Planar cavity MEMS and related structures, methods of manufacture and design structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10906803-B2
Application number	US-201916448533-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 25, 2010
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a beam structure and an electrode on an insulator layer, remote from the beam structure. The method further includes forming at least one sacrificial layer over the beam structure, and remote from the electrode. The method further includes forming a lid structure over the at least one sacrificial layer and the electrode. The method further includes providing simultaneously a vent hole through the lid structure to expose the sacrificial layer and to form a partial via over the electrode. The method further includes venting the sacrificial layer to form a cavity. The method further includes sealing the vent hole with material. The method further includes forming a final via in the lid structure to the electrode, through the partial via.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method in a computer-aided design system for generating a functional design model of a MEMS, the method comprising:
generating a functional representation of simultaneously providing a vent hole through a lid structure to expose a sacrificial layer and to form a partial via over an electrode;
generating a functional representation of venting the sacrificial layer to form a cavity; and
generating a functional representation of forming a final via in the lid structure to the electrode, through the partial via,
wherein the partial via has a larger cross section diameter than a remaining portion of the final via, and
the functional design model of the MEMS is generated to manufacture a MEMS device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the final via has a tapered angle.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
generating a functional representation of the electrode remote from a beam structure;
generating a functional representation of forming a sacrificial material on discrete wires;
generating a functional representation of forming the beam structure on the sacrificial material;
generating a functional representation of forming an insulator layer over the sacrificial material; and
generating a functional representation of forming a cavity via in the insulator layer, exposing a portion of the sacrificial material, wherein:
the sacrificial layer is formed in the cavity via; and
the venting comprises venting the sacrificial material and the sacrificial layer to form at least a lower cavity and an upper cavity, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising generating a functional representation of sealing the vent hole with material.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the sealing the vent hole with material includes generating a functional representation of depositing the material on a surface of the partial via, and forming the final via includes etching through the material in the partial via and continuing to etch the lid structure to the electrode.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the sealing the vent hole comprises generating a functional representation of depositing dielectric material, which covers a surface of the lid structure within the partial via.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the generating the functional representation of forming the final via includes etching through the dielectric material within the partial via.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising generating a functional representation of forming a nitride cap on the dielectric material, including within the partial via.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the generating the functional representation of forming the final via includes etching through the nitride cap within the partial via.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating a functional representation of forming polyimide material on the nitride cap within the partial via, wherein the forming of the final via includes etching through an opening in the polymide material and within the partial via.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polyimide material is formed on the nitride cap prior to forming the final via.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising removing oxide and hydrogen on an exposed surface of the sacrificial layer prior to venting the sacrificial layer.

13. The method of claim 4 , wherein the material includes dielectric material and a nitride cap.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vent hole is provided greater than 5 microns away from both the partial via and the final via.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial layer is vented using a XeF 2 etchant through the vent hole.

16. The method of claim 4 , wherein the material includes metal and a silicon nitride film.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Herrin Russell T
• Maling Jeffrey C
• Stamper Anthony K

Classifications

• H01H59/0009

  making use of micromechanics · CPC title

• H01H1/0036

  Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] (for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009) · CPC title

• B81C1/00349

  Creating layers of material on a substrate · CPC title

• B81B3/0018

  Structures acting upon the moving or flexible element for transforming energy into mechanical movement or vice versa, i.e. actuators, sensors, generators · CPC title

• H01H57/00

  Electrostrictive relays; Piezoelectric relays · CPC title