US20070170529A1 - Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same - Google Patents
Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20070170529A1 US20070170529A1 US11/545,052 US54505206A US2007170529A1 US 20070170529 A1 US20070170529 A1 US 20070170529A1 US 54505206 A US54505206 A US 54505206A US 2007170529 A1 US2007170529 A1 US 2007170529A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- substrate
- contact
- conductivity
- silicon
- microelectromechanical device
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C1/00—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate
- B81C1/00015—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate for manufacturing microsystems
- B81C1/00261—Processes for packaging MEMS devices
- B81C1/00277—Processes for packaging MEMS devices for maintaining a controlled atmosphere inside of the cavity containing the MEMS
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
- B81B7/00—Microstructural systems; Auxiliary parts of microstructural devices or systems
- B81B7/0032—Packages or encapsulation
- B81B7/0035—Packages or encapsulation for maintaining a controlled atmosphere inside of the chamber containing the MEMS
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
- B81B7/00—Microstructural systems; Auxiliary parts of microstructural devices or systems
- B81B7/0032—Packages or encapsulation
- B81B7/0058—Packages or encapsulation for protecting against damages due to external chemical or mechanical influences, e.g. shocks or vibrations
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
- B81B7/00—Microstructural systems; Auxiliary parts of microstructural devices or systems
- B81B7/0032—Packages or encapsulation
- B81B7/007—Interconnections between the MEMS and external electrical signals
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C1/00—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate
- B81C1/00015—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate for manufacturing microsystems
- B81C1/00261—Processes for packaging MEMS devices
- B81C1/00269—Bonding of solid lids or wafers to the substrate
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C1/00—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate
- B81C1/00015—Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate for manufacturing microsystems
- B81C1/00261—Processes for packaging MEMS devices
- B81C1/00301—Connecting electric signal lines from the MEMS device with external electrical signal lines, e.g. through vias
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
- H01L23/02—Containers; Seals
- H01L23/04—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls
- H01L23/043—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls the container being a hollow construction and having a conductive base as a mounting as well as a lead for the semiconductor body
- H01L23/051—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls the container being a hollow construction and having a conductive base as a mounting as well as a lead for the semiconductor body another lead being formed by a cover plate parallel to the base plate, e.g. sandwich type
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/30—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
- H10N30/304—Beam type
- H10N30/306—Cantilevers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
- B81B2201/00—Specific applications of microelectromechanical systems
- B81B2201/02—Sensors
- B81B2201/0271—Resonators; ultrasonic resonators
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
- B81B2203/00—Basic microelectromechanical structures
- B81B2203/03—Static structures
- B81B2203/0315—Cavities
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
- B81B2203/00—Basic microelectromechanical structures
- B81B2203/04—Electrodes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
- B81B2207/00—Microstructural systems or auxiliary parts thereof
- B81B2207/07—Interconnects
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C2201/00—Manufacture or treatment of microstructural devices or systems
- B81C2201/01—Manufacture or treatment of microstructural devices or systems in or on a substrate
- B81C2201/0161—Controlling physical properties of the material
- B81C2201/0171—Doping materials
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C2203/00—Forming microstructural systems
- B81C2203/03—Bonding two components
- B81C2203/031—Anodic bondings
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C2203/00—Forming microstructural systems
- B81C2203/03—Bonding two components
- B81C2203/033—Thermal bonding
- B81C2203/036—Fusion bonding
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C2203/00—Forming microstructural systems
- B81C2203/03—Bonding two components
- B81C2203/033—Thermal bonding
- B81C2203/037—Thermal bonding techniques not provided for in B81C2203/035 - B81C2203/036
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- B81C—PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- B81C2203/00—Forming microstructural systems
- B81C2203/03—Bonding two components
- B81C2203/038—Bonding techniques not provided for in B81C2203/031 - B81C2203/037
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
- H01L2924/0001—Technical content checked by a classifier
- H01L2924/0002—Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
Abstract
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present inventions relate to devices, systems and/or methods of encapsulating and fabricating electromechanical structures or elements, for example, accelerometer, gyroscope or other transducer (for example, pressure sensor, strain sensor, tactile sensor, magnetic sensor and/or temperature sensor), filter or resonator. The fabricating or manufacturing microelectromechanical systems of the present invention, and the systems manufactured thereby, employ wafer bonding encapsulation techniques.
Description
- There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. The inventions relate to encapsulation electromechanical structures, for example, microelectromechanical and/or nanoelectromechanical structure (collectively hereinafter “microelectromechanical structures”) and devices/systems including same; and more particularly, in one aspect, for fabricating or manufacturing microelectromechanical systems having mechanical structures that are encapsulated using wafer level encapsulation techniques, and devices/systems incorporated same.
- Microelectromechanical systems, for example, gyroscopes, resonators and accelerometers, utilize micromachining techniques (i.e., lithographic and other precision fabrication techniques) to reduce mechanical components to a scale that is generally comparable to microelectronics. Microelectromechanical systems typically include a mechanical structure fabricated from or on, for example, a silicon substrate using micromachining techniques.
- The mechanical structures are typically sealed in a chamber. The delicate mechanical structure may be sealed in, for example, a hermetically sealed metal or ceramic container or bonded to a semiconductor or glass-like substrate having a chamber to house, accommodate or cover the mechanical structure. In the context of the hermetically sealed metal or ceramic container, the substrate on, or in which, the mechanical structure resides may be disposed in and affixed to the metal or ceramic container. The hermetically sealed metal or ceramic container often also serves as a primary package as well.
- In the context of the semiconductor or glass-like substrate packaging technique, the substrate of the mechanical structure may be bonded to another substrate (i.e., a “cover” wafer) whereby the bonded substrates form a chamber within which the mechanical structure resides. In this way, the operating environment of the mechanical structure may be controlled and the structure itself protected from, for example, inadvertent contact.
- There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. The present inventions are neither limited to any single aspect nor embodiment thereof, nor to any combinations and/or permutations of such aspects and/or embodiments. Moreover, each of the aspects of the present inventions, and/or embodiments thereof, may be employed alone or in combination with one or more of the other aspects of the present inventions and/or embodiments thereof. For the sake of brevity, many of those permutations and combinations will not be discussed separately herein.
- In one aspect, the present inventions are directed to a microelectromechanical device comprising a first substrate, a chamber, and a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the first substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber. In addition, in this aspect, the microelectromechanical device further includes a second substrate, bonded to the first substrate, wherein a surface of the second substrate forms a wall of the chamber, as well as a contact. The contact includes (1) a first portion of the contact is (i) formed from a portion of the first substrate and (ii) at least a portion thereof is disposed outside the chamber, and (2) a second portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the second substrate.
- In one embodiment, the second substrate includes polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. The first substrate may include polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.
- In addition, in one embodiment, the first portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity, and the second portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity. Notably, the second portion of the contact may be a polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon that is counterdoped to include the first conductivity.
- The microelectromechanical device may further include a trench, disposed in the second substrate and around at least a portion of the second portion of the contact. The trench may include a first material (for example, an insulation material) disposed therein to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the second substrate.
- Notably, the first substrate is a semiconductor on insulator substrate.
- In another principle aspect, the present inventions are directed to a microelectromechanical device comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, wherein the second substrate is bonded to the first substrate, a chamber, and a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the second substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber. The microelectromechanical device may further include a third substrate, bonded to the second substrate, wherein a surface of the third substrate forms a wall of the chamber. The microelectromechanical device may also include a contact having (1) a first portion of the contact is (i) formed from a portion of the second substrate and (ii) at least a portion thereof is disposed outside the chamber, and (2) a second portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the third substrate.
- The second substrate may include polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. The third substrate may include polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.
- In one embodiment, the first portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the third substrate is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity, and the second portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity. Notably, in one embodiment, the second portion of the contact may be a polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon that is counterdoped to include the first conductivity.
- The microelectromechanical device may further include a trench, disposed in the third substrate and around at least a portion of the second portion of the contact. The trench may include a first material (for example, an insulation material) disposed therein to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the third substrate.
- The microelectromechanical device may also include an isolation region disposed in the second substrate such that the trench is aligned with and juxtaposed to the isolation region. In this embodiment, the first portion of the contact may be a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the isolation region may be a semiconductor material having a second conductivity, and the second portion of the contact may be a semiconductor material having the first conductivity. A trench may be included to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the second substrate. The trench may include a semiconductor material, disposed therein, having the second conductivity.
- In another embodiment, the microelectromechanical device may include an isolation region disposed in the first substrate such that the first portion of the contact is aligned with and juxtaposed to the isolation region.
- In yet another embodiment, the microelectromechanical device may include a first isolation region and a second isolation region. The first isolation region may be disposed in the first substrate such that the first portion of the contact is aligned with and juxtaposed to the first isolation region. The second isolation region may be disposed in the second substrate such that the second portion of the contact is aligned with and juxtaposed to the second isolation region. In this embodiment, the first and second portions of the contact may be semiconductor materials having a first conductivity, and the first and second isolation regions may be semiconductor materials having the second conductivity.
- The microelectromechanical device of this embodiment may also include a trench, disposed in the third substrate and around at least a portion of the second portion of the contact. The trench may include a first material (for example, an insulator material) disposed therein to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the third substrate. The trench may be aligned with and juxtaposed to the second isolation region.
- Notably, all forms of bonding, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding, silicon direct bonding, soldering (for example, eutectic soldering), thermo compression, thermo-sonic bonding, laser bonding and/or glass reflow bonding, and/or combinations thereof.
- Moreover, any of the embodiments described and illustrated herein may employ a bonding material and/or a bonding facilitator material (disposed between substrates, for example, the second and third substrates) to, for example, enhance the attachment of or the “seal” between the substrates (for example, the first and second, and/or the second and third), address/compensate for planarity considerations between substrates to be bonded (for example, compensate for differences in planarity between bonded substrates), and/or to reduce and/or minimize differences in thermal expansion (that is materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion) of the substrates and materials therebetween (if any). Such materials may be, for example, solder, metals, frit, adhesives, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof.
- Again, there are many inventions, and aspects of the inventions, described and illustrated herein. This Summary of the Inventions is not exhaustive of the scope of the present inventions. Moreover, this Summary of the Inventions is not intended to be limiting of the inventions and should not be interpreted in that manner. While certain embodiments have been described and/or outlined in this Summary of the Inventions, it should be understood that the present inventions are not limited to such embodiments, description and/or outline, nor are the claims limited in such a manner. Indeed, many others embodiments, which may be different from and/or similar to, the embodiments presented in this Summary, will be apparent from the description, illustrations and claims, which follow. In addition, although various features, attributes and advantages have been described in this Summary of the Inventions and/or are apparent in light thereof, it should be understood that such features, attributes and advantages are not required whether in one, some or all of the embodiments of the present inventions and, indeed, need not be present in any of the embodiments of the present inventions.
- In the course of the detailed description to follow, reference will be made to the attached drawings. These drawings show different aspects of the present inventions and, where appropriate, reference numerals illustrating like structures, components, materials and/or elements in different figures are labeled similarly. It is understood that various combinations of the structures, components, materials and/or elements, other than those specifically shown, are contemplated and are within the scope of the present inventions.
-
FIG. 1A is a block diagram representation of a mechanical structure disposed on a substrate and encapsulated via at least a second substrate; -
FIG. 1B is a block diagram representation of a mechanical structure and circuitry, each disposed on one or more substrates and encapsulated via a substrate; -
FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a portion of a mechanical structure of a conventional resonator, including moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and a contact; -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the first substrate employs an SOI wafer; -
FIGS. 4A-4H illustrate cross-sectional views (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of the fabrication of the mechanical structure ofFIGS. 2 and 3 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 , wherein microelectromechanical system includes electronic or electrical circuitry in conjunction with micromachined mechanical structure ofFIG. 2 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 5 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 7A-7C , and 8A and 8B illustrate cross-sectional views of two exemplary embodiments of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 5 using processing techniques wherein electronic or electrical circuitry (at various stages of completeness) is formed in the second substrate prior to encapsulating the mechanical structure via securing the second substrate to the first substrate; -
FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 , wherein micromachined mechanical structure ofFIG. 2 includes an isolation trench to electrically isolate the contact, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 10A-10I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 9 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 11 illustrates a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 , wherein micromachined mechanical structure ofFIG. 2 includes isolation regions and an isolation trench (aligned therewith) to electrically isolate the contact, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 12A-12J illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 11 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 13A illustrates a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 , wherein micromachined mechanical structure ofFIG. 2 includes isolation regions and an isolation trench (aligned therewith), including an oppositely doped semiconductor (relative to the conductivity ofsecond substrate 14 b), to electrically isolate the contact, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 13B and 13C illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 13A at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates; -
FIGS. 15A-15H illustrate cross-sectional views (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of the fabrication of the mechanical structure ofFIGS. 2 and 14 at various stages of a process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 16 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the fabrication of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 14 wherein electronic or electrical circuitry (after fabrication) is formed in the third substrate according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 17 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions of the microelectromechanical system including a plurality of micromachined mechanical structures wherein a first micromachined mechanical structure is formed in the second substrate and a second micromachined mechanical structure is formed in the third substrate wherein a fourth substrate encapsulates one or more of the micromachined mechanical structures according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 18 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions of the microelectromechanical system including a plurality of micromachined mechanical structures wherein a first micromachined mechanical structure is formed in the second substrate and a second micromachined mechanical structure is formed in the third substrate wherein a fourth substrate encapsulates one or more of the micromachined mechanical structures and includes electronic or electrical circuitry according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates and cavities are formed in the first and third substrates; -
FIGS. 20A-20H illustrate cross-sectional views (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of the fabrication of the mechanical structure ofFIGS. 2 and 19 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 21 illustrates a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 , wherein the first cavity is formed in the second substrate and a second cavity is formed in a third substrate according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 22 illustrates a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 , wherein the first and second cavities are formed in the second substrate, according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates and the second and third substrates include the same conductivity types; -
FIGS. 24A-24I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 23 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates and the first and second substrates include the same conductivity types; -
FIGS. 26A-26I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 25 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates which include the same conductivity types; -
FIGS. 28A-28I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 27 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates which include the same conductivity types; -
FIGS. 30A-30I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 29 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 31A-31D illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 27 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs grinding and/or polishing to provide a desired surface, according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates; -
FIGS. 33A-33I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 32 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates wherein an insulative layer is disposed between each of the substrates; -
FIGS. 35A-35L illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 34 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates wherein an insulative layer is disposed between two of the substrates; -
FIGS. 37A-37I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 36 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates wherein an insulative layer is disposed between two of the substrates and isolation trenches and regions electrically isolate the contact; -
FIGS. 39A-39K illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 38 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates wherein an intermediate layer (for example, a native oxide layer) is disposed between two of the substrates; -
FIGS. 41A-41H illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 40 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 42A and 42B are cross-sectional views (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of exemplary embodiments of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates wherein an intermediate layer (for example, a native oxide layer) is disposed (for example, deposited or grown) between two of the substrates; -
FIGS. 43A-43K illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical systems ofFIGS. 42A and 42B at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates and the processing techniques include alternative processing margins; -
FIGS. 45A-45I illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 44 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 46A is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates and the processing techniques include alternative processing margins wherein the isolation trenches include an over etch; -
FIG. 46B is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates and a selected trench includes alternative processing margins; -
FIGS. 47A-47D and 48A-48C are cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an embodiment of the present inventions having alternative exemplary processing techniques, flows and orders thereof; -
FIGS. 49A-49G , 50A-50G and 51A-51J are cross-sectional views (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of exemplary embodiments of the present inventions having alternative processing techniques, flows and orders thereof relative to one or more of substrates; -
FIG. 52 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates wherein isolation regions are implanted in a cover substrate to electrically isolate the contact; -
FIGS. 53A-53H illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 52 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 54 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical system employs three substrates wherein isolation regions include an insulation material (for example, a silicon nitride or silicon dioxide); -
FIGS. 55A-55K illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 54 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 56 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein a contact area is etched and formed in one of the “cover” substrate to provide for electrical conductivity with the an underlying contact area; -
FIGS. 57A-57J illustrate cross-sectional views of an exemplary flow of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 56 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein bonding material and/or a bonding facilitator material is employed between substrates; -
FIGS. 59A-59L illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 58 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIG. 60 is a cross-sectional view (sectioned along dotted line A-A′ ofFIG. 2 ) of a portion of the moveable electrode, fixed electrode, and the contact ofFIG. 2 of another exemplary embodiment of the present inventions wherein bonding material and/or a bonding facilitator material is employed between substrates; -
FIGS. 61A-61K illustrate cross-sectional views of the fabrication of the portion of the microelectromechanical system ofFIG. 58 at various stages of an exemplary process that employs an encapsulation technique according to certain aspects of the present inventions; -
FIGS. 62-64 illustrates cross-sectional views of several embodiments of the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical systems include electronic or electrical circuitry formed in a substrate, according to certain aspects of the present inventions; and - FIGS. 65 and 66A-66F are block diagram illustrations of various embodiments of the microelectromechanical systems of the present inventions wherein the microelectromechanical systems includes at least three substrates wherein one or more substrates include one or more micromachined mechanical structures and/or electronic or electrical circuitry, according to certain aspects of the present inventions.
- There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present inventions relate to devices, systems and/or methods of encapsulating and fabricating electromechanical structures or elements, for example, accelerometer, gyroscope or other transducer (for example, pressure sensor, strain sensor, tactile sensor, magnetic sensor and/or temperature sensor), filter or resonator The fabricating or manufacturing microelectromechanical systems of the present invention, and the systems manufactured thereby, employ wafer bonding encapsulation techniques.
