical substrate at least one cavity facing at least one part of one of ends of the moveable part.