System and method for array of MEMS elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12497288-B2
Application number	US-202217843816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Sep 3, 2021
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

In an example, a method of manufacturing a MEMS device includes forming a via. The method also includes depositing metal in the via and depositing a first layer of a non-photoactive organic polymer on the metal. The method includes baking the first layer of the non-photoactive organic polymer. The method also includes depositing a second layer of the non-photoactive organic polymer on the first layer of the non-photoactive organic polymer after baking the first layer of the non-photoactive organic polymer. The method includes baking the second layer of the non-photoactive organic polymer. The method also includes etching the first layer and the second layer of the non-photoactive organic polymer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical (MEMS) device, the method comprising:
forming a via; depositing metal in the via; depositing a first layer of an organic polymer on the metal; baking the first layer of the organic polymer; depositing a second layer of the organic polymer on the first layer of the organic polymer after baking the first layer of the organic polymer; baking the second layer of the organic polymer; and etching the first layer and the second layer of the organic polymer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organic polymer is a spin-on carbon.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organic polymer is a methacrylate polymer.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein etching the organic polymer includes performing a plasma etch.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing a spacer material on the second layer of the organic polymer; creating one or more mirror vias in the spacer material; and depositing a mirror material on the spacer material.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
removing the spacer material, the first layer of the organic polymer, and the second layer of the organic polymer to release the MEMS device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second layer of the organic polymer has a thickness between 1,000 and 10,000 Angstroms.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second layer of the organic polymer is baked between 175 and 185 degrees Celsius.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein etching the organic polymer includes exposing a portion of the metal in the via.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal in the via forms a hinge for the MEMS device.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal has a thickness between 100 and 1,000 Angstroms.

12 . A method, comprising:
depositing a spacer material over a substrate; patterning the spacer material to form patterned spacer material; depositing a metal layer over the patterned spacer material; depositing an oxide film over the metal layer; etching a portion of the oxide film, wherein the oxide film remains at a sidewall and a bottom of the patterned spacer material; patterning the metal layer with a pattern; etching the pattern into the metal layer; depositing a first layer of an organic polymer over the metal layer; baking the first layer of the organic polymer; depositing a second layer of the organic polymer over the first layer of the organic polymer; baking the second layer of the organic polymer; and etching the organic polymer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the organic polymer is a spin-on carbon.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second layer of the organic polymer has a thickness between 1,000 and 10,000 Angstroms.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein patterning the spacer material includes creating a via in the spacer material.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the via is between 0.3 and 6.0 micrometers deep.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the metal layer is a hinge metal for a spatial light modulator.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the metal layer is between 100 and 1000 Angstroms thick.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the oxide film is between 1000 and 10,000 Angstroms thick.

20 . A method for manufacturing a phase light modulator, the method comprising:
forming a via for a hinge of the phase light modulator (PLM); depositing metal in the via to form the hinge; depositing a first layer of an organic polymer over the hinge; baking the first layer of the organic polymer; depositing a second layer of the organic polymer on the first layer of the organic polymer after baking the first layer of the organic polymer; baking the second layer of the organic polymer; and etching the first layer and the second layer of the organic polymer to reveal a portion of the hinge of the PLM.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• O'Brien Sean Christopher
• Taylor Kelly Jay
• Hamlin Iii John Wesley
• Beard Christopher Murray

Classifications

• B81C2201/018

  Plasma polymerization, i.e. monomer or polymer deposition · CPC title

• G02B26/06

  for controlling the phase of light (G02B26/08 takes precedence {, measuring optical phase difference G01J9/00}) · CPC title

• B81B2201/042

  Micromirrors, not used as optical switches · CPC title

• B81C2201/0132

  Dry etching, i.e. plasma etching, barrel etching, reactive ion etching [RIE], sputter etching or ion milling · CPC title

• B81C1/00158

  Diaphragms, membranes (manufacture process for semi-permeable inorganic membranes B01D67/0039) · CPC title