- With reference to
FIGS. 1A , 1B and 2, in one exemplary embodiment,microelectromechanical device 10 includes micromachinedmechanical structure 12 that is disposed onsubstrate 14, for example, a semiconductor, a glass, or an insulator material. Themicroelectromechanical device 10 may include electronics or electrical circuitry 16 (hereinafter collectively “circuitry 16”) to, for example, drivemechanical structure 12, sense information frommechanical structure 12, process or analyze information generated by, and/or control or monitor the operation of micromachinedmechanical structure 12. In addition, circuitry 16 (for example, CMOS circuitry) may generate clock signals using, for example, an output signal of micromachinedmechanical structure 12, which may be a resonator type electromechanical structure. Under these circumstances,circuitry 16 may include frequency and/or phase compensation circuitry (hereinafter “compensation circuitry 18”), which receives the output of the resonator and adjusts, compensates, corrects and/or controls the frequency and/or phase of the output of resonator. In this regard, compensation circuitry uses the output of resonator to provide an adjusted, corrected, compensated and/or controlled output having, for example, a desired, selected and/or predetermined frequency and/or phase. - Notably,
circuitry 16 may include interface circuitry to provide information (from, for example, micromachined mechanical structure 12) to an external device (not illustrated), for example, a computer, indicator/display and/or sensor. - With continued reference to
FIGS. 1A , 1B and 2, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 may include and/or be fabricated from, for example, materials in column IV of the periodic table, for example silicon, germanium, carbon; also combinations of these, for example silicon germanium, or silicon carbide; also of III-V compounds for example gallium phosphide, aluminum gallium phosphide, or other III-V combinations; also combinations of III, IV, V, or VI materials, for example silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum carbide, or aluminum oxide; also metallic silicides, germanides, and carbides, for example nickel silicide, cobalt silicide, tungsten carbide, or platinum germanium silicide; also doped variations including phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, boron, or aluminum doped silicon or germanium, carbon, or combinations like silicon germanium; also these materials with various crystal structures, including single crystalline, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline, or amorphous; also with combinations of crystal structures, for instance with regions of single crystalline and polycrystalline structure (whether doped or undoped). - As mentioned above, micromachined
mechanical structure 12 illustrated inFIG. 2 may be a portion of an accelerometer, gyroscope or other transducer (for example, pressure sensor, strain sensor, tactile sensor, magnetic sensor and/or temperature sensor), filter or resonator. The micromachinedmechanical structure 12 may also include mechanical structures of a plurality of transducers or sensors including one or more accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, tactile sensors and temperature sensors. In the illustrated embodiment, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 includemoveable electrode 18. - With continued reference to
FIG. 2 , micromachinedmechanical structure 12 may also includecontact 20 disposed on or insubstrate 14 a. Thecontact 20 may provide an electrical path between micromachinedmechanical structure 12 andcircuitry 16 and/or an external device (not illustrated). Thecontact 20 may include and/or be fabricated from, for example, a semiconductor or conductive material, including, for example, silicon, (whether doped or undoped), germanium, silicon/germanium, silicon carbide, and gallium arsenide, and combinations and/or permutations thereof. Notably, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 andcircuitry 16 may includemultiple contacts 20. - In one embodiment, the present inventions employ two or more substrates to form and encapsulate micromachined
mechanical structure 12. For example, with reference toFIG. 3 , in one embodiment,microelectromechanical system 10 includes semiconductor on insulator (“SOI”)substrate 14 a andcover substrate 14 b. Briefly, by way of overview, in this embodiment, micromachined mechanical structure 12 (includingmoveable electrode 18 and contact 20) is formed in or onSOI substrate 14 a and encapsulated viacover substrate 14 b. In this regard, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 is formed in the semiconductor portion ofSOI substrate 14 a that resides on the insulator portion ofSOI substrate 14 a. Thereafter,substrate 14 b is secured (for example, bonded) to the exposed surface of the semiconductor portion ofSOI substrate 14 a to encapsulate micromachinedmechanical structure 12. - In particular, with reference to
FIG. 4A ,microelectromechanical system 10 is formed in or onSOI substrate 14 a. TheSOI substrate 14 a may includefirst substrate layer 22 a (for example, a semiconductor (such as silicon), glass or sapphire),insulation layer 22 b (for example, a silicon dioxide or silicon nitride layer) andfirst semiconductor layer 22 c (for example, a materials in column IV of the periodic table, for example silicon, germanium, carbon, as well as combinations of such materials, for example silicon germanium, or silicon carbide). In one embodiment,SOI substrate 14 a is a SIMOX wafer. WhereSOI substrate 36 is a SIMOX wafer, such wafer may be fabricated using well-known techniques including those disclosed, mentioned or referenced in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,053,627; 5,080,730; 5,196,355; 5,288,650; 6,248,642; 6,417,078; 6,423,975; and 6,433,342 and U.S. Published Patent Applications 2002/0081824 and 2002/0123211, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. - In another embodiment,
SOI substrate 14 a may be a conventional SOI wafer having a relativelythin semiconductor layer 22 c. In this regard,SOI substrate 36 having a relativelythin semiconductor layer 22 c may be fabricated using a bulk silicon wafer which is implanted and oxidized by oxygen to thereby form a relatively thinsilicon dioxide layer 22 b on amonocrystalline wafer surface 22 a. Thereafter, another wafer (illustrated aslayer 22 c) is bonded to layer 22 b. In this exemplary embodiment,semiconductor layer 22 c (i.e., monocrystalline silicon) is disposed oninsulation layer 22 b (i.e. silicon dioxide), having a thickness of approximately 350 nm, which is disposed on afirst substrate layer 22 a (for example, monocrystalline silicon), having a thickness of approximately 190 nm. - Notably, all techniques for providing or fabricating
SOI substrate 14 a, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - With reference to
FIGS. 4A and 4B , an exemplary method of fabricating or forming micromachinedmechanical structure 12 according to this embodiment of the present inventions may begin with formingfirst cavity 24 insemiconductor layer 22 c using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. In this way, a selected portion ofsemiconductor layer 22 c (for example, 1 μm) is removed to form first cavity 24 (which forms a portion of the chamber in which the mechanical structure, for example,moveable electrode 18, resides). - With reference to
FIGS. 4C and 4D , thereafter,moveable electrode 18 and contact area 26 are formed insemiconductor layer 22 c andmoveable electrode 18 is “released” frominsulation layer 22 b. In this regard, trenches 28 a-c are formed insemiconductor layer 22 c to definemoveable electrode 18 and contact area 26 therefrom. (See,FIG. 4C ). The trenches 28 a-c may be formed using well-known deposition and lithographic techniques. Notably, all techniques for forming or fabricating trenches 28 a-c, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - After
moveable electrode 18 is defined viatrenches moveable electrode 18 may be “released” by etching portions ofinsulation layer 22 b that are disposed undermoveable electrode 18. For example, in one embodiment, whereinsulation layer 22 b is comprised of silicon dioxide, selected portions may be removed/etched using well-known wet etching techniques and buffered HF mixtures (i.e., a buffered oxide etch) or well-known vapor etching techniques using vapor HF. Thetrenches moveable electrode 18, may also permit etching and/or removal of at least selected portions ofinsulation layer 22 b thereby providing a void orcavity 30 beneathmoveable electrode 18. (See,FIG. 4D ). Proper design of mechanical structures 12 (and in particular moveable electrode 18) and control of the HF etching process parameters may permitinsulation layer 22 b to be sufficiently removed or etched to releasemoveable electrode 18 and permit proper operation of micromachinedmechanical structure 12 andmicroelectromechanical system 10. Notably,cavities moveable electrode 18, resides. - With reference to
FIG. 4E ,second substrate 14 b may be fixed to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c. Thesecond substrate 14 b may be secured to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding and/or silicon direct bonding. Other bonding technologies are suitable including soldering (for example, eutectic soldering), thermo compression bonding, thermo-sonic bonding, laser bonding and/or glass reflow, and/or combinations thereof. Indeed, all forms of bonding, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. - In conjunction with securing
second substrate 14 b to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c, the atmosphere (including its characteristics) in whichmoveable electrode 18 operates may also be defined. In this regard, the chamber in which themoveable electrode 18 reside may be defined whensecond substrate 14 b is secured and/or fixed to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c or after further processing (for example, an annealing step may be employed to adjust the pressure). Notably, all techniques of defining the atmosphere, including the pressure thereof, during the process of securingsecond substrate 14 b tosemiconductor layer 22 c, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - For example,
second substrate 14 b may be secured to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c in a nitrogen, oxygen and/or inert gas environment (for example, helium). The pressure of the fluid (gas or vapor) may be selected, defined and/or controlled to provide a suitable and/or predetermined pressure of the fluid in the chamber immediately after fixingsubstrate 14 b to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c (in order to avoid damaging portions of micromachined mechanical structure 12), after one or more subsequent processing steps (for example, an annealing step) and/or after completion of micromachinedmechanical structure 12 and/ormicroelectromechanical system 10. - Notably, the gas(es) employed during these processes may provide predetermined reactions (for example, oxygen molecules may react with silicon to provide a silicon oxide). All such techniques are intended to fall within the scope of the present inventions.
- The
second substrate 14 b may be formed from any material now known or later developed. In a preferred embodiment,second substrate 14 b includes or is formed from, for example, materials in column IV of the periodic table, for example silicon, germanium, carbon; also combinations of these, for example silicon germanium, or silicon carbide; also of III-V compounds for example gallium phosphide, aluminum gallium phosphide, or other III-V combinations; also combinations of III, IV, V, or VI materials, for example silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum carbide, or aluminum oxide; also metallic silicides, germanides, and carbides, for example nickel silicide, cobalt silicide, tungsten carbide, or platinum germanium silicide; also doped variations including phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, boron, or aluminum doped silicon or germanium, carbon, or combinations like silicon germanium; also these materials with various crystal structures, including single crystalline, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline, or amorphous; also with combinations of crystal structures, for instance with regions of single crystalline and polycrystalline structure (whether doped or undoped). - Before or after
second substrate 14 b is secured to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c,contact area 26 b may be formed in a portion ofsecond substrate 14 b to be aligned with, connect to or overliecontact area 26 a in order to provide suitable, desired and/or predetermined electrical conductivity (for example, N-type or P-type) withcontact area 26 a whensecond substrate 14 b is secured tofirst substrate 14 a. (See,FIG. 4F ). Thecontact area 26 b may be formed insecond substrate 14 b using well-known lithographic and doping techniques. In this way,contact area 26 b may be a highly doped region ofsecond substrate 14 b which provides enhanced electrical conductivity withcontact area 26 a. - Notably,
contact area 26 b may be a counter-doped region or heavily counter-doped region ofsecond substrate 14 b which includes a conductivity that is different from the conductivity of the other portions ofsecond substrate 14 b. In this way,contact areas second substrate 14 b. Thus, in this embodiment,semiconductor layer 22 c may be a first conductivity type (for example, an N-type conductivity which may be provided, for example, via introduction of phosphorous and/or arsenic dopant(s), among others) andsecond substrate 14 b may be a second conductivity type (for example, a P-type conductivity which may be provided, for example, via introduction of boron dopant(s), among others). As such,contact area 26 b may be a counter-doped region or heavily counter-doped N-type region which provides suitable, desired and/or predetermined electrical conductivity characteristics whensecond substrate 14 b is secured tofirst substrate 14 a andcontact areas - With reference to
FIG. 4G ,microelectromechanical system 10 may be completed by depositing, forming and/or growinginsulation layer 32 and a contact opening may be etched to facilitate electrical contact/connection to contactarea 26 b, via conductive layer 34 (for example, a heavily doped polysilicon, metal (such as aluminum, chromium, gold, silver, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, tungsten, titanium, and/or copper), metal stacks, complex metals and/or complex metal stacks) may then be deposited (and/or formed) to provide the appropriate electrical connection to contact areas 26 (which includes, in this example,contacts areas - Notably,
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34 may be formed, grown and/or deposited before or aftersecond substrate 14 b is secured to the exposed portion(s) ofsemiconductor layer 22 c. Under these circumstances, whensecond substrate 14 b is secured tofirst substrate 14 a, themicroelectromechanical system 10 may be completed. - The insulating
layer 32 may be, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof. It may be advantageous to employ silicon nitride because silicon nitride may be deposited in a more conformal manner than silicon oxide. Moreover, silicon nitride is compatible with CMOS processing, in the event thatmicroelectromechanical system 10 includes CMOS integrated circuits. - Notably, prior to formation, deposition and/or growth of
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided insecond substrate 14 b or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. In this regard, the exposed surface ofsecond substrate 14 b may be a suitable base upon which integrated circuits (for example, CMOS transistors) and/or micromachinedmechanical structures 12 may be fabricated on or in. Such integrated circuits may be fabricated using well-known techniques and equipment. For example, with reference toFIG. 5 , in one embodiment,transistor regions 36, which may be integrated circuits (for example, CMOS transistors) ofcircuitry 16, may be provided insecond substrate 14 b. Thetransistor regions 36 may be formed before or aftersecond substrate 14 b is secured (for example, bonded) tofirst substrate 14 a. In this regard, with reference toFIG. 6A ,transistor implants 38 may be formed using well-known lithographic and implant processes, aftersecond substrate 14 b is secured tofirst substrate 14 a and concurrently with the formation ofcontact area 26 b. - Thereafter, conventional transistor processing (for example, formation of gate and gate insulator 40) may be employed to complete the transistors of
circuitry 16. (See,FIG. 6B ). The “back-end” processing of microelectromechanical system 10 (for example, formation, growth and/or deposition ofinsulation layer 32 and conductive layer 34) may be performed using the same processing techniques as described above. (See, for example,FIGS. 6C and 6D ). In this regard,insulation layer 32 may be deposited, formed and/or grown and patterned and, thereafter, conductive layer 34 (for example, a heavily doped polysilicon, metal (such as aluminum, chromium, gold, silver, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, tungsten, titanium, and/or copper), metal stacks, complex metals and/or complex metal stacks) is deposited and/or formed. In the illustrative embodiments, contact 20 is accessed directly by the transistors ofcircuitry 16 viaconductive layer 34. Here,conductive layer 34 may be a low resistance electrical path that is deposited and patterned to facilitate connection of micromachinedmechanical structure 12 andcircuitry 16. - As noted above, the transistors of
transistor region 36 may be formed prior to securingsecond substrate 14 b tofirst substrate 14 a. (See, for example,FIGS. 7A and 7B ). Indeed, all of the “back-end” processing, in addition to formation of the transistors oftransistor region 36, may be completed prior to securingsecond substrate 14 b tofirst substrate 14 a. (See, for example,FIGS. 8A and 8B ). - With reference to
FIGS. 9 , 10A-10I, 11 and 12A-12J, in another embodiment of the present inventions,semiconductor layer 22 c ofSOI substrate 14 a is the same conductivity assecond substrate 14 b. In these embodiments, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 may include additional features to electrically isolatecontact 20. For example, with reference toFIG. 9 , in one embodiment, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 includesisolation trenches contact areas second substrate 14 b. Theisolation trenches insulation layer 32 may also be deposited inisolation trenches FIGS. 10A-10I illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 9 . - With reference to
FIG. 11 , in another exemplary embodiment,isolation regions semiconductor layer 22 c ofSOI substrate 14 a in order to facilitate electrical isolation ofcontact 20 aftersecond substrate 14 b is secured or fixed (via, for example, bonding). Theisolation regions contact 20, for example, an insulator material and/or an oppositely doped semiconductor region.FIGS. 12A-12J illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 11 whereinisolation regions isolation trenches -
FIG. 13A illustrates an exemplarymicroelectromechanical system 10 wherein theisolation regions second substrate 14 b) and a semiconductor, having a conductivity different from the conductivity of the semiconductor ofsecond substrate 14 b, is disposed (for example using epitaxial deposition techniques) inisolation trenches FIGS. 13B and 13C illustrate selected portions of an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 13A . - Notably, the embodiments of
FIGS. 9 , 11 and 13A may also includecircuitry 16 disposed insecond substrate 14 b. The fabrication techniques described above and illustrated inFIGS. 5-8B may be employed in the embodiments ofFIGS. 9 and 11 . Indeed, prior to or after formation, deposition and/or growth ofinsulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided insecond substrate 14 b or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. For the sake of brevity, those discussions, in connection with the embodiments ofFIGS. 9 , 11 and 13A, will not be repeated. - The present inventions may also employ more than two substrates to form and encapsulate micromachined
mechanical structure 12. For example, with reference toFIG. 14 , in one embodiment,microelectromechanical system 10 includesfirst substrate 14 a,second substrate 14 b andthird substrate 14 c. Briefly, by way of overview, in this embodiment, micromachined mechanical structure 12 (includingmoveable electrode 18 and contact 20) is formed insecond substrate 14 b and encapsulated viathird substrate 14 c. In this regard, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 is formed in a portion ofsubstrate 14 b. Thereafter,substrate 14 c is secured (for example, bonded) to exposed surface ofsubstrate 14 b to encapsulate micromachinedmechanical structure 12. In this embodiment, the portion ofsubstrate 14 b in which micromachinedmechanical structure 12 is formed includes a conductivity that is different from the conductivity of the semiconductor offirst substrate 14 a andthird substrate 14 c. - With reference to
FIGS. 15A and 15B , an exemplary method of fabricating or forming micromachinedmechanical structure 12 according to this embodiment of the present inventions may begin with formingfirst cavity 24 infirst substrate 14 a using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. In one exemplary embodiment,first cavity 24 includes a depth of about 1 μm. - With reference to
FIGS. 15C and 15D ,second substrate 14 b may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a. Thesecond substrate 14 b may be secured to the exposed portion(s) offirst substrate 14 a using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding and/or silicon direct bonding. As mentioned above, other bonding technologies are suitable including soldering (for example, eutectic soldering), thermo compression bonding, thermo-sonic bonding, laser bonding and/or glass reflow, and/or combinations thereof. Indeed, all forms of bonding, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. - Before or after securing
second substrate 14 b tofirst substrate 14 a,second cavity 30 may be formed insecond substrate 14 b—again using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. In one exemplary embodiment,second cavity 30 also includes a depth of about 1 μm. Thereafter, the thickness ofsecond substrate 14 b may be adjusted to accommodate further processing. For example,second substrate 14 b may be grinded and polished (using, for example, well known chemical mechanical polishing (“CMP”) techniques) to a thickness of between 10 μm-30 μm. Notably,cavities moveable electrode 18, resides. - The
second substrate 14 b may be formed from any material now known or later developed. In a preferred embodiment,second substrate 14 b includes or is formed from, for example, materials in column IV of the periodic table, for example silicon, germanium, carbon; also combinations of these, for example silicon germanium, or silicon carbide; also of III-V compounds for example gallium phosphide, aluminum gallium phosphide, or other III-V combinations; also combinations of III, IV, V, or VI materials, for example silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum carbide, or aluminum oxide; also metallic silicides, germanides, and carbides, for example nickel silicide, cobalt silicide, tungsten carbide, or platinum germanium silicide; also doped variations including phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, boron, or aluminum doped silicon or germanium, carbon, or combinations like silicon germanium; also these materials with various crystal structures, including single crystalline, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline, or amorphous; also with combinations of crystal structures, for instance with regions of single crystalline and polycrystalline structure (whether doped or undoped). - With reference to
FIG. 15E ,moveable electrode 18 and contact area 26 are defined and formed insecond substrate 14 b. In this regard, trenches 28 a-c are formed insecond substrate 14 b to definemoveable electrode 18 and contact area 26 therefrom. (See,FIG. 15E ). The trenches 28 a-c may be formed using well-known deposition and lithographic techniques. Notably, all techniques for forming or fabricating trenches 28 a-c, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - Thereafter,
third substrate 14 c may be fixed to the exposed portion(s) ofsecond substrate 14 b. (See,FIG. 15F ). Thethird substrate 14 c may also be secured to the exposed portion(s) ofsecond substrate 14 b using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding and/or silicon direct bonding. In conjunction with securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b, the atmosphere (including its characteristics) in whichmoveable electrode 18 operates may also be defined—for example, as described above. Notably, all techniques of defining the atmosphere, including the pressure thereof, during the process of securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - The
third substrate 14 c may be formed from any material discussed above relative tosecond substrate 14 b. For the sake of brevity, such discussions will not be repeated. - Before or after
third substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b,contact area 26 b may be formed in a portion ofthird substrate 14 c to be aligned with, connect to or overliecontact area 26 a. Thecontact area 26 b may be a semiconductor region that includes a doping that provides the same conductivity ascontact area 26 a. In this way, a suitable, desired and/or predetermined electrical conductivity is provided withcontact area 26 a whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b. (See,FIG. 15G ). Thus,contact area 26 b may be a highly doped region ofthird substrate 14 c which provides enhanced electrical conductivity withcontact area 26 a. Thecontact area 26 b may be formed inthird substrate 14 c using well-known lithographic and doping techniques. - Notably,
contact area 26 b may be a counter-doped region or heavily counter-doped region ofthird substrate 14 c which includes a conductivity that is different from the conductivity of the other portions ofthird substrate 14 c. In this way,contact areas third substrate 14 c. Thus, in this embodiment,second substrate 14 b may be a first conductivity type (for example, an N-type conductivity) andthird substrate 14 c may be a second conductivity type (for example, a P-type conductivity). As such,contact area 26 b may be a counter-doped region or heavily counter-doped N-type region which provides suitable, desired and/or predetermined electrical conductivity characteristics whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b andcontact areas - With reference to
FIG. 15H ,microelectromechanical system 10 may be completed by depositing, forming and/or growinginsulation layer 32 and a contact opening may be etched to facilitate electrical contact/connection to contactarea 26 b. The conductive layer 34 (for example, a heavily doped polysilicon, metal (such as aluminum, chromium, gold, silver, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, tungsten, titanium, and/or copper), metal stacks, complex metals and/or complex metal stacks) may then be deposited to provide the appropriate electrical connection to contact 26 a and 26 b. - Notably,
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34 may be formed, grown and/or deposited before or afterthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b. Under these circumstances, whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b, themicroelectromechanical system 10 may be completed. - The insulating
layer 32 may be, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof. It may be advantageous to employ silicon nitride because silicon nitride may be deposited in a more conformal manner than silicon oxide. Moreover, silicon nitride is compatible with CMOS processing, in the event thatmicroelectromechanical system 10 includes CMOS integrated circuits. - As mentioned above with respect to other embodiments of the present inventions, prior to formation, deposition and/or growth of
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided inthird substrate 14 c or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. (See, for example,FIGS. 16 , 17 and 18). In this regard, the exposed surface ofthird substrate 14 c or another substrate disposed thereon may be a suitable base upon which integrated circuits (for example, CMOS transistors) (see,FIG. 16 ) and/or micromachined mechanical structures 12 (see,FIGS. 17 and 18 ). Such integrated circuits and micromachinedmechanical structures 12 may be fabricated using the inventive techniques described herein and/or well-known fabrication techniques and equipment. - For example, with reference to
FIG. 16 , in one embodiment, transistor regions 36 (which may be integrated circuits (for example, CMOS transistors) of circuitry 16) may be provided insecond substrate 14 b. Thetransistor regions 36 may be formed before or afterthird substrate 14 c is secured (for example, bonded) tosecond substrate 14 b. The fabrication techniques described above and illustrated inFIGS. 5-8B may be employed in the embodiments ofFIG. 14 . Indeed, prior to or after formation, deposition and/or growth ofinsulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided insecond substrate 14 b or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. For the sake of brevity, those discussions, in connection with the embodiments ofFIG. 15 , will not be repeated. - Notably, although
second cavity 30 is described and illustrated in the previous embodiment as being formed insecond substrate 14 b,second cavity 30 may be formed inthird substrate 14 c, as illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20A-20H. Indeed, a portion ofsecond cavity 30 may be formed insecond substrate 14 b and a portion ofsecond cavity 30 may be formed inthird substrate 14 c. - Similarly,
first cavity 24 may be formed insecond substrate 14 b, as illustrated inFIG. 21 . Indeed,first cavity 24 andsecond cavity 30 may both be formed insecond substrate 14 b. (See, for example,FIG. 22 ). Moreover, a portion offirst cavity 24 may be formed infirst substrate 14 a and a portion offirst cavity 24 may be formed insecond substrate 14 b. Indeed, all permutations of formation offirst cavity 24 andsecond cavity 30 are intended to fall within the scope of the present inventions. - With reference to
FIGS. 23-30I , in another embodiment of the present inventions,first substrate 14 a and/orthird substrate 14 c are/is the same conductivity assecond substrate 14 b. In these embodiments, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 may include additional features to electrically isolatecontact 20. For example, with reference toFIG. 23 , in one embodiment,second substrate 14 b is a semiconductor having the same conductivity as the conductivity ofthird substrate 14 c. In this embodiment, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 includesisolation trenches contact areas third substrate 14 c. In this exemplary embodiment, the isolation trenches are aligned withisolation regions second substrate 14 b. - The
isolation trenches contact areas third substrate 14 c. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 23 , an insulating material, for example, silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, is deposited and/or grown inisolation trenches insulation layer 32 may also be deposited inisolation trenches FIGS. 24A-24I illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 23 . - As mentioned above,
isolation regions second substrate 14 b. Theisolation regions contact 20, for example, an insulator material and/or an oppositely doped semiconductor region. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 23 ,isolation regions - With reference to
FIG. 25 , in another exemplary embodiment,first substrate 14 a is a semiconductor having the same conductivity as the conductivity ofsecond substrate 14 b. In this embodiment, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 includes anisolation region 44 that isolates contact 20 (and, in particular,contact area 26 a) from portions offirst substrate 14 a. In this exemplary embodiment, theisolation region 44 is aligned withcavity 24 andtrench 28 a in order to provide suitable contact isolation. Theisolation region 44 may include any material or structure that insulatescontact 20, for example, an insulator material and/or an oppositely doped semiconductor region. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 25 ,isolation regions FIGS. 26A-26H illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 25 . - In another exemplary embodiment, first, second and
third substrates FIG. 27 , in this embodiment, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 includes anisolation trenches isolation regions isolation trenches isolation regions contact areas first substrate 14 a andthird substrates 14 c. In this exemplary embodiment, theisolation region 44 a is aligned withcavity 24 andtrench 28 a, andisolation trenches isolation regions - The
isolation trenches contact areas third substrate 14 c. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 27 , an oppositely doped semiconductor is deposited and/or grown inisolation trenches - The
isolation regions first substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 27 ,isolation regions FIGS. 28A-28I illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 23 . - As mentioned above,
isolation trenches contact 20, for example, an insulator material and/or an oppositely doped semiconductor region. With reference to FIGS. 29 and 30A-30I,isolation trenches isolation trenches insulation layer 32 may also be deposited inisolation trenches FIGS. 30A-30I illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 29 . - Although not previously illustrated, the present inventions may employ grinding and polishing (using, for example, well known chemical mechanical polishing (“CMP”) techniques at various stages in order to, for example, provide a desired surface and/or thickness. For example, with reference to
FIGS. 31A-31D , wherematerial 46 is deposited and/or grown inisolation trenches substrate 14 c. With reference toFIG. 31C , after grinding and polishing, the surface is prepared for further processing, for example, “back-end” processing (see, for example,FIG. 31D ) or incorporation of additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16. - Notably, it may be advantageous to employ isolation trenches 42 and
isolation regions 44 in the embodiments wheresubstrates substrate 14 b. (See, for example,FIG. 32 andFIGS. 33A-33I ). In this embodiment, isolation trenches 42 andisolation regions 44 provide additional electrical isolation forcontact 20. All permutations and/or combinations of such features are intended to fall within the scope of the present inventions. - The embodiments of
FIGS. 23 , 25, 27, 29 and 32 may also includecircuitry 16 disposed inthird substrate 14 c. The fabrication techniques described above and illustrated inFIGS. 5-8B may be employed in the embodiments ofFIGS. 23 , 25, 27, 29 and 32. Indeed, prior to or after formation, deposition and/or growth ofinsulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided inthird substrate 14 c or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. For the sake of brevity, those discussions, in connection with the embodiments ofFIGS. 23 , 25, 27, 29 and 32, will not be repeated. - In another aspect, the present inventions may employ an insulative layer between the substrate in which the micromachined
mechanical structures 12 resides and one or more opposing or juxtaposed substrates. Such a configuration may provide certain processing advantages as well as enhance the electrical isolation of the micromachinedmechanical structures 12 from one or more opposing or juxtaposed substrates. For example, with reference toFIG. 34 , in this exemplary embodiment, micromachined mechanical structure 12 (includingmoveable electrode 18 and contact 20) is formed insecond substrate 14 b and encapsulated viathird substrate 14 c. In this regard, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 is formed in a portion ofsubstrate 14 b. Thereafter,substrate 14 c is secured (for example, bonded) to exposed surface ofsubstrate 14 b to encapsulate micromachinedmechanical structure 12. In this embodiment, insulative layers 48 a (having a thickness of about 1 μm) is disposed and patterned onfirst substrate 14 a to providecavity 24 whensecond substrate 14 b is disposed thereon. Similarly,insulative layer 48 b (having a thickness of about 1 μm) is disposed and patterned onsecond substrate 14 b to providecavity 30 whenthird substrate 14 c is disposed thereon. Notably,substrate - The insulative layers 48 a and 48 b may include, for example, an insulation material (for example, a silicon dioxide, nitride, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof). It may be advantageous to employ silicon nitride because silicon nitride may be deposited, formed and/or grown in a more conformal manner than silicon oxide. Moreover, silicon nitride is compatible with CMOS processing, in the event that
microelectromechanical system 10 includes CMOS integrated circuits in one or more ofsubstrates 14 thereof. - With reference to
FIGS. 35A-35C , an exemplary method of fabricating or forming micromachinedmechanical structure 12 according to this embodiment of the present inventions may begin with depositing, forming and/or growinginsulative layer 48 a onfirst substrate 14 a. Thereafter,first cavity 24 is formed ininsulative layer 48 a using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. The thickness and characteristics ofinsulative layer 48 a may be adjusted to accommodate further processing. For example,insulative layer 48 a may be polished (using, for example, well known CMP techniques) to provide a smooth planar surface for receipt ofsecond substrate 14 b and provide a desired depth offirst cavity 24. In one exemplary embodiment,first cavity 24 includes a depth of about 1 μm. - With reference to
FIGS. 35D-35G ,second substrate 14 b may be fixed toinsulative layer 48 a using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding and/or anodic-like bonding. Theinsulative layer 48 b may then be deposited, formed and/or grown onfirst substrate 14 b. Thesecond cavity 30 may then be formed ininsulative layer 48 b—again using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. Thereafter, the thickness and characteristics ofinsulative layer 48 b may be adjusted to accommodate further processing. For example,insulative layer 48 b may be polished (using, for example, well known CMP techniques) to provide a smooth planar surface for receipt ofsecond substrate 14 c and provide a desired depth ofsecond cavity 30. In one exemplary embodiment,second cavity 24 includes a depth of about 1 μm. - In addition to forming
second cavity 24 ininsulative layer 48 b,contact trench window 50 is also formed therein. (See,FIG. 35G ). In this way, trench 28 a may be formed concurrently with providingtrenches moveable electrode 18 simultaneously. The trenches 28 a-c may be formed using well-known deposition and lithographic techniques. Notably, all techniques for forming or fabricating trenches 28 a-c, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - Notably, the first and
second substrates 14 b may be formed from any material now known or later developed. In a preferred embodiment,second substrate 14 b includes or is formed from, for example, materials in column IV of the periodic table, for example silicon, germanium, carbon; also combinations of these, for example silicon germanium, or silicon carbide; also of III-V compounds for example gallium phosphide, aluminum gallium phosphide, or other III-V combinations; also combinations of III, IV, V, or VI materials, for example silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum carbide, or aluminum oxide; also metallic silicides, germanides, and carbides, for example nickel silicide, cobalt silicide, tungsten carbide, or platinum germanium silicide; also doped variations including phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, boron, or aluminum doped silicon or germanium, carbon, or combinations like silicon germanium; also these materials with various crystal structures, including single crystalline, polycrystalline, nanocrystalline, or amorphous; also with combinations of crystal structures, for instance with regions of single crystalline and polycrystalline structure (whether doped or undoped). - Thereafter,
third substrate 14 c may be secured to the exposed portion(s) ofinsulative layer 48 b. (See,FIG. 35H ). Thethird substrate 14 b may be secured using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding and/or anodic-like bonding. In conjunction with securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b, the atmosphere (including its characteristics) in whichmoveable electrode 18 operates may also be defined. Notably, all techniques of defining the atmosphere, including the pressure thereof, during the process of securingthird substrate 14 c to insulativelayer 48 b, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - The
third substrate 14 c may be formed from any material discussed above relative tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. For the sake of brevity, such discussions will not be repeated. - With reference to
FIGS. 35I and 35J , afterthird substrate 14 c is secured to insulativelayer 48 b,contact area 26 b may be formed. In this regard,contact area window 52 is formed inthird substrate 14 c andinsulative layer 48 b to expose a portion ofcontact area 26 a. Such processing may be performed using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. For example, in one embodiment, wherethird substrate 14 c is a semiconductor material (for example silicon), a portion of may be removed using reactive ion etching. Thereafter, a portion ofinsulative layer 48 b may be removed to exposecontact area 26 b. In this regard, whereinsulative layer 48 b is comprised of silicon dioxide, selected portions may be removed/etched using well-known wet etching techniques and buffered HF mixtures (i.e., a buffered oxide etch) or well-known vapor etching techniques using vapor HF. - The
contact area 26 b may be deposited, formed and/or grown incontact area window 52. Thecontact area 26 b may be an epitaxially deposited semiconductor that includes a doping that provides the same conductivity ascontact area 26 a. In this way, a suitable, desired and/or predetermined electrical conductivity is provided withcontact area 26 a whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b. (See,FIG. 35K ). Thus,contact area 26 b may be a highly doped polysilicon region which provides enhanced electrical conductivity withcontact area 26 a. - As mentioned above, although not illustrated, the present inventions may employ grinding and polishing (using, for example, well known chemical mechanical polishing (“CMP”) techniques at various stages in order to, for example, provide a desired surface and/or thickness. (See, for example,
FIGS. 31A-31D ). The formation ofcontact area 26 b will likely employ such processing in order to provide the cross-sectional view ofFIG. 35K . - With reference to
FIG. 35L ,microelectromechanical system 10 may be completed by depositing, forming and/or growinginsulation layer 32 and a contact opening may be etched to facilitate electrical contact/connection to contactarea 26 b. The conductive layer 34 (for example, a heavily doped polysilicon, metal (such as aluminum, chromium, gold, silver, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, tungsten, titanium, and/or copper), metal stacks, complex metals and/or complex metal stacks) may then be deposited to provide appropriate electrical connection to contact 26 a and 26 b. - Notably,
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34 may be formed, grown and/or deposited before or afterthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b. Under these circumstances, whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b, themicroelectromechanical system 10 may be completed. - The insulating
layer 32 may be, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof. It may be advantageous to employ silicon nitride because silicon nitride may be deposited in a more conformal manner than silicon oxide. Moreover, silicon nitride is compatible with CMOS processing, in the event thatmicroelectromechanical system 10 includes CMOS integrated circuits. - As mentioned above with respect to other embodiments of the present inventions, prior to formation, deposition and/or growth of
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided inthird substrate 14 c or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. In this regard, the exposed surface ofthird substrate 14 c or another substrate disposed thereon may be a suitable base upon which integrated circuits (for example, CMOS transistors) and/or micromachinedmechanical structures 12. Such integrated circuits and micromachinedmechanical structures 12 may be fabricated using the inventive techniques described herein and/or well-known fabrication techniques and equipment. For the sake of brevity, those discussions, in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 34 and 35A-L, will not be repeated. - With reference to FIGS. 36 and 37A-37I, in another exemplary embodiment,
microelectromechanical system 10 may be formed using at least threesubstrates 14 a-c andinsulative layer 48 a disposed betweensubstrates substrate 14 b in which micromachinedmechanical structure 12 is formed includes a cavity (like that of previous embodiments) as well as a conductivity that is different from the conductivity of the semiconductor ofthird substrate 14 c. - Briefly, with reference to
FIGS. 35A-35C , an exemplary method of fabricating or forming micromachinedmechanical structure 12 according to this embodiment of the present inventions may begin with depositing, forming and/or growinginsulative layer 48 a onfirst substrate 14 a. As mentioned above,insulative layer 48 a may include, for example, an insulation material (for example, a silicon dioxide, nitride, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof. - Thereafter,
first cavity 24 is formed ininsulative layer 48 a using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. (See,FIG. 37C ). The thickness and characteristics ofinsulative layer 48 a may be adjusted to accommodate further processing. For example,insulative layer 48 a may be polished (using, for example, well known CMP techniques) to provide a smooth planar surface for receipt ofsecond substrate 14 b and provide a desired depth offirst cavity 24. In one exemplary embodiment,first cavity 24 includes a depth of about 1 μm. - With reference to
FIGS. 37D and 37E ,second substrate 14 b may be fixed toinsulative layer 48 a using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding and/or anodic-like bonding. Before or after securingsecond substrate 14 b tofirst substrate 14 a,second cavity 30 may be formed insecond substrate 14 b using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. In one exemplary embodiment,second cavity 30 also includes a depth of about 1 μm. Thereafter, the thickness ofsecond substrate 14 b may be adjusted to accommodate further processing. For example,second substrate 14 b may be grinded and polished (using, for example, well known chemical mechanical polishing (“CMP”) techniques) to a thickness of between 10 μm-30 μm. - With reference to
FIG. 37F , trenches 28 a-c may be formed to definemoveable electrode 18 andcontact area 26 a. The trenches may be formed using well-known deposition and lithographic techniques. Notably, all techniques for forming or fabricating trenches 28 a-c, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - The first and
second substrates first substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b of other embodiments. For the sake of brevity, such discussions will not be repeated. - Thereafter,
third substrate 14 c may be secured to the exposed portion(s) ofsecond substrate 14 b. (See,FIG. 35G ). Thethird substrate 14 b may be secured using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding and/or silicon direct bonding. In conjunction with securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b, the atmosphere (including its characteristics) in whichmoveable electrode 18 operates may also be defined. Notably, all techniques of defining the atmosphere, including the pressure thereof, during the process of securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - Like first and
second substrates third substrate 14 c may be formed from any material discussed above relative to first, second and/or third substrates of other embodiments. For the sake of brevity, such discussions will not be repeated. - Before or after
third substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b,contact area 26 b may be formed in a portion ofthird substrate 14 c to be aligned with, connect to or overliecontact area 26 a. Thecontact area 26 b may be a semiconductor region that includes a doping that provides the same conductivity ascontact area 26 a. In this way, a suitable, desired and/or predetermined electrical conductivity is provided withcontact area 26 a whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b. (See,FIG. 37H ). Thus,contact area 26 b may be a highly doped region ofthird substrate 14 c which provides enhanced electrical conductivity withcontact area 26 a. Thecontact area 26 b may be formed inthird substrate 14 c using well-known lithographic and doping techniques. - Notably,
contact area 26 b may be a heavily counter-doped region ofthird substrate 14 c which includes a conductivity that is different from the conductivity of the other portions ofthird substrate 14 c. In this way,contact areas third substrate 14 c. Thus, in this embodiment,second substrate 14 b may be a first conductivity type (for example, an N-type conductivity) andthird substrate 14 c may be a second conductivity type (for example, a P-type conductivity). As such,contact area 26 b may be a heavily counter-doped N-type region which provides suitable, desired and/or predetermined electrical conductivity characteristics whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b andcontact areas - With reference to
FIG. 37I ,microelectromechanical system 10 may be completed by depositing, forming and/or growinginsulation layer 32 and a contact opening may be etched to facilitate electrical contact/connection to contactarea 26 b. The conductive layer 34 (for example, a heavily doped polysilicon, metal (such as aluminum, chromium, gold, silver, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, tungsten, titanium, and/or copper), metal stacks, complex metals and/or complex metal stacks) may then be deposited to provide appropriate electrical connection to contact 26 a and 26 b. - Notably,
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34 may be formed, grown and/or deposited before or afterthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b. Under these circumstances, whenthird substrate 14 c is secured tosecond substrate 14 b, themicroelectromechanical system 10 may be completed. - The insulating
layer 32 may be, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof. It may be advantageous to employ silicon nitride because silicon nitride may be deposited in a more conformal manner than silicon oxide. Moreover, silicon nitride is compatible with CMOS processing, in the event thatmicroelectromechanical system 10 includes CMOS integrated circuits. - As mentioned above with respect to other embodiments of the present inventions, prior to formation, deposition and/or growth of
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided inthird substrate 14 c or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. In this regard, the exposed surface ofthird substrate 14 c or another substrate disposed thereon may be a suitable base upon which integrated circuits (for example, CMOS transistors) and/or micromachinedmechanical structures 12. Such integrated circuits and micromachinedmechanical structures 12 may be fabricated using the inventive techniques described herein and/or well-known fabrication techniques and equipment. For the sake of brevity, those discussions, in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 36 and 37A-I, will not be repeated. - In this embodiment, the portion of
substrate 14 b in which micromachinedmechanical structure 12 is formed includes a conductivity that is the same as the conductivity of the semiconductor ofthird substrate 14 c. In this embodiment, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 includes anisolation trenches isolation regions isolation trenches isolation regions contact areas third substrate 14 c. In this exemplary embodiment,isolation region 44 a is aligned withcavity 24 andtrench 28 a, andisolation trenches isolation regions - Briefly, with reference to
FIGS. 39A-39D and 39F, an exemplary method of fabricating or forming micromachinedmechanical structure 12 according to this embodiment of the present inventions may be substantially the same as with the previous embodiment. For the sake of brevity those discussions will not be repeated. - With reference to
FIG. 39E , in this embodiment,isolation regions substrate 14 b in order to facilitate electrical isolation ofcontact 20 aftersecond substrate 14 b is secured or fixed (via, for example, bonding). Theisolation regions contact 20, for example, an insulator material and/or an oppositely doped semiconductor region. In the illustrative example,isolation regions substrate 14 c). - With reference to
FIG. 39F , trenches 28 a-c may be formed to definemoveable electrode 18 andcontact area 26 a. The trenches may be formed using well-known deposition and lithographic techniques. Notably, all techniques for forming or fabricating trenches 28 a-c, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - Thereafter,
third substrate 14 c may be secured to the exposed portion(s) ofsecond substrate 14 b. (See,FIG. 39G ). Thethird substrate 14 b may be secured using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding and/or silicon direct bonding. In conjunction with securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b, the atmosphere (including its characteristics) in whichmoveable electrode 18 operates may also be defined. Notably, all techniques of defining the atmosphere, including the pressure thereof, during the process of securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b, whether now known or later developed, are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. - Thereafter,
isolation trenches third substrate 14 c. (See,FIG. 39H ). Theisolation trenches isolation regions second substrate 14 b. - With reference to
FIG. 39I ,isolation trenches contact areas third substrate 14 c. In the exemplary embodiment, an insulating material, for example, silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, is deposited and/or grown inisolation trenches insulation layer 32 may also be deposited inisolation trenches isolation trenches contact areas third substrate 14 c. - With reference to
FIG. 39I-39K ,microelectromechanical system 10 may be completed by depositing, forming and/or growinginsulation layer 32 and a contact opening may be etched to facilitate electrical contact/connection to contactarea 26 b. The processing may be the same or similar to that described herein with any of the other embodiments. For the sake of brevity, those discussions will not be repeated. - Moreover, as mentioned above with respect to other embodiments of the present inventions, prior to formation, deposition and/or growth of
insulation layer 32 and/orconductive layer 34, additional micromachinedmechanical structures 12 and/or transistors ofcircuitry 16 may be formed and/or provided inthird substrate 14 c or in other substrates that may be fixed tofirst substrate 14 a and/orsecond substrate 14 b. In this regard, the exposed surface ofthird substrate 14 c or another substrate disposed thereon may be a suitable base upon which integrated circuits (for example, CMOS transistors) and/or micromachinedmechanical structures 12. Such integrated circuits and micromachinedmechanical structures 12 may be fabricated using the inventive techniques described herein and/or well-known fabrication techniques and equipment. For the sake of brevity, those discussions, in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 38 and 39A-K, will not be repeated. - In another embodiment, with reference to
FIG. 40 , after formation ofcavity 18 infirst substrate 14 a,intermediate layer 54 is deposited or grown before second substrate 148 is secured tofirst substrate 14 a. In one embodiment,intermediate layer 54 may be a native oxide. In another embodiment, a thin insulating layer is deposited. In this way,first substrate 14 a is electrically isolated fromsecond substrate 14 b. Thereafter,second substrate 14 b may be fixed tointermediate layer 54 using, for example, well-known bonding techniques such as fusion bonding and/or anodic-like bonding. Before or after securingsecond substrate 14 b tofirst substrate 14 a,second cavity 30 may be formed insecond substrate 14 b using well-known lithographic and etching techniques. In one exemplary embodiment,second cavity 30 also includes a depth of about 1 μm. Thereafter, the thickness ofsecond substrate 14 b may be adjusted to accommodate further processing. For example,second substrate 14 b may be grinded and polished (using, for example, well known chemical mechanical polishing (“CMP”) techniques) to a thickness of between 10 μm-30 μm. -
FIGS. 41A-41H illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 23 . For the sake of brevity, the exemplary process flow will not be discussed in detail; reference however, is made to the discussions above. - The embodiment including
intermediate layer 54 may be employed in conjunction with any of the embodiments described herein. (See, for example,FIGS. 42A and 42B , 43A-43K). For the sake of brevity, the exemplary process flow will not be discussed in detail; reference however, is made to the discussions above. - There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. While certain embodiments, features, materials, configurations, attributes and advantages of the inventions have been described and illustrated, it should be understood that many other, as well as different and/or similar embodiments, features, materials, configurations, attributes, structures and advantages of the present inventions that are apparent from the description, illustration and claims (are possible by one skilled in the art after consideration and/or review of this disclosure). As such, the embodiments, features, materials, configurations, attributes, structures and advantages of the inventions described and illustrated herein are not exhaustive and it should be understood that such other, similar, as well as different, embodiments, features, materials, configurations, attributes, structures and advantages of the present inventions are within the scope of the present inventions.
- Each of the aspects of the present inventions, and/or embodiments thereof, may be employed alone or in combination with one or more of such aspects and/or embodiments. (See, for example,
FIGS. 42A and 42B , 43A-43K). For the sake of brevity, those permutations and combinations will not be discussed separately herein. As such, the present inventions are not limited to any single aspect or embodiment thereof nor to any combinations and/or permutations of such aspects and/or embodiments. - Notably, it may be advantageous to adjust the alignment and etch processes to enhance electrical isolation of portions of micromachined
mechanical structure 12, for example, contact 20 (includingcontact areas FIG. 44 ,trench 28 a may be aligned to provide suitable or predetermined overlap ofisolation region isolation region 44 a. Further,isolation region 44 c may include dimensions such that whencavity 30 is formed, a portion ofisolation region 44 c is removed. (See,FIGS. 45C and 45D ). Moreover, with reference toFIG. 46A ,isolation trenches isolation regions isolation trench 28 a may be substantially larger and/or have considerably different tolerances thantrenches trenches system 10. (See,FIG. 46B ). Such processing techniques may be applied to any of the embodiments described and/or illustrated herein. - Further, the processing flows described and illustrated herein are exemplary. These flows, and the order thereof, may be modified. All process flows, and orders thereof, to provide
microelectromechanical system 10 and/or micromachinedmechanical structure 12, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present inventions. For example, there are many techniques to formmoveable electrode 18 and contact 20 (and inparticular contact area 26 a). With reference toFIG. 47A-47D , in one embodiment, mask 56 a may be deposited and patterned. Thereafter,cavity 30 may be formed (See,FIGS. 47A and 47B ). Thereafter,mask 56 b may be deposited and patterned in order to form and definemoveable electrode 18 and contact area 26 (See,FIGS. 47C and 47D ). - Alternatively, with reference to
FIGS. 48A-48C , masks 56 a and 56 b may be deposited and patterned. After trenches 28 a-28 c are formed,mask 56 b may be removed andcavity 30 may be formed. - Further,
substrates 14 may be processed to a predetermined and/or suitable thickness before and/or after other processing during the fabrication ofmicroelectromechanical system 10 and/or micromachinedmechanical structure 12. For example, with reference toFIGS. 49A-49G , in one embodiment,first substrate 14 a may be a relatively thick wafer which is grinded (and polished) aftersubstrates mechanical structure 12. (Compare, for example,FIGS. 49A-G and 49H). - The processing flows described and illustrated with respect to
substrate 14 c may also be modified. For example, with reference toFIGS. 50A-50G , in one embodiment,substrate 14 c may be a relatively thick wafer which is grinded (and polished) after secured to a corresponding substrate (for example, bonded). In this exemplary embodiment,substrate 14 c is grinded and polished after being bonded tosubstrate 14 b. (Compare, for example,FIGS. 50C and 50D ) Thereafter, contact 20 may be formed. (See, for example,FIGS. 50E-50G ). - Indeed,
substrate FIGS. 51A-51J ). Notably, all processing flows with respect tosubstrates 14 are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. - Further, as mentioned above, each of the aspects of the present inventions, and/or embodiments thereof, may be employed alone or in combination with one or more of such aspects and/or embodiments. For example, with reference to
FIG. 52 ,microelectromechanical system 10 may includeimplant regions substrate 14 c to facilitate electrically isolation ofcontact area 26 b from other portions ofsubstrate 14 c. In thisembodiment implant regions contact 20, for example, an oppositely doped semiconductor region.FIGS. 53A-53H illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 52 whereinimplant regions - Notably,
implant regions implant regions isolation trenches - In addition, as mentioned above,
isolation regions substrate 14 b in order to facilitate electrical isolation ofcontact 20 afterthird substrate 14 c (orsecond substrate 14 b where anSOI substrate 14 a is employed (see,FIG. 11 )) is secured or fixed (via, for example, bonding). Theisolation regions contact 20, for example, an insulation material and/or an oppositely doped semiconductor region.FIGS. 55A-55K illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 54 whereinisolation regions isolation trenches - Further, as an alternative to counter-doping a region in
substrate 14 c to formcontact area 26 b, with reference toFIG. 56 andFIGS. 57A-57J ,contact area 26 b may be formed by providing a “window” insubstrate 14 c (for example, etching a portion ofsubstrate 14 c as illustrated inFIG. 57H ) and thereafter depositing a suitable material to provide electrical conductivity with theunderlying contact area 26 a. Notably, the material (for example, a doped polysilicon) which formscontact area 26 b may be deposited by epitaxial deposition and thereafter planarized to provide a suitable surface forcontact 20 formation. (See, for example,FIGS. 57H and 57I ). - As mentioned above, all forms of bonding, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding, silicon direct bonding, soldering (for example, eutectic soldering), thermo compression, thermo-sonic bonding, laser bonding and/or glass reflow bonding, and/or combinations thereof.
- Notably, any of the embodiments described and illustrated herein may employ a bonding material and/or a bonding facilitator material (disposed between substrates, for example, the second and third substrates) to, for example, enhance the attachment of or the “seal” between the substrates (for example, between the first and
second substrates third substrates - With reference to
FIG. 58 , in one exemplary embodiment, bonding material orbonding facilitator material 60 may be disposed betweensubstrates moveable electrode 18 and contact 20) is formed insecond substrate 14 b and encapsulated viathird substrate 14 c. In this regard, micromachinedmechanical structure 12 is formed in a portion ofsubstrate 14 b. Thereafter,substrate 14 c is secured (for example, bonded) to exposed surface ofsubstrate 14 b to encapsulate micromachinedmechanical structure 12. In this embodiment, bonding material or bonding facilitator material 60 (for example, having a thickness of about 1 μm) is disposed and patterned onsecond substrate 14 b to providecavity 30 whenthird substrate 14 c is disposed thereon and bonded thereto. Notably,substrates - As mentioned above, bonding material or
bonding facilitator material 60 may include, for example, solder, metals, frit, adhesives, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof. It may be advantageous to employ BPSG, PSG, or SOG in order to electrically isolatecontact 20 from portions ofsubstrates 14 b and/or 14 c. Moreover, BPSG, PSG, or SOG is compatible with CMOS processing, in the event thatmicroelectromechanical system 10 includes CMOS integrated circuits in one or more ofsubstrates 14 thereof. - Notably,
FIGS. 59A-59L illustrate an exemplary process flow for fabricatingmicroelectromechanical system 10 ofFIG. 58 . The process flow may employ a flow which is substantially similar to the process of FIGS. 35A-35L—with the exception that bonding material orbonding facilitator material 60 is employed (deposited and patterned) in addition to or in lieu ofinsulative layer 48 b ofFIGS. 35E-35L . For the sake of brevity, the discussion will not be repeated here. - An alternative embodiment employing bonding material or
bonding facilitator material 60, and technique for fabricating such embodiment, is illustrated in FIGS. 60 and 61A-61K, respectively. In this embodiment, bonding material and/or abonding facilitator material 60 is provided prior to formation ofresonator 18 andcontact area 26 a (viacontact area trench 28 a andmoveable electrode trenches microelectromechanical system 10 and/or micromachinedmechanical structure 12, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present inventions. - The embodiments employing bonding material or
bonding facilitator material 60 may be implemented in any of the embodiments described herein. For example, transistors of a transistor region may be formed prior to securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b. (See, for example,FIGS. 7A and 7B ). Indeed, all of the “back-end” processing, in addition to formation of the transistors of transistor region, may be completed prior to securingthird substrate 14 c tosecond substrate 14 b. (See, for example,FIGS. 8A and 8B ). - Moreover, any of the bonding material or bonding facilitator materials 60 (may include, for example, solder, metals, frit, adhesives, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof) may be implemented between the first and
second substrates third substrates - Further, with respect to any of the embodiments described herein,
circuitry 16 may be integrated in or onsubstrate 14, disposed in a separate substrate, and/or in one or more substrates that are connected to substrate 14 (for example, in one or more of the encapsulation wafer(s)). (See, for example,FIGS. 62-64 ). In this regard,microelectromechanical device 10 may include micromachinedmechanical structure 12 andcircuitry 16 as a monolithic-like structure includingmechanical structure 12 andcircuitry 16 in one substrate. - The micromachined
mechanical structure 12 and/orcircuitry 16 may also reside on separate, discrete substrates. (See, for example, FIGS. 65 and 66A-66F). In this regard, in one embodiment, such separate discrete substrate may be bonded to or onsubstrate 14, before, during and/or after fabrication of micromachinedmechanical structure 12 and/orcircuitry 16. (See, for exampleFIGS. 5 , 6A-6D, 7A-7C and 8A). - For example, as mentioned above, the electronics or electrical circuitry may be clock alignment circuitry, for example, one or more phase locked loops (PLLs), delay locked loops (DLLs), digital/frequency synthesizer (for example, a direct digital synthesizer (“DDS”), frequency synthesizer, fractional synthesizer and/or numerically controlled oscillator) and/or frequency locked loops (FLLs). In this regard, the output of mechanical structure 12 (for example, an microelectromechanical oscillator or microelectromechanical resonator) is employed as a reference input signal (i.e., the reference clock). The PLL, DLL, digital/frequency synthesizer and/or FLL may provide frequency multiplication (i.e., increase the frequency of the output signal of the microelectromechanical oscillator). The PLL, DLL, digital/frequency synthesizer and/or FLL may also provide frequency division (i.e., decrease the frequency of the output signal of the microelectromechanical oscillator). Moreover, the PLL, DLL, digital/frequency synthesizer and/or FLL may also compensate using multiplication and/or division to adjust, correct, compensate and/or control the characteristics (for example, the frequency, phase and/or jitter) of the output signal of the microelectromechanical resonator.
- The multiplication or division (and/or phase adjustments) by
compensation circuitry 18 may be in fine or coarse increments. For example,compensation circuitry 18 may include an integer PLL, a fractional PLL and/or a fine-fractional-N PLL to precisely select, control and/or set the output signal of compensated microelectromechanical oscillator. In this regard, the output of microelectromechanical resonator may be provided to the input of the fractional-N PLL and/or the fine-fractional-N PLL (hereinafter collectively “fractional-N PLL”), which may be pre-set, pre-programmed and/or programmable to provide an output signal having a desired, selected and/or predetermined frequency and/or phase. - Notably, in one embodiment, the parameters, references (for example, frequency and/or phase), values and/or coefficients employed by the compensation circuitry in order to generate and/or provide an adjusted, corrected and/or controlled output having, for example, a desired, selected and/or predetermined frequency and/or phase (i.e., the function of the compensation circuitry), may be externally provided to the compensation circuitry either before or during operation of compensated microelectromechanical oscillator. In this regard, a user or external circuitry/devices/systems may provide information representative of the parameters, references, values and/or coefficients to set, change, enhance and/or optimize the performance of the compensation circuitry and/or compensated microelectromechanical oscillator.
- Finally, it should be further noted that while the present inventions will be described in the context of microelectromechanical systems including micromechanical structures or elements, the present inventions are not limited in this regard. Rather, the inventions described herein are applicable to other electromechanical systems including, for example, nanoelectromechanical systems. Thus, the present inventions are pertinent, as mentioned above, to electromechanical systems, for example, gyroscopes, resonators, temperatures sensors, accelerometers and/or other transducers.
- The term “depositing” and other forms (i.e., deposit, deposition and deposited) in the claims, means, among other things, depositing, creating, forming and/or growing a layer of material using, for example, a reactor (for example, an epitaxial, a sputtering or a CVD-based reactor (for example, APCVD, LPCVD, or PECVD)).
- Further, in the claims, the term “contact” means a conductive region, partially or wholly disposed outside the chamber, for example, the contact area and/or contact via.
- It should be further noted that the term “circuit” may mean, among other things, a single component or a multiplicity of components (whether in integrated circuit form or otherwise), which are active and/or passive, and which are coupled together to provide or perform a desired function. The term “circuitry” may mean, among other things, a circuit (whether integrated or otherwise), a group of such circuits, one or more processors, one or more state machines, one or more processors implementing software, or a combination of one or more circuits (whether integrated or otherwise), one or more state machines, one or more processors, and/or one or more processors implementing software. The term “data” may mean, among other things, a current or voltage signal(s) whether in an analog or a digital form.
- The embodiments of the inventions described herein may include one or more of the following advantages, among others:
-
- embodiments presenting mechanically robust encapsulation;
- embodiments presenting clean environment for micromachined mechanical structure 12 (and the electrodes thereof;
- embodiments presenting relatively less expensive fabrication in comparison to conventional techniques;
- embodiments presenting relatively smaller footprint in comparison to conventional techniques;
- embodiments presenting one or more surfaces compatible with/for CMOS circuitry/integration;
- embodiments presenting single crystal surfaces (where one or more substrates are single crystal);
- embodiments presenting diffused contacts;
- embodiments eliminating epitaxial depositions;
- embodiments eliminating SOI substrates;
- embodiments presenting improved CMOS compatibility;
- embodiments providing enhanced atmosphere/environment control and characteristics (for example, improved vacuum and lower/no chlorine;
- improved gap control for definition of micromachined mechanical structure;
- embodiments eliminating timed release of moveable electrodes (for example, timed HF (vapor) etch);
- embodiments eliminating oxide stress in substrates;
- embodiments providing enhanced stiction characteristics (for example, less vertical stiction); and
- embodiments eliminating vents in the resonator and the attendant shortcomings of thin film encapsulation.
- The above embodiments of the present inventions are merely exemplary embodiments. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the inventions to the precise forms, techniques, materials and/or configurations disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and operational changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present inventions. As such, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the inventions has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is intended that the scope of the inventions not be limited to the description above.
Claims (32)
1-30. (canceled)
31. A microelectromechanical device comprising:
a first substrate;
a chamber;
a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the first substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber;
a second substrate, bonded to the first substrate, wherein a surface of the second substrate forms a wall of the chamber;
a trench, disposed in the second substrate; and
an isolation region, disposed in or on the first substrate and aligned with the trench.
32. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the first substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.
33. The microelectromechanical device of claim 32 wherein the second substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.
34. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the first substrate is a semiconductor on insulator substrate.
35. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the trench includes (i) a semiconductor material having a second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material.
36. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity.
37. The microelectromechanical device of claim 36 wherein the trench includes a semiconductor material having the second conductivity.
38. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the trench (i) defines, at least in part, a contact area and (ii) includes an insulation material.
39. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the isolation region includes an insulation material.
40. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 further comprising a contact, wherein a portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the second substrate.
41. The microelectromechanical device of claim 40 wherein the trench is disposed around at least a portion of the portion of the contact.
42. The microelectromechanical device of claim 41 wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the second substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the trench includes a semiconductor material having a second conductivity.
43. The microelectromechanical device of claim 41 wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the second substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity.
44. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the trench includes (i) a semiconductor material having the second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material.
45. The microelectromechanical device of claim 31 wherein the first substrate includes an insulation layer and wherein the second substrate is bonded to a surface of the insulation layer.
46. The microelectromechanical device of claim 45 wherein the insulation layer includes a cavity formed therein and wherein the cavity forms a portion of the chamber.
47. A microelectromechanical device comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate, wherein the second substrate is bonded to the first substrate;
a chamber;
a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the second substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber;
a third substrate, bonded to the second substrate, wherein a surface of the third substrate forms a wall of the chamber;
a trench, disposed in the third substrate; and
an isolation region, disposed in or on the second substrate and aligned with the trench.
48. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the second substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.
49. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the third substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.
50. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the third substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the trench includes a semiconductor material having a second conductivity.
51. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the third substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity.
52. The microelectromechanical device of claim 51 wherein the trench includes a semiconductor material having the second conductivity.
53. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the trench includes an insulation material.
54. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the isolation region includes an insulation material.
55. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 further comprising a contact, wherein a portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the third substrate.
56. The microelectromechanical device of claim 55 wherein the trench is disposed around at least a portion of the portion of the contact.
57. The microelectromechanical device of claim 55 wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the third substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the trench includes a semiconductor material having a second conductivity.
58. The microelectromechanical device of claim 55 wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the third substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity.
59. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the trench includes (i) a semiconductor material having the second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material.
60. The microelectromechanical device of claim 47 wherein the first substrate includes an insulation layer and wherein the second substrate is bonded to a surface of the insulation layer.
61. The microelectromechanical device of claim 60 wherein the insulation layer includes a cavity formed therein and wherein the cavity forms a portion of the chamber.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/545,052 US20070170529A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-10-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/336,521 US20070170528A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-01-20 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/545,052 US20070170529A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-10-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/336,521 Division US20070170528A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-01-20 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/511,956 Continuation US20090298198A1 (en) | 2004-05-11 | 2009-07-29 | Diagnosing and monitoring inflammatory diseases by measuring complement components on white blood cells |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20070170529A1 true US20070170529A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
Family
ID=38284657
Family Applications (18)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/336,521 Abandoned US20070170528A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-01-20 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/545,113 Abandoned US20070170530A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-10-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/545,052 Abandoned US20070170529A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-10-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/580,197 Abandoned US20070181962A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-10-12 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,500 Abandoned US20070170438A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,428 Abandoned US20070170531A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,429 Abandoned US20070170532A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,404 Active 2032-11-12 US8871551B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/600,460 Abandoned US20070170439A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-16 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/600,860 Abandoned US20070170440A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-16 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US14/524,986 Active 2026-02-21 US9434608B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2014-10-27 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US14/961,760 Active US9440845B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2015-12-07 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US15/242,437 Active US9758371B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2016-08-19 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US15/686,480 Active US10099917B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2017-08-25 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US16/106,649 Active US10450190B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2018-08-21 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US16/565,876 Active US10766768B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2019-09-10 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US16/983,141 Active 2026-02-22 US11685650B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2020-08-03 | Microelectromechanical structure with bonded cover |
US18/130,837 Pending US20240002218A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2023-04-04 | Micromechanical structure with bonded cover |
Family Applications Before (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/336,521 Abandoned US20070170528A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-01-20 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/545,113 Abandoned US20070170530A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-10-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
Family Applications After (15)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/580,197 Abandoned US20070181962A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-10-12 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,500 Abandoned US20070170438A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,428 Abandoned US20070170531A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,429 Abandoned US20070170532A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/593,404 Active 2032-11-12 US8871551B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-06 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/600,460 Abandoned US20070170439A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-16 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US11/600,860 Abandoned US20070170440A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-11-16 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US14/524,986 Active 2026-02-21 US9434608B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2014-10-27 | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US14/961,760 Active US9440845B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2015-12-07 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US15/242,437 Active US9758371B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2016-08-19 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US15/686,480 Active US10099917B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2017-08-25 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US16/106,649 Active US10450190B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2018-08-21 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US16/565,876 Active US10766768B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2019-09-10 | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure |
US16/983,141 Active 2026-02-22 US11685650B2 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2020-08-03 | Microelectromechanical structure with bonded cover |
US18/130,837 Pending US20240002218A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2023-04-04 | Micromechanical structure with bonded cover |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (18) | US20070170528A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2007087021A2 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US8426233B1 (en) * | 2009-01-09 | 2013-04-23 | Integrated Device Technology, Inc. | Methods of packaging microelectromechanical resonators |
US8901432B2 (en) | 2011-09-30 | 2014-12-02 | Honeywell International Inc. | Mitigation of block bending in a ring laser gyroscope caused by thermal expansion or compression of a circuit board |
US8905635B2 (en) | 2011-09-30 | 2014-12-09 | Honeywell International Inc. | Temperature sensor attachment facilitating thermal conductivity to a measurement point and insulation from a surrounding environment |
Families Citing this family (78)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20070235783A9 (en) * | 2005-07-19 | 2007-10-11 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Semiconductor constructions, memory arrays, electronic systems, and methods of forming semiconductor constructions |
US7772672B2 (en) | 2005-09-01 | 2010-08-10 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Semiconductor constructions |
US20070170528A1 (en) | 2006-01-20 | 2007-07-26 | Aaron Partridge | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US20070212874A1 (en) * | 2006-03-08 | 2007-09-13 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Method for filling shallow isolation trenches and other recesses during the formation of a semiconductor device and electronic systems including the semiconductor device |
US7799694B2 (en) | 2006-04-11 | 2010-09-21 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Methods of forming semiconductor constructions |
DE102007019639A1 (en) * | 2007-04-26 | 2008-10-30 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Micromechanical component and corresponding manufacturing method |
US20080290494A1 (en) * | 2007-05-21 | 2008-11-27 | Markus Lutz | Backside release and/or encapsulation of microelectromechanical structures and method of manufacturing same |
DE102007044806A1 (en) * | 2007-09-20 | 2009-04-02 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Micromechanical component and method for producing a micromechanical component |
US7851875B2 (en) | 2008-01-11 | 2010-12-14 | Infineon Technologies Ag | MEMS devices and methods of manufacture thereof |
US7990229B2 (en) | 2008-04-01 | 2011-08-02 | Sand9, Inc. | Methods and devices for compensating a signal using resonators |
US8044736B2 (en) * | 2008-04-29 | 2011-10-25 | Sand9, Inc. | Timing oscillators and related methods |
US8410868B2 (en) | 2009-06-04 | 2013-04-02 | Sand 9, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for temperature control of devices and mechanical resonating structures |
US8476809B2 (en) | 2008-04-29 | 2013-07-02 | Sand 9, Inc. | Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators and related apparatus and methods |
US8044737B2 (en) * | 2008-04-29 | 2011-10-25 | Sand9, Inc. | Timing oscillators and related methods |
US8125046B2 (en) * | 2008-06-04 | 2012-02-28 | Infineon Technologies Ag | Micro-electromechanical system devices |
US8111108B2 (en) * | 2008-07-29 | 2012-02-07 | Sand9, Inc. | Micromechanical resonating devices and related methods |
US8797279B2 (en) | 2010-05-25 | 2014-08-05 | MCube Inc. | Analog touchscreen methods and apparatus |
US8486723B1 (en) | 2010-08-19 | 2013-07-16 | MCube Inc. | Three axis magnetic sensor device and method |
US8928602B1 (en) | 2009-03-03 | 2015-01-06 | MCube Inc. | Methods and apparatus for object tracking on a hand-held device |
US8877648B2 (en) * | 2009-03-26 | 2014-11-04 | Semprius, Inc. | Methods of forming printable integrated circuit devices by selective etching to suspend the devices from a handling substrate and devices formed thereby |
US9048811B2 (en) | 2009-03-31 | 2015-06-02 | Sand 9, Inc. | Integration of piezoelectric materials with substrates |
US8476129B1 (en) | 2010-05-24 | 2013-07-02 | MCube Inc. | Method and structure of sensors and MEMS devices using vertical mounting with interconnections |
US8477473B1 (en) | 2010-08-19 | 2013-07-02 | MCube Inc. | Transducer structure and method for MEMS devices |
US8395252B1 (en) | 2009-11-13 | 2013-03-12 | MCube Inc. | Integrated MEMS and CMOS package and method |
US8710597B1 (en) | 2010-04-21 | 2014-04-29 | MCube Inc. | Method and structure for adding mass with stress isolation to MEMS structures |
US8823007B2 (en) * | 2009-10-28 | 2014-09-02 | MCube Inc. | Integrated system on chip using multiple MEMS and CMOS devices |
US8421082B1 (en) | 2010-01-19 | 2013-04-16 | Mcube, Inc. | Integrated CMOS and MEMS with air dielectric method and system |
US8553389B1 (en) | 2010-08-19 | 2013-10-08 | MCube Inc. | Anchor design and method for MEMS transducer apparatuses |
US9709509B1 (en) | 2009-11-13 | 2017-07-18 | MCube Inc. | System configured for integrated communication, MEMS, Processor, and applications using a foundry compatible semiconductor process |
US8637943B1 (en) | 2010-01-04 | 2014-01-28 | MCube Inc. | Multi-axis integrated MEMS devices with CMOS circuits and method therefor |
US8936959B1 (en) | 2010-02-27 | 2015-01-20 | MCube Inc. | Integrated rf MEMS, control systems and methods |
US8794065B1 (en) | 2010-02-27 | 2014-08-05 | MCube Inc. | Integrated inertial sensing apparatus using MEMS and quartz configured on crystallographic planes |
US8367522B1 (en) | 2010-04-08 | 2013-02-05 | MCube Inc. | Method and structure of integrated micro electro-mechanical systems and electronic devices using edge bond pads |
CN101867080B (en) * | 2010-05-21 | 2013-02-13 | 中国科学院上海微系统与信息技术研究所 | Bulk silicon micro mechanic resonator and manufacturing method thereof |
US8928696B1 (en) | 2010-05-25 | 2015-01-06 | MCube Inc. | Methods and apparatus for operating hysteresis on a hand held device |
US8869616B1 (en) | 2010-06-18 | 2014-10-28 | MCube Inc. | Method and structure of an inertial sensor using tilt conversion |
US8652961B1 (en) | 2010-06-18 | 2014-02-18 | MCube Inc. | Methods and structure for adapting MEMS structures to form electrical interconnections for integrated circuits |
US8322022B1 (en) | 2010-06-28 | 2012-12-04 | Western Digital (Fremont), Llc | Method for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording head in a wafer packaging configuration |
US8993362B1 (en) | 2010-07-23 | 2015-03-31 | MCube Inc. | Oxide retainer method for MEMS devices |
US8723986B1 (en) | 2010-11-04 | 2014-05-13 | MCube Inc. | Methods and apparatus for initiating image capture on a hand-held device |
US9540232B2 (en) | 2010-11-12 | 2017-01-10 | MCube Inc. | Method and structure of MEMS WLCSP fabrication |
US20120211805A1 (en) | 2011-02-22 | 2012-08-23 | Bernhard Winkler | Cavity structures for mems devices |
US8969101B1 (en) | 2011-08-17 | 2015-03-03 | MCube Inc. | Three axis magnetic sensor device and method using flex cables |
WO2013055967A1 (en) * | 2011-10-12 | 2013-04-18 | Integrated Photovoltaic, Inc. | Photovoltaic substrate |
US8648432B2 (en) * | 2011-11-28 | 2014-02-11 | Texas Instruments Deutschland Gmbh | Fully embedded micromechanical device, system on chip and method for manufacturing the same |
US8749000B2 (en) | 2012-02-15 | 2014-06-10 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Pressure sensor with doped electrode |
DE102012206531B4 (en) | 2012-04-17 | 2015-09-10 | Infineon Technologies Ag | Method for producing a cavity within a semiconductor substrate |
US9024395B2 (en) * | 2012-09-07 | 2015-05-05 | Georgia Tech Research Corporation | Taxel-addressable matrix of vertical nanowire piezotronic transistors |
DE102012217979A1 (en) * | 2012-10-02 | 2014-04-03 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Hybrid integrated pressure sensor component |
US10913653B2 (en) | 2013-03-07 | 2021-02-09 | MCube Inc. | Method of fabricating MEMS devices using plasma etching and device therefor |
US9041213B2 (en) * | 2013-03-14 | 2015-05-26 | Freescale Semiconductor Inc. | Microelectromechanical system devices having through substrate vias and methods for the fabrication thereof |
US9695515B2 (en) * | 2013-08-30 | 2017-07-04 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Substrate etch |
US9136136B2 (en) | 2013-09-19 | 2015-09-15 | Infineon Technologies Dresden Gmbh | Method and structure for creating cavities with extreme aspect ratios |
WO2015138014A1 (en) * | 2014-03-12 | 2015-09-17 | Bishnu Gogoi | Monolithically integrated multi-sensor device |
US20160231097A1 (en) * | 2014-08-22 | 2016-08-11 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Patterned Nano-Engineered Thin Films On Flexible Substrates For Sensing Applications |
US9541462B2 (en) | 2014-08-29 | 2017-01-10 | Kionix, Inc. | Pressure sensor including deformable pressure vessel(s) |
FR3028257A1 (en) * | 2014-11-10 | 2016-05-13 | Tronic's Microsystems | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN ELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE AND CORRESPONDING DEVICE |
US9969614B2 (en) | 2015-05-29 | 2018-05-15 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. | MEMS packages and methods of manufacture thereof |
US9567208B1 (en) | 2015-11-06 | 2017-02-14 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. | Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same |
FR3045028B1 (en) * | 2015-12-11 | 2018-01-05 | Tronic's Microsystems | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A MICRO ELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE AND CORRESPONDING DEVICE |
US10192850B1 (en) | 2016-09-19 | 2019-01-29 | Sitime Corporation | Bonding process with inhibited oxide formation |
US10167191B2 (en) * | 2017-04-04 | 2019-01-01 | Kionix, Inc. | Method for manufacturing a micro electro-mechanical system |
US10403674B2 (en) | 2017-07-12 | 2019-09-03 | Meridian Innovation Pte Ltd | Scalable thermoelectric-based infrared detector |
US10373883B2 (en) * | 2017-10-26 | 2019-08-06 | Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. | Semiconductor package device and method of manufacturing the same |
CN108063112B (en) * | 2017-11-15 | 2020-06-16 | 上海华虹宏力半导体制造有限公司 | Method for manufacturing localized SOI region |
CN108225413A (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2018-06-29 | 歌尔股份有限公司 | Integrated type sensor |
CN108428664B (en) * | 2018-03-14 | 2021-01-01 | 上海华虹宏力半导体制造有限公司 | Method for manufacturing silicon-on-insulator substrate |
CN108640079B (en) * | 2018-04-26 | 2020-06-23 | 上海烨映电子技术有限公司 | Vacuum packaging structure and packaging method thereof |
CN109158753A (en) * | 2018-07-24 | 2019-01-08 | 中国航空工业集团公司西安飞行自动控制研究所 | A kind of encapsulating method of monocrystalline silicon flexure accelerometers |
CN109037049B (en) * | 2018-07-30 | 2020-09-15 | 中国电子科技集团公司第四十九研究所 | Method for completely removing metal layer between wafer-level SOI material and glass electrostatic bonding surface |
CN111017862B (en) * | 2019-11-18 | 2023-08-22 | 上海华虹宏力半导体制造有限公司 | MEMS bridge column structure and forming method |
US11356082B2 (en) | 2019-12-12 | 2022-06-07 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Folded ramp generator |
US11939212B2 (en) | 2019-12-23 | 2024-03-26 | Industrial Technology Research Institute | MEMS device, manufacturing method of the same, and integrated MEMS module using the same |
CN113086937B (en) * | 2019-12-23 | 2024-03-19 | 财团法人工业技术研究院 | MEMS device and method for manufacturing the same |
US20210214212A1 (en) * | 2020-01-09 | 2021-07-15 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Microelectromechanical system (mems) device with backside pinhole release and re-seal |
EP3875424A1 (en) * | 2020-03-05 | 2021-09-08 | Meridian Innovation Pte Ltd | Cmos cap for mems devices |
CN111473806B (en) * | 2020-04-17 | 2022-04-05 | 江苏多维科技有限公司 | Capillary channel environment sensor and preparation method thereof |
WO2023171025A1 (en) * | 2022-03-11 | 2023-09-14 | 株式会社村田製作所 | Resonant device and resonant device manufacturing method |
Citations (88)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4665610A (en) * | 1985-04-22 | 1987-05-19 | Stanford University | Method of making a semiconductor transducer having multiple level diaphragm structure |
US4674319A (en) * | 1985-03-20 | 1987-06-23 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Integrated circuit sensor |
US4990462A (en) * | 1989-04-12 | 1991-02-05 | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | Method for coplanar integration of semiconductor ic devices |
US5491604A (en) * | 1992-12-11 | 1996-02-13 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Q-controlled microresonators and tunable electronic filters using such resonators |
US5504026A (en) * | 1995-04-14 | 1996-04-02 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Methods for planarization and encapsulation of micromechanical devices in semiconductor processes |
US5510156A (en) * | 1994-08-23 | 1996-04-23 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Micromechanical structure with textured surface and method for making same |
US5511428A (en) * | 1994-06-10 | 1996-04-30 | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology | Backside contact of sensor microstructures |
US5517123A (en) * | 1994-08-26 | 1996-05-14 | Analog Devices, Inc. | High sensitivity integrated micromechanical electrostatic potential sensor |
US5604312A (en) * | 1994-11-25 | 1997-02-18 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Rate-of-rotation sensor |
US5613611A (en) * | 1994-07-29 | 1997-03-25 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Carrier for integrated circuit package |
US5616514A (en) * | 1993-06-03 | 1997-04-01 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method of fabricating a micromechanical sensor |
US5620931A (en) * | 1990-08-17 | 1997-04-15 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Methods for fabricating monolithic device containing circuitry and suspended microstructure |
US5627317A (en) * | 1994-06-07 | 1997-05-06 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Acceleration sensor |
US5627318A (en) * | 1992-08-21 | 1997-05-06 | Nippondenso Co., Ltd. | Mechanical force sensing semiconductor device |
US5631422A (en) * | 1995-02-02 | 1997-05-20 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Sensor comprising multilayer substrate |
US5640039A (en) * | 1994-12-01 | 1997-06-17 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Conductive plane beneath suspended microstructure |
US5721377A (en) * | 1995-07-22 | 1998-02-24 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Angular velocity sensor with built-in limit stops |
US5723353A (en) * | 1995-02-10 | 1998-03-03 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Process for manufacturing a sensor |
US5728936A (en) * | 1995-08-16 | 1998-03-17 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Rotary speed sensor |
US5751041A (en) * | 1995-10-23 | 1998-05-12 | Denso Corporataion | Semiconductor integrated circuit device |
US5760455A (en) * | 1995-03-17 | 1998-06-02 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Micromechanical semiconductor component and manufacturing method therefor |
US5761957A (en) * | 1996-02-08 | 1998-06-09 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor pressure sensor that suppresses non-linear temperature characteristics |
US5880369A (en) * | 1996-03-15 | 1999-03-09 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Micromachined device with enhanced dimensional control |
US5889207A (en) * | 1996-05-03 | 1999-03-30 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Micromechanical rate of rotation sensor having ring with drive element and detection element |
US5898218A (en) * | 1996-04-26 | 1999-04-27 | Denso Corporation | Structure for mounting electronic components and method for mounting the same |
US6009753A (en) * | 1990-08-17 | 2000-01-04 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Monolithic micromechanical apparatus with suspended microstructure |
US6012336A (en) * | 1995-09-06 | 2000-01-11 | Sandia Corporation | Capacitance pressure sensor |
US6028332A (en) * | 1997-06-30 | 2000-02-22 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor type yaw rate sensor |
US6035714A (en) * | 1997-09-08 | 2000-03-14 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Microelectromechanical capacitive accelerometer and method of making same |
US6048774A (en) * | 1997-06-26 | 2000-04-11 | Denso Corporation | Method of manufacturing dynamic amount semiconductor sensor |
US6065341A (en) * | 1998-02-18 | 2000-05-23 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor physical quantity sensor with stopper portion |
US6067858A (en) * | 1996-05-31 | 2000-05-30 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Micromachined vibratory rate gyroscope |
US6171881B1 (en) * | 1992-04-27 | 2001-01-09 | Denso Corporation | Acceleration sensor and process for the production thereof |
US6170332B1 (en) * | 1993-05-26 | 2001-01-09 | Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. | Micromechanical accelerometer for automotive applications |
US6187210B1 (en) * | 1997-06-30 | 2001-02-13 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Epidermal abrasion device with isotropically etched tips, and method of fabricating such a device |
US6187607B1 (en) * | 1998-04-18 | 2001-02-13 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Manufacturing method for micromechanical component |
US6191007B1 (en) * | 1997-04-28 | 2001-02-20 | Denso Corporation | Method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate |
US6199430B1 (en) * | 1997-06-17 | 2001-03-13 | Denso Corporation | Acceleration sensor with ring-shaped movable electrode |
US6204085B1 (en) * | 1998-09-15 | 2001-03-20 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Reduced deformation of micromechanical devices through thermal stabilization |
US6210988B1 (en) * | 1999-01-15 | 2001-04-03 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Polycrystalline silicon germanium films for forming micro-electromechanical systems |
US6214243B1 (en) * | 1995-10-20 | 2001-04-10 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Process for producing a speed of rotation coriolis sensor |
US6218717B1 (en) * | 1998-01-16 | 2001-04-17 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor pressure sensor and manufacturing method therefof |
US6230567B1 (en) * | 1999-08-03 | 2001-05-15 | The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. | Low thermal strain flexure support for a micromechanical device |
US6233811B1 (en) * | 1996-02-22 | 2001-05-22 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Rotatable micromachined device for sensing magnetic fields |
US6240782B1 (en) * | 1998-02-12 | 2001-06-05 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor physical quantity sensor and production method thereof |
US6245593B1 (en) * | 1998-11-27 | 2001-06-12 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor device with flat protective adhesive sheet and method of manufacturing the same |
US6249073B1 (en) * | 1999-01-14 | 2001-06-19 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Device including a micromechanical resonator having an operating frequency and method of extending same |
US6250156B1 (en) * | 1996-05-31 | 2001-06-26 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Dual-mass micromachined vibratory rate gyroscope |
US20020016058A1 (en) * | 2000-06-15 | 2002-02-07 | Bin Zhao | Microelectronic air-gap structures and methods of forming the same |
US6352935B1 (en) * | 2000-01-18 | 2002-03-05 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Method of forming a cover cap for semiconductor wafer devices |
US6373007B1 (en) * | 2000-04-19 | 2002-04-16 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force | Series and shunt mems RF switch |
US6378989B1 (en) * | 1998-10-16 | 2002-04-30 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Micromechanical device with ribbed bend actuator |
US6388279B1 (en) * | 1997-06-11 | 2002-05-14 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor substrate manufacturing method, semiconductor pressure sensor and manufacturing method thereof |
US6386032B1 (en) * | 1999-08-26 | 2002-05-14 | Analog Devices Imi, Inc. | Micro-machined accelerometer with improved transfer characteristics |
US6389899B1 (en) * | 1998-06-09 | 2002-05-21 | The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University | In-plane micromachined accelerometer and bridge circuit having same |
US6389903B1 (en) * | 1998-08-04 | 2002-05-21 | Denso Corporation | Pressure-detecting device coupling member with interchangeable connector part |
US6392144B1 (en) * | 2000-03-01 | 2002-05-21 | Sandia Corporation | Micromechanical die attachment surcharge |
US6396711B1 (en) * | 2000-06-06 | 2002-05-28 | Agere Systems Guardian Corp. | Interconnecting micromechanical devices |
US20030002019A1 (en) * | 2001-06-30 | 2003-01-02 | Seth Miller | Lubricating micro-machined devices using fluorosurfactants |
US6507044B1 (en) * | 1999-03-25 | 2003-01-14 | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | Position-selective and material-selective silicon etching to form measurement structures for semiconductor fabrication |
US6507082B2 (en) * | 2000-02-22 | 2003-01-14 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Flip-chip assembly of protected micromechanical devices |
US6508126B2 (en) * | 2000-07-21 | 2003-01-21 | Denso Corporation | Dynamic quantity sensor having movable and fixed electrodes with high rigidity |
US6508561B1 (en) * | 2001-10-17 | 2003-01-21 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Optical mirror coatings for high-temperature diffusion barriers and mirror shaping |
US6508124B1 (en) * | 1999-09-10 | 2003-01-21 | Stmicroelectronics S.R.L. | Microelectromechanical structure insensitive to mechanical stresses |
US20030016337A1 (en) * | 2001-03-19 | 2003-01-23 | Duncan Walter M. | MEMS device with controlled gas space chemistry |
US6512255B2 (en) * | 1999-09-17 | 2003-01-28 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor pressure sensor device having sensor chip covered with protective member |
US6516671B2 (en) * | 2000-01-06 | 2003-02-11 | Rosemount Inc. | Grain growth of electrical interconnection for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) |
US6521508B1 (en) * | 1999-12-31 | 2003-02-18 | Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd. | Method of manufacturing a contact plug in a semiconductor device using selective epitaxial growth of silicon process |
US6522052B2 (en) * | 2000-12-28 | 2003-02-18 | Denso Corporation | Multilayer-type piezoelectric actuator |
US6521965B1 (en) * | 2000-09-12 | 2003-02-18 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Integrated pressure sensor |
US6524690B1 (en) * | 1997-07-09 | 2003-02-25 | Joel A. Dyksterhouse | Method of prepregging with resin and novel prepregs produced by such method |
US20030038327A1 (en) * | 2001-08-24 | 2003-02-27 | Honeywell International, Inc. | Hermetically sealed silicon micro-machined electromechanical system (MEMS) device having diffused conductors |
US6531340B2 (en) * | 2001-02-23 | 2003-03-11 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Low temperature die attaching material for BOC packages |
US6531767B2 (en) * | 2001-04-09 | 2003-03-11 | Analog Devices Inc. | Critically aligned optical MEMS dies for large packaged substrate arrays and method of manufacture |
US20030054588A1 (en) * | 2000-12-07 | 2003-03-20 | Reflectivity, Inc., A California Corporation | Methods for depositing, releasing and packaging micro-electromechanical devices on wafer substrates |
US6552404B1 (en) * | 2001-04-17 | 2003-04-22 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Integratable transducer structure |
US6551853B2 (en) * | 2000-05-12 | 2003-04-22 | Denso Corporation | Sensor having membrane structure and method for manufacturing the same |
US6550339B1 (en) * | 1999-05-06 | 2003-04-22 | Denso Corporation | Pressure sensor for detecting differential pressure between two spaces |
US6555904B1 (en) * | 2001-03-05 | 2003-04-29 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Electrically shielded glass lid for a packaged device |
US6555417B2 (en) * | 2000-12-05 | 2003-04-29 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Method and device for protecting micro electromechanical system structures during dicing of a wafer |
US6555901B1 (en) * | 1996-10-04 | 2003-04-29 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor device including eutectic bonding portion and method for manufacturing the same |
US20040016989A1 (en) * | 2000-10-12 | 2004-01-29 | Qing Ma | MEMS device integrated chip package, and method of making same |
US6716275B1 (en) * | 2001-12-11 | 2004-04-06 | Sandia Corporation | Gas impermeable glaze for sealing a porous ceramic surface |
US20040065932A1 (en) * | 1999-12-21 | 2004-04-08 | Frank Reichenbach | Sensor with at least one micromechanical structure and method for production thereof |
US6739497B2 (en) * | 2002-05-13 | 2004-05-25 | International Busines Machines Corporation | SMT passive device noflow underfill methodology and structure |
US6847124B2 (en) * | 2002-06-04 | 2005-01-25 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof |
US6858910B2 (en) * | 2000-01-26 | 2005-02-22 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Method of fabricating a molded package for micromechanical devices |
US20050101059A1 (en) * | 2003-10-24 | 2005-05-12 | Xhp Microsystems, Inc. | Method and system for hermetically sealing packages for optics |
Family Cites Families (184)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US602351A (en) * | 1898-04-12 | Gas-lighter | ||
US4649071A (en) * | 1984-04-28 | 1987-03-10 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho | Composite material and process for producing the same |
US4766666A (en) | 1985-09-30 | 1988-08-30 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho | Semiconductor pressure sensor and method of manufacturing the same |
GB2198611B (en) | 1986-12-13 | 1990-04-04 | Spectrol Reliance Ltd | Method of forming a sealed diaphragm on a substrate |
US5617123A (en) * | 1987-05-20 | 1997-04-01 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Image processing method utilizing multiple binarizing and recording agent depositing steps |
US4945769A (en) | 1989-03-06 | 1990-08-07 | Delco Electronics Corporation | Semiconductive structure useful as a pressure sensor |
US5075253A (en) | 1989-04-12 | 1991-12-24 | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | Method of coplanar integration of semiconductor IC devices |
US5156903A (en) | 1989-12-21 | 1992-10-20 | Sumitomo Metal Ceramics Inc. | Multilayer ceramic substrate and manufacture thereof |
US5090254A (en) | 1990-04-11 | 1992-02-25 | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | Polysilicon resonating beam transducers |
EP0543901B1 (en) | 1990-08-17 | 1995-10-04 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Monolithic accelerometer |
US5139624A (en) | 1990-12-06 | 1992-08-18 | Sri International | Method for making porous semiconductor membranes |
US6147756A (en) | 1992-01-22 | 2000-11-14 | Northeastern University | Microspectrometer with sacrificial layer integrated with integrated circuit on the same substrate |
US5598052A (en) * | 1992-07-28 | 1997-01-28 | Philips Electronics North America | Vacuum microelectronic device and methodology for fabricating same |
WO1994014240A1 (en) | 1992-12-11 | 1994-06-23 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Microelectromechanical signal processors |
US5338416A (en) | 1993-02-05 | 1994-08-16 | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology | Electrochemical etching process |
US5369544A (en) | 1993-04-05 | 1994-11-29 | Ford Motor Company | Silicon-on-insulator capacitive surface micromachined absolute pressure sensor |
JPH06313876A (en) * | 1993-04-28 | 1994-11-08 | Canon Inc | Drive method for liquid crystal display device |
DE4317274A1 (en) | 1993-05-25 | 1994-12-01 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Process for the production of surface-micromechanical structures |
US6149190A (en) | 1993-05-26 | 2000-11-21 | Kionix, Inc. | Micromechanical accelerometer for automotive applications |
KR0155141B1 (en) | 1993-12-24 | 1998-10-15 | 손병기 | Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using porous silicons |
US5839062A (en) | 1994-03-18 | 1998-11-17 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Mixing, modulation and demodulation via electromechanical resonators |
JPH08174860A (en) * | 1994-10-26 | 1996-07-09 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink cartridge for ink jet printer |
US5583290A (en) | 1994-12-20 | 1996-12-10 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Micromechanical apparatus with limited actuation bandwidth |
JP3613838B2 (en) * | 1995-05-18 | 2005-01-26 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of semiconductor device |
DE19519488B4 (en) | 1995-05-27 | 2005-03-10 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Rate of rotation sensor with two acceleration sensors |
US6323550B1 (en) | 1995-06-06 | 2001-11-27 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Package for sealing an integrated circuit die |
US5922212A (en) | 1995-06-08 | 1999-07-13 | Nippondenso Co., Ltd | Semiconductor sensor having suspended thin-film structure and method for fabricating thin-film structure body |
JP3361916B2 (en) | 1995-06-28 | 2003-01-07 | シャープ株式会社 | Method of forming microstructure |
DE19526691A1 (en) | 1995-07-21 | 1997-01-23 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Process for the production of acceleration sensors |
JP3430771B2 (en) | 1996-02-05 | 2003-07-28 | 株式会社デンソー | Method of manufacturing semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor |
US5919364A (en) | 1996-06-24 | 1999-07-06 | Regents Of The University Of California | Microfabricated filter and shell constructed with a permeable membrane |
US6291315B1 (en) | 1996-07-11 | 2001-09-18 | Denso Corporation | Method for etching trench in manufacturing semiconductor devices |
JPH1047971A (en) | 1996-08-05 | 1998-02-20 | Nippon Soken Inc | Angular velocity sensor |
DE19632060B4 (en) | 1996-08-09 | 2012-05-03 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method for producing a rotation rate sensor |
US5798557A (en) * | 1996-08-29 | 1998-08-25 | Harris Corporation | Lid wafer bond packaging and micromachining |
JP3374680B2 (en) | 1996-11-06 | 2003-02-10 | 株式会社デンソー | Method for manufacturing semiconductor device |
US5948991A (en) | 1996-12-09 | 1999-09-07 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor physical quantity sensor device having semiconductor sensor chip integrated with semiconductor circuit chip |
FR2756973B1 (en) * | 1996-12-09 | 1999-01-08 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | METHOD FOR INTRODUCING A GASEOUS PHASE IN A CLOSED CAVITY |
JP3568749B2 (en) | 1996-12-17 | 2004-09-22 | 株式会社デンソー | Dry etching method for semiconductor |
JP3045089B2 (en) | 1996-12-19 | 2000-05-22 | 株式会社村田製作所 | Device package structure and method of manufacturing the same |
DE19700734B4 (en) | 1997-01-11 | 2006-06-01 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method for producing sensors and non-isolated wafer stacks |
JP3345878B2 (en) | 1997-02-17 | 2002-11-18 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of electronic circuit device |
US6146917A (en) | 1997-03-03 | 2000-11-14 | Ford Motor Company | Fabrication method for encapsulated micromachined structures |
US5969249A (en) | 1997-05-07 | 1999-10-19 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Resonant accelerometer with flexural lever leverage system |
US6251754B1 (en) | 1997-05-09 | 2001-06-26 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor substrate manufacturing method |
US6142358A (en) | 1997-05-31 | 2000-11-07 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Wafer-to-wafer transfer of microstructures using break-away tethers |
JPH112526A (en) | 1997-06-13 | 1999-01-06 | Mitsubishi Electric Corp | Vibrating angular velocity sensor |
US6284670B1 (en) | 1997-07-23 | 2001-09-04 | Denso Corporation | Method of etching silicon wafer and silicon wafer |
DE19740049A1 (en) | 1997-09-12 | 1999-03-25 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Sensor for determining rotation angle |
US5986316A (en) | 1997-11-26 | 1999-11-16 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor type physical quantity sensor |
EP2221852B1 (en) * | 1998-01-15 | 2012-05-09 | Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. | Trench isolation for micromechanical devices |
DE19903380B4 (en) | 1998-02-02 | 2007-10-18 | Denso Corp., Kariya | Semiconductor sensors for a physical size and their manufacturing processes |
DE19808549B4 (en) | 1998-02-28 | 2008-07-10 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Micromechanical comb structure as well as acceleration sensor and drive with this comb structure |
US6275034B1 (en) | 1998-03-11 | 2001-08-14 | Analog Devices Inc. | Micromachined semiconductor magnetic sensor |
JP3846094B2 (en) | 1998-03-17 | 2006-11-15 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of semiconductor device |
EP0951068A1 (en) | 1998-04-17 | 1999-10-20 | Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum Vzw | Method of fabrication of a microstructure having an inside cavity |
US6287885B1 (en) | 1998-05-08 | 2001-09-11 | Denso Corporation | Method for manufacturing semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor |
DE19820816B4 (en) | 1998-05-09 | 2006-05-11 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Bondpad structure and corresponding manufacturing method |
JP3307328B2 (en) | 1998-05-11 | 2002-07-24 | 株式会社デンソー | Semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor |
US6291875B1 (en) | 1998-06-24 | 2001-09-18 | Analog Devices Imi, Inc. | Microfabricated structures with electrical isolation and interconnections |
US6307815B1 (en) | 1998-07-23 | 2001-10-23 | Sandia Corporation | Microelectromechanical timer |
JP3485027B2 (en) | 1998-07-24 | 2004-01-13 | 株式会社デンソー | Temperature sensor and method of manufacturing the same |
US6303986B1 (en) | 1998-07-29 | 2001-10-16 | Silicon Light Machines | Method of and apparatus for sealing an hermetic lid to a semiconductor die |
DE19835571A1 (en) * | 1998-08-06 | 2000-02-17 | Ims Morat Soehne Gmbh | Wave gear and method for tooth optimization |
US6163643A (en) | 1998-08-12 | 2000-12-19 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Micro-mechanical variable optical attenuator |
WO2000011444A1 (en) | 1998-08-19 | 2000-03-02 | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | Sealed capacitive pressure sensors |
US6010461A (en) * | 1998-09-01 | 2000-01-04 | Sitek, Inc. | Monolithic silicon intra-ocular pressure sensor and method therefor |
JP4075228B2 (en) | 1998-09-09 | 2008-04-16 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of semiconductor device |
US6156652A (en) | 1998-10-09 | 2000-12-05 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force | Post-process metallization interconnects for microelectromechanical systems |
US6153839A (en) | 1998-10-22 | 2000-11-28 | Northeastern University | Micromechanical switching devices |
JP2000206142A (en) | 1998-11-13 | 2000-07-28 | Denso Corp | Semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor and its manufacture |
US6300294B1 (en) | 1998-11-16 | 2001-10-09 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Lubricant delivery for micromechanical devices |
US6534340B1 (en) * | 1998-11-18 | 2003-03-18 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Cover cap for semiconductor wafer devices |
JP3796991B2 (en) | 1998-12-10 | 2006-07-12 | 株式会社デンソー | Angular velocity sensor |
US6424074B2 (en) | 1999-01-14 | 2002-07-23 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Method and apparatus for upconverting and filtering an information signal utilizing a vibrating micromechanical device |
JP4151164B2 (en) * | 1999-03-19 | 2008-09-17 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of semiconductor device |
US6433401B1 (en) | 1999-04-06 | 2002-08-13 | Analog Devices Imi, Inc. | Microfabricated structures with trench-isolation using bonded-substrates and cavities |
US6449406B1 (en) | 1999-05-28 | 2002-09-10 | Omm, Inc. | Micromachined optomechanical switching devices |
US6275122B1 (en) | 1999-08-17 | 2001-08-14 | International Business Machines Corporation | Encapsulated MEMS band-pass filter for integrated circuits |
US6315062B1 (en) | 1999-09-24 | 2001-11-13 | Vermeer Manufacturing Company | Horizontal directional drilling machine employing inertial navigation control system and method |
US6437551B1 (en) | 1999-11-02 | 2002-08-20 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Microfabricated AC impedance sensor |
US6524890B2 (en) * | 1999-11-17 | 2003-02-25 | Denso Corporation | Method for manufacturing semiconductor device having element isolation structure |
US6311555B1 (en) | 1999-11-17 | 2001-11-06 | American Gnc Corporation | Angular rate producer with microelectromechanical system technology |
US6477901B1 (en) | 1999-12-21 | 2002-11-12 | Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc. | Micromachined fluidic apparatus |
KR100348177B1 (en) | 2000-01-13 | 2002-08-09 | 조동일 | Isolation Method for Single Crystalline Silicon Micro Machining using Deep Trench Dielectric Layer |
US6369448B1 (en) * | 2000-01-21 | 2002-04-09 | Lsi Logic Corporation | Vertically integrated flip chip semiconductor package |
US6674140B2 (en) | 2000-02-01 | 2004-01-06 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Process for wafer level treatment to reduce stiction and passivate micromachined surfaces and compounds used therefor |
DE10005555A1 (en) | 2000-02-09 | 2001-08-16 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Micromechanical component and corresponding manufacturing method |
DE10006035A1 (en) | 2000-02-10 | 2001-08-16 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Micro-mechanical component production, used as sensor element or actuator element, comprises providing functional element and/or functional layer with protective layer |
US6325886B1 (en) | 2000-02-14 | 2001-12-04 | Redwood Microsystems, Inc. | Method for attaching a micromechanical device to a manifold, and fluid control system produced thereby |
US6440766B1 (en) | 2000-02-16 | 2002-08-27 | Analog Devices Imi, Inc. | Microfabrication using germanium-based release masks |
JP2001227902A (en) | 2000-02-16 | 2001-08-24 | Mitsubishi Electric Corp | Semiconductor device |
US6443008B1 (en) | 2000-02-19 | 2002-09-03 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Decoupled multi-disk gyroscope |
US6310018B1 (en) | 2000-03-31 | 2001-10-30 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Fluorinated solvent compositions containing hydrogen fluoride |
DE10017422A1 (en) | 2000-04-07 | 2001-10-11 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Micromechanical component and corresponding manufacturing process |
US6441481B1 (en) | 2000-04-10 | 2002-08-27 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Hermetically sealed microstructure package |
DE10017976A1 (en) | 2000-04-11 | 2001-10-18 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Micromechanical component and corresponding manufacturing method |
US6433411B1 (en) | 2000-05-22 | 2002-08-13 | Agere Systems Guardian Corp. | Packaging micromechanical devices |
JP4258105B2 (en) | 2000-06-27 | 2009-04-30 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of semiconductor device |
US6686653B2 (en) * | 2000-06-28 | 2004-02-03 | Institut National D'optique | Miniature microdevice package and process for making thereof |
US6550338B1 (en) * | 2000-07-07 | 2003-04-22 | Ardishir Rashidi | Pressure sensing device |
US7083997B2 (en) * | 2000-08-03 | 2006-08-01 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Bonded wafer optical MEMS process |
JP4250868B2 (en) | 2000-09-05 | 2009-04-08 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of semiconductor pressure sensor |
US6465281B1 (en) | 2000-09-08 | 2002-10-15 | Motorola, Inc. | Method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer level package |
US6448604B1 (en) | 2000-09-12 | 2002-09-10 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Integrated adjustable capacitor |
US6590267B1 (en) | 2000-09-14 | 2003-07-08 | Mcnc | Microelectromechanical flexible membrane electrostatic valve device and related fabrication methods |
US6448109B1 (en) | 2000-11-15 | 2002-09-10 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Wafer level method of capping multiple MEMS elements |
EP1217735B1 (en) | 2000-12-21 | 2007-11-14 | ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse | Time base comprising an integrated micromechanical tuning fork resonator |
EP1220010A3 (en) | 2000-12-29 | 2004-10-27 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Micromechanical device recoat methods |
US6625047B2 (en) | 2000-12-31 | 2003-09-23 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Micromechanical memory element |
US6544811B2 (en) * | 2001-01-19 | 2003-04-08 | Georgia Tech Research Corporation | Micromachined device having electrically isolated components and a method for making the same |
US6483957B1 (en) | 2001-01-29 | 2002-11-19 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | MEMS-based polarization mode dispersion compensator |
US6500348B2 (en) | 2001-02-14 | 2002-12-31 | Delphi Technologies, Inc. | Deep reactive ion etching process and microelectromechanical devices formed thereby |
US6602351B2 (en) | 2001-02-15 | 2003-08-05 | Micell Technologies, Inc. | Methods for the control of contaminants following carbon dioxide cleaning of microelectronic structures |
US6859577B2 (en) | 2001-06-25 | 2005-02-22 | Analog Devices Inc. | Self assembled micro anti-stiction structure |
US6768628B2 (en) | 2001-04-26 | 2004-07-27 | Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. | Method for fabricating an isolated microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device incorporating a wafer level cap |
KR100421217B1 (en) | 2001-05-30 | 2004-03-02 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Method for fabricating stiction-resistant micromachined structures |
US6544898B2 (en) * | 2001-06-25 | 2003-04-08 | Adc Telecommunications, Inc. | Method for improved die release of a semiconductor device from a wafer |
US6625342B2 (en) | 2001-07-03 | 2003-09-23 | Network Photonics, Inc. | Systems and methods for overcoming stiction using a lever |
US6624726B2 (en) | 2001-08-31 | 2003-09-23 | Motorola, Inc. | High Q factor MEMS resonators |
US6808954B2 (en) | 2001-09-07 | 2004-10-26 | Intel Corporation | Vacuum-cavity MEMS resonator |
US6778046B2 (en) | 2001-09-17 | 2004-08-17 | Magfusion Inc. | Latching micro magnetic relay packages and methods of packaging |
US6818464B2 (en) | 2001-10-17 | 2004-11-16 | Hymite A/S | Double-sided etching technique for providing a semiconductor structure with through-holes, and a feed-through metalization process for sealing the through-holes |
WO2003041133A2 (en) * | 2001-11-09 | 2003-05-15 | Wispry, Inc. | Electrothermal self-latching mems switch and method |
US6900991B2 (en) * | 2001-12-03 | 2005-05-31 | Intel Corporation | Electronic assembly with sandwiched capacitors and methods of manufacture |
US6635519B2 (en) | 2002-01-10 | 2003-10-21 | Agere Systems, Inc. | Structurally supported thin film resonator and method of fabrication |
US7005783B2 (en) * | 2002-02-04 | 2006-02-28 | Innosys, Inc. | Solid state vacuum devices and method for making the same |
US6621134B1 (en) | 2002-02-07 | 2003-09-16 | Shayne Zurn | Vacuum sealed RF/microwave microresonator |
US6876046B2 (en) | 2002-02-07 | 2005-04-05 | Superconductor Technologies, Inc. | Stiction alleviation using passivation layer patterning |
US7045459B2 (en) | 2002-02-19 | 2006-05-16 | Northrop Grumman Corporation | Thin film encapsulation of MEMS devices |
US20030161949A1 (en) | 2002-02-28 | 2003-08-28 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Vapor deposition of dihalodialklysilanes |
US6701779B2 (en) | 2002-03-21 | 2004-03-09 | International Business Machines Corporation | Perpendicular torsion micro-electromechanical switch |
KR20030077754A (en) * | 2002-03-27 | 2003-10-04 | 삼성전기주식회사 | Micro inertia sensor and method thereof |
US20030183916A1 (en) | 2002-03-27 | 2003-10-02 | John Heck | Packaging microelectromechanical systems |
US6662663B2 (en) * | 2002-04-10 | 2003-12-16 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Pressure sensor with two membranes forming a capacitor |
US6635509B1 (en) | 2002-04-12 | 2003-10-21 | Dalsa Semiconductor Inc. | Wafer-level MEMS packaging |
US6621392B1 (en) | 2002-04-25 | 2003-09-16 | International Business Machines Corporation | Micro electromechanical switch having self-aligned spacers |
JP3778128B2 (en) | 2002-05-14 | 2006-05-24 | 株式会社デンソー | Manufacturing method of semiconductor device having membrane |
FR2843742B1 (en) * | 2002-08-26 | 2005-10-14 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | MICROSTRUCTURE WITH FUNCTIONALIZED SURFACE BY LOCALIZED DEPOSITION OF A THIN LAYER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME |
US6822326B2 (en) * | 2002-09-25 | 2004-11-23 | Ziptronix | Wafer bonding hermetic encapsulation |
US6929974B2 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2005-08-16 | Motorola, Inc. | Feedthrough design and method for a hermetically sealed microdevice |
US7098117B2 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2006-08-29 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Method of fabricating a package with substantially vertical feedthroughs for micromachined or MEMS devices |
KR100447851B1 (en) * | 2002-11-14 | 2004-09-08 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Wafer level Bonding method of flip-chip manner for semiconductor apparatus in lateral bonded type |
US6835657B2 (en) | 2002-12-02 | 2004-12-28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Method for recrystallizing metal in features of a semiconductor chip |
US7361593B2 (en) * | 2002-12-17 | 2008-04-22 | Finisar Corporation | Methods of forming vias in multilayer substrates |
US7122395B2 (en) * | 2002-12-23 | 2006-10-17 | Motorola, Inc. | Method of forming semiconductor devices through epitaxy |
JP2004235465A (en) * | 2003-01-30 | 2004-08-19 | Tokyo Electron Ltd | Bonding method, bonding device and sealant |
US6888233B2 (en) * | 2003-03-10 | 2005-05-03 | Honeywell International Inc. | Systems for buried electrical feedthroughs in a glass-silicon MEMS process |
US7514283B2 (en) | 2003-03-20 | 2009-04-07 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method of fabricating electromechanical device having a controlled atmosphere |
US6936491B2 (en) * | 2003-06-04 | 2005-08-30 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method of fabricating microelectromechanical systems and devices having trench isolated contacts |
US7075160B2 (en) * | 2003-06-04 | 2006-07-11 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Microelectromechanical systems and devices having thin film encapsulated mechanical structures |
US7275424B2 (en) | 2003-09-08 | 2007-10-02 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Wafer level capped sensor |
US7247246B2 (en) * | 2003-10-20 | 2007-07-24 | Atmel Corporation | Vertical integration of a MEMS structure with electronics in a hermetically sealed cavity |
US6930367B2 (en) * | 2003-10-31 | 2005-08-16 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Anti-stiction technique for thin film and wafer-bonded encapsulated microelectromechanical systems |
US7068125B2 (en) * | 2004-03-04 | 2006-06-27 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Temperature controlled MEMS resonator and method for controlling resonator frequency |
US7608534B2 (en) * | 2004-06-02 | 2009-10-27 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Interconnection of through-wafer vias using bridge structures |
US20050269688A1 (en) * | 2004-06-03 | 2005-12-08 | Lior Shiv | Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices integrated in a hermetically sealed package |
KR100599115B1 (en) * | 2004-07-20 | 2006-07-12 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Vibration type MEMS switch and fabricating method thereof |
US7204737B2 (en) * | 2004-09-23 | 2007-04-17 | Temic Automotive Of North America, Inc. | Hermetically sealed microdevice with getter shield |
US7553695B2 (en) * | 2005-03-17 | 2009-06-30 | Hymite A/S | Method of fabricating a package for a micro component |
US7442570B2 (en) * | 2005-03-18 | 2008-10-28 | Invensence Inc. | Method of fabrication of a AL/GE bonding in a wafer packaging environment and a product produced therefrom |
US7449355B2 (en) * | 2005-04-27 | 2008-11-11 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Anti-stiction technique for electromechanical systems and electromechanical device employing same |
US7393758B2 (en) * | 2005-11-03 | 2008-07-01 | Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. | Wafer level packaging process |
US20070170528A1 (en) * | 2006-01-20 | 2007-07-26 | Aaron Partridge | Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same |
US7261430B1 (en) * | 2006-02-22 | 2007-08-28 | Teledyne Licensing, Llc | Thermal and intrinsic stress compensated micromirror apparatus and method |
CN101616864B (en) * | 2006-12-21 | 2012-10-31 | 大陆-特韦斯贸易合伙股份公司及两合公司 | Encapsulation module, method for production and use thereof |
JP5330697B2 (en) * | 2007-03-19 | 2013-10-30 | 株式会社リコー | Functional element package and manufacturing method thereof |
DE102007060632A1 (en) * | 2007-12-17 | 2009-06-18 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method for producing a cap wafer for a sensor |
CN101978683B (en) * | 2008-04-03 | 2013-11-13 | 柯尼卡美能达控股株式会社 | Imaging device and imaging device manufacturing method |
JP4784641B2 (en) * | 2008-12-23 | 2011-10-05 | 株式会社デンソー | Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof |
JP5177015B2 (en) * | 2009-02-27 | 2013-04-03 | 富士通株式会社 | Packaged device and packaged device manufacturing method |
WO2010139067A1 (en) * | 2009-06-02 | 2010-12-09 | Micralyne Inc. | Semi-conductor sensor fabrication |
US9266721B2 (en) * | 2010-11-23 | 2016-02-23 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Eutectic bonding of thin chips on a carrier substrate |
CN102726065B (en) * | 2010-12-30 | 2014-06-04 | 歌尔声学股份有限公司 | A MEMS microphone and method for packaging the same |
TWI417973B (en) * | 2011-07-11 | 2013-12-01 | 矽品精密工業股份有限公司 | Method for forming package structure having mems component |
CN104507853B (en) * | 2012-07-31 | 2016-11-23 | 索泰克公司 | The method forming semiconductor equipment |
US9041213B2 (en) * | 2013-03-14 | 2015-05-26 | Freescale Semiconductor Inc. | Microelectromechanical system devices having through substrate vias and methods for the fabrication thereof |
KR102176584B1 (en) * | 2013-11-20 | 2020-11-09 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer and method of fabricating the same |
US9630832B2 (en) * | 2013-12-19 | 2017-04-25 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. | Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing |
US9725310B2 (en) * | 2013-12-20 | 2017-08-08 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. | Micro electromechanical system sensor and method of forming the same |
EP3565632B1 (en) * | 2017-01-05 | 2021-04-21 | Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. | Chip or silicium based feedthrough |
US10389331B2 (en) * | 2017-03-24 | 2019-08-20 | Zhuhai Crystal Resonance Technologies Co., Ltd. | Single crystal piezoelectric RF resonators and filters |
US10466572B2 (en) * | 2017-03-24 | 2019-11-05 | Zhuhai Crystal Resonance Technologies Co., Ltd. | Method of fabrication for single crystal piezoelectric RF resonators and filters |
US10662055B2 (en) * | 2017-04-27 | 2020-05-26 | Seiko Epson Corporation | MEMS element, sealing structure, electronic device, electronic apparatus, and vehicle |
-
2006
- 2006-01-20 US US11/336,521 patent/US20070170528A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-10-06 US US11/545,113 patent/US20070170530A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-10-06 US US11/545,052 patent/US20070170529A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-10-12 US US11/580,197 patent/US20070181962A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-11-06 US US11/593,500 patent/US20070170438A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-11-06 US US11/593,428 patent/US20070170531A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-11-06 US US11/593,429 patent/US20070170532A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-11-06 US US11/593,404 patent/US8871551B2/en active Active
- 2006-11-16 US US11/600,460 patent/US20070170439A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-11-16 US US11/600,860 patent/US20070170440A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-12-08 WO PCT/US2006/047049 patent/WO2007087021A2/en active Application Filing
-
2014
- 2014-10-27 US US14/524,986 patent/US9434608B2/en active Active
-
2015
- 2015-12-07 US US14/961,760 patent/US9440845B2/en active Active
-
2016
- 2016-08-19 US US15/242,437 patent/US9758371B2/en active Active
-
2017
- 2017-08-25 US US15/686,480 patent/US10099917B2/en active Active
-
2018
- 2018-08-21 US US16/106,649 patent/US10450190B2/en active Active
-
2019
- 2019-09-10 US US16/565,876 patent/US10766768B2/en active Active
-
2020
- 2020-08-03 US US16/983,141 patent/US11685650B2/en active Active
-
2023
- 2023-04-04 US US18/130,837 patent/US20240002218A1/en active Pending
Patent Citations (99)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4674319A (en) * | 1985-03-20 | 1987-06-23 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Integrated circuit sensor |
US4665610A (en) * | 1985-04-22 | 1987-05-19 | Stanford University | Method of making a semiconductor transducer having multiple level diaphragm structure |
US4990462A (en) * | 1989-04-12 | 1991-02-05 | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | Method for coplanar integration of semiconductor ic devices |
US6192757B1 (en) * | 1990-08-17 | 2001-02-27 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Monolithic micromechanical apparatus with suspended microstructure |
US6009753A (en) * | 1990-08-17 | 2000-01-04 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Monolithic micromechanical apparatus with suspended microstructure |
US5620931A (en) * | 1990-08-17 | 1997-04-15 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Methods for fabricating monolithic device containing circuitry and suspended microstructure |
US6244112B1 (en) * | 1992-04-27 | 2001-06-12 | Denso Corporation | Acceleration sensor and process for the production thereof |
US6171881B1 (en) * | 1992-04-27 | 2001-01-09 | Denso Corporation | Acceleration sensor and process for the production thereof |
US6550331B2 (en) * | 1992-08-21 | 2003-04-22 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor mechanical sensor |
US6227050B1 (en) * | 1992-08-21 | 2001-05-08 | Nippondense Co., Ltd. | Semiconductor mechanical sensor and method of manufacture |
US20010001931A1 (en) * | 1992-08-21 | 2001-05-31 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor mechanical sensor |
US5872024A (en) * | 1992-08-21 | 1999-02-16 | Nippondenso Co., Ltd. | Method for manufacturing a mechanical force sensing semiconductor device |
US5627318A (en) * | 1992-08-21 | 1997-05-06 | Nippondenso Co., Ltd. | Mechanical force sensing semiconductor device |
US5491604A (en) * | 1992-12-11 | 1996-02-13 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Q-controlled microresonators and tunable electronic filters using such resonators |
US6236281B1 (en) * | 1992-12-11 | 2001-05-22 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Q-controlled microresonators and tunable electronic filters using such resonators |
US6170332B1 (en) * | 1993-05-26 | 2001-01-09 | Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. | Micromechanical accelerometer for automotive applications |
US6199874B1 (en) * | 1993-05-26 | 2001-03-13 | Cornell Research Foundation Inc. | Microelectromechanical accelerometer for automotive applications |
US5616514A (en) * | 1993-06-03 | 1997-04-01 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method of fabricating a micromechanical sensor |
US5627317A (en) * | 1994-06-07 | 1997-05-06 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Acceleration sensor |
US5511428A (en) * | 1994-06-10 | 1996-04-30 | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology | Backside contact of sensor microstructures |
US5613611A (en) * | 1994-07-29 | 1997-03-25 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Carrier for integrated circuit package |
US5510156A (en) * | 1994-08-23 | 1996-04-23 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Micromechanical structure with textured surface and method for making same |
US5517123A (en) * | 1994-08-26 | 1996-05-14 | Analog Devices, Inc. | High sensitivity integrated micromechanical electrostatic potential sensor |
US5604312A (en) * | 1994-11-25 | 1997-02-18 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Rate-of-rotation sensor |
US5640039A (en) * | 1994-12-01 | 1997-06-17 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Conductive plane beneath suspended microstructure |
US5858809A (en) * | 1994-12-01 | 1999-01-12 | Analog Devices | Conductive plane beneath suspended microstructure |
US5631422A (en) * | 1995-02-02 | 1997-05-20 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Sensor comprising multilayer substrate |
US5723353A (en) * | 1995-02-10 | 1998-03-03 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Process for manufacturing a sensor |
US6055858A (en) * | 1995-02-10 | 2000-05-02 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Acceleration sensor |
US5760455A (en) * | 1995-03-17 | 1998-06-02 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Micromechanical semiconductor component and manufacturing method therefor |
US5504026A (en) * | 1995-04-14 | 1996-04-02 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Methods for planarization and encapsulation of micromechanical devices in semiconductor processes |
US5721377A (en) * | 1995-07-22 | 1998-02-24 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Angular velocity sensor with built-in limit stops |
US5728936A (en) * | 1995-08-16 | 1998-03-17 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Rotary speed sensor |
US6012336A (en) * | 1995-09-06 | 2000-01-11 | Sandia Corporation | Capacitance pressure sensor |
US6214243B1 (en) * | 1995-10-20 | 2001-04-10 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Process for producing a speed of rotation coriolis sensor |
US5751041A (en) * | 1995-10-23 | 1998-05-12 | Denso Corporataion | Semiconductor integrated circuit device |
US5761957A (en) * | 1996-02-08 | 1998-06-09 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor pressure sensor that suppresses non-linear temperature characteristics |
US6233811B1 (en) * | 1996-02-22 | 2001-05-22 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Rotatable micromachined device for sensing magnetic fields |
US5880369A (en) * | 1996-03-15 | 1999-03-09 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Micromachined device with enhanced dimensional control |
US5898218A (en) * | 1996-04-26 | 1999-04-27 | Denso Corporation | Structure for mounting electronic components and method for mounting the same |
US5889207A (en) * | 1996-05-03 | 1999-03-30 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Micromechanical rate of rotation sensor having ring with drive element and detection element |
US6250156B1 (en) * | 1996-05-31 | 2001-06-26 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Dual-mass micromachined vibratory rate gyroscope |
US6067858A (en) * | 1996-05-31 | 2000-05-30 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Micromachined vibratory rate gyroscope |
US6555901B1 (en) * | 1996-10-04 | 2003-04-29 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor device including eutectic bonding portion and method for manufacturing the same |
US6191007B1 (en) * | 1997-04-28 | 2001-02-20 | Denso Corporation | Method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate |
US6388279B1 (en) * | 1997-06-11 | 2002-05-14 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor substrate manufacturing method, semiconductor pressure sensor and manufacturing method thereof |
US6199430B1 (en) * | 1997-06-17 | 2001-03-13 | Denso Corporation | Acceleration sensor with ring-shaped movable electrode |
US6048774A (en) * | 1997-06-26 | 2000-04-11 | Denso Corporation | Method of manufacturing dynamic amount semiconductor sensor |
US6028332A (en) * | 1997-06-30 | 2000-02-22 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor type yaw rate sensor |
US6187210B1 (en) * | 1997-06-30 | 2001-02-13 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Epidermal abrasion device with isotropically etched tips, and method of fabricating such a device |
US6524690B1 (en) * | 1997-07-09 | 2003-02-25 | Joel A. Dyksterhouse | Method of prepregging with resin and novel prepregs produced by such method |
US6035714A (en) * | 1997-09-08 | 2000-03-14 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Microelectromechanical capacitive accelerometer and method of making same |
US6218717B1 (en) * | 1998-01-16 | 2001-04-17 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor pressure sensor and manufacturing method therefof |
US6240782B1 (en) * | 1998-02-12 | 2001-06-05 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor physical quantity sensor and production method thereof |
US6065341A (en) * | 1998-02-18 | 2000-05-23 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor physical quantity sensor with stopper portion |
US6187607B1 (en) * | 1998-04-18 | 2001-02-13 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Manufacturing method for micromechanical component |
US6389899B1 (en) * | 1998-06-09 | 2002-05-21 | The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University | In-plane micromachined accelerometer and bridge circuit having same |
US6389903B1 (en) * | 1998-08-04 | 2002-05-21 | Denso Corporation | Pressure-detecting device coupling member with interchangeable connector part |
US6204085B1 (en) * | 1998-09-15 | 2001-03-20 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Reduced deformation of micromechanical devices through thermal stabilization |
US6378989B1 (en) * | 1998-10-16 | 2002-04-30 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Micromechanical device with ribbed bend actuator |
US6245593B1 (en) * | 1998-11-27 | 2001-06-12 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor device with flat protective adhesive sheet and method of manufacturing the same |
US6249073B1 (en) * | 1999-01-14 | 2001-06-19 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Device including a micromechanical resonator having an operating frequency and method of extending same |
US6210988B1 (en) * | 1999-01-15 | 2001-04-03 | The Regents Of The University Of California | Polycrystalline silicon germanium films for forming micro-electromechanical systems |
US6507044B1 (en) * | 1999-03-25 | 2003-01-14 | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | Position-selective and material-selective silicon etching to form measurement structures for semiconductor fabrication |
US6550339B1 (en) * | 1999-05-06 | 2003-04-22 | Denso Corporation | Pressure sensor for detecting differential pressure between two spaces |
US6230567B1 (en) * | 1999-08-03 | 2001-05-15 | The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. | Low thermal strain flexure support for a micromechanical device |
US6386032B1 (en) * | 1999-08-26 | 2002-05-14 | Analog Devices Imi, Inc. | Micro-machined accelerometer with improved transfer characteristics |
US6508124B1 (en) * | 1999-09-10 | 2003-01-21 | Stmicroelectronics S.R.L. | Microelectromechanical structure insensitive to mechanical stresses |
US6512255B2 (en) * | 1999-09-17 | 2003-01-28 | Denso Corporation | Semiconductor pressure sensor device having sensor chip covered with protective member |
US20040065932A1 (en) * | 1999-12-21 | 2004-04-08 | Frank Reichenbach | Sensor with at least one micromechanical structure and method for production thereof |
US6521508B1 (en) * | 1999-12-31 | 2003-02-18 | Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd. | Method of manufacturing a contact plug in a semiconductor device using selective epitaxial growth of silicon process |
US6516671B2 (en) * | 2000-01-06 | 2003-02-11 | Rosemount Inc. | Grain growth of electrical interconnection for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) |
US6352935B1 (en) * | 2000-01-18 | 2002-03-05 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Method of forming a cover cap for semiconductor wafer devices |
US6858910B2 (en) * | 2000-01-26 | 2005-02-22 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Method of fabricating a molded package for micromechanical devices |
US6507082B2 (en) * | 2000-02-22 | 2003-01-14 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Flip-chip assembly of protected micromechanical devices |
US6392144B1 (en) * | 2000-03-01 | 2002-05-21 | Sandia Corporation | Micromechanical die attachment surcharge |
US6373007B1 (en) * | 2000-04-19 | 2002-04-16 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force | Series and shunt mems RF switch |
US6551853B2 (en) * | 2000-05-12 | 2003-04-22 | Denso Corporation | Sensor having membrane structure and method for manufacturing the same |
US6396711B1 (en) * | 2000-06-06 | 2002-05-28 | Agere Systems Guardian Corp. | Interconnecting micromechanical devices |
US20020016058A1 (en) * | 2000-06-15 | 2002-02-07 | Bin Zhao | Microelectronic air-gap structures and methods of forming the same |
US6508126B2 (en) * | 2000-07-21 | 2003-01-21 | Denso Corporation | Dynamic quantity sensor having movable and fixed electrodes with high rigidity |
US6521965B1 (en) * | 2000-09-12 | 2003-02-18 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Integrated pressure sensor |
US20040016989A1 (en) * | 2000-10-12 | 2004-01-29 | Qing Ma | MEMS device integrated chip package, and method of making same |
US6555417B2 (en) * | 2000-12-05 | 2003-04-29 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Method and device for protecting micro electromechanical system structures during dicing of a wafer |
US20030054588A1 (en) * | 2000-12-07 | 2003-03-20 | Reflectivity, Inc., A California Corporation | Methods for depositing, releasing and packaging micro-electromechanical devices on wafer substrates |
US6522052B2 (en) * | 2000-12-28 | 2003-02-18 | Denso Corporation | Multilayer-type piezoelectric actuator |
US6531340B2 (en) * | 2001-02-23 | 2003-03-11 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Low temperature die attaching material for BOC packages |
US6555904B1 (en) * | 2001-03-05 | 2003-04-29 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Electrically shielded glass lid for a packaged device |
US20030016337A1 (en) * | 2001-03-19 | 2003-01-23 | Duncan Walter M. | MEMS device with controlled gas space chemistry |
US6531767B2 (en) * | 2001-04-09 | 2003-03-11 | Analog Devices Inc. | Critically aligned optical MEMS dies for large packaged substrate arrays and method of manufacture |
US6558976B2 (en) * | 2001-04-09 | 2003-05-06 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Critically aligned optical MEMS dies for large packaged substrate arrays and method of manufacture |
US6552404B1 (en) * | 2001-04-17 | 2003-04-22 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Integratable transducer structure |
US20030002019A1 (en) * | 2001-06-30 | 2003-01-02 | Seth Miller | Lubricating micro-machined devices using fluorosurfactants |
US20030038327A1 (en) * | 2001-08-24 | 2003-02-27 | Honeywell International, Inc. | Hermetically sealed silicon micro-machined electromechanical system (MEMS) device having diffused conductors |
US6508561B1 (en) * | 2001-10-17 | 2003-01-21 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Optical mirror coatings for high-temperature diffusion barriers and mirror shaping |
US6716275B1 (en) * | 2001-12-11 | 2004-04-06 | Sandia Corporation | Gas impermeable glaze for sealing a porous ceramic surface |
US6739497B2 (en) * | 2002-05-13 | 2004-05-25 | International Busines Machines Corporation | SMT passive device noflow underfill methodology and structure |
US6847124B2 (en) * | 2002-06-04 | 2005-01-25 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof |
US20050101059A1 (en) * | 2003-10-24 | 2005-05-12 | Xhp Microsystems, Inc. | Method and system for hermetically sealing packages for optics |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US8426233B1 (en) * | 2009-01-09 | 2013-04-23 | Integrated Device Technology, Inc. | Methods of packaging microelectromechanical resonators |
US8901432B2 (en) | 2011-09-30 | 2014-12-02 | Honeywell International Inc. | Mitigation of block bending in a ring laser gyroscope caused by thermal expansion or compression of a circuit board |
US8905635B2 (en) | 2011-09-30 | 2014-12-09 | Honeywell International Inc. | Temperature sensor attachment facilitating thermal conductivity to a measurement point and insulation from a surrounding environment |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20070170438A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US20160167950A1 (en) | 2016-06-16 |
US20190055121A1 (en) | 2019-02-21 |
US9440845B2 (en) | 2016-09-13 |
US20240002218A1 (en) | 2024-01-04 |
US20070170530A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US20180044176A1 (en) | 2018-02-15 |
US20170101310A1 (en) | 2017-04-13 |
US9434608B2 (en) | 2016-09-06 |
WO2007087021A2 (en) | 2007-08-02 |
US20070172976A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US20150041928A1 (en) | 2015-02-12 |
US9758371B2 (en) | 2017-09-12 |
US20070170439A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US20210221678A1 (en) | 2021-07-22 |
US8871551B2 (en) | 2014-10-28 |
US20070170440A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US10450190B2 (en) | 2019-10-22 |
US20200079646A1 (en) | 2020-03-12 |
US20070170532A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US20070181962A1 (en) | 2007-08-09 |
US20070170528A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US20070170531A1 (en) | 2007-07-26 |
US10099917B2 (en) | 2018-10-16 |
WO2007087021A3 (en) | 2007-11-29 |
US11685650B2 (en) | 2023-06-27 |
US10766768B2 (en) | 2020-09-08 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US10766768B2 (en) | Encapsulated microelectromechanical structure | |
US7115436B2 (en) | Integrated getter area for wafer level encapsulated microelectromechanical systems | |
US7956428B2 (en) | Microelectromechanical devices and fabrication methods | |
US20080290494A1 (en) | Backside release and/or encapsulation of microelectromechanical structures and method of manufacturing same | |
CN102001614B (en) | MEMS devices and method for manufacturing same | |
US7075160B2 (en) | Microelectromechanical systems and devices having thin film encapsulated mechanical structures | |
EP1352877B1 (en) | Wafer-level MEMS packaging |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |