Micromechanical Structure and Method for Fabricating the Same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016353210-A1
Application number	US-201514724224-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A micromechanical structure comprises a substrate and a functional structure arranged at the substrate. The functional structure comprises a functional region which is deflectable with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region. The functional structure comprises a carbon layer arrangement, wherein a basis material of the carbon layer arrangement is a carbon material.

First claim

1 . A micromechanical structure comprising:
a substrate; and a functional structure arranged at the substrate; wherein the functional structure comprises a functional region which is deflectable with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region; wherein the functional structure comprises a carbon layer arrangement comprising a layer, wherein a basis material of the layer of the carbon layer arrangement is a carbon material; and wherein an average amount of the carbon material within the carbon layer material varies within the layer of the carbon layer arrangement along a thickness direction of the functional structure.

2 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 1 , wherein an average amount of the carbon material in the layer of the carbon layer arrangement is at least 90% at a region of the carbon layer arrangement.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon material of the carbon layer arrangement comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having an sp 2 hybridization and the second portion having an sp 3 hybridization, wherein an average amount of the first portion or of the second portion varies within the layer of the carbon layer arrangement along a thickness direction of the functional structure.

5 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 1 , wherein the layer of the carbon layer arrangement comprises a doping material of the carbon material, wherein an average concentration of the doping material is at least 0.001% at a region of the carbon layer arrangement.

6 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 5 , wherein the doping material is one of a boron material, a silicon material, a metal material, a nitrogen material, a fluorine material, a hydrogen material and a phosphorus material.

7 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 1 , wherein a base area of the layer of the carbon layer arrangement comprises at least a part of a circular shape, a ring shape, a star shape, a polygon shape, an elliptical shape, a honeycomb structured shape or a combination thereof.

8 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 1 , wherein the functional structure is a membrane structure and wherein the micromechanical structure is a part of a sound transducer structure.

9 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 1 , wherein the functional structure is a bending beam structure comprising a cantilevered portion and the deflectable functional region.

10 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 1 , wherein a lateral extension of the functional structure along a lateral direction perpendicular to a thickness direction is at least 50 times greater than a thickness of the functional structure along the thickness direction.

11 . A micromechanical sound transducer comprising the micromechanical structure according to claim 1 .

12 . The micromechanical sound transducer according to claim 11 , wherein the micromechanical sound transducer is a microphone.

13 . The micromechanical sound transducer according to claim 11 , wherein the micromechanical sound transducer is a loudspeaker.

14 . A micromechanical structure comprising:
a substrate; and a functional structure arranged at the substrate; wherein the functional structure comprises a functional region which is deflectable with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region; wherein the functional structure comprises a base layer arrangement and a functional layer; wherein a basis material of the functional layer is a carbon material; and wherein an average amount of the carbon material within the functional layer varies along a thickness direction of the functional structure.

15 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 14 , wherein the base layer arrangement is a conductive base layer arrangement.

16 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 14 , wherein an average amount of the carbon material in the functional layer is at least 90% at a region of the functional layer.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 14 , wherein the functional layer comprises a doping material of the carbon material, wherein an average concentration of the doping material is at least 0.001% at a region of the functional layer.

19 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 18 , wherein the doping material is one of a boron material, a silicon material, a metal material, a nitrogen material, a fluorine material, a hydrogen material and a phosphorus material.

20 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 19 , wherein a base area of the functional layer comprises at least a part of a circular shape, a ring shape, a star shape, a polygon shape, an elliptical shape, a honeycomb structured shape or a combination thereof.

21 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 14 , wherein the functional structure is a membrane structure and wherein the micromechanical structure is part of a sound transducer structure.

22 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 14 , wherein the functional structure is a bending beam structure comprising a cantilevered portion and the deflectable functional region.

23 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 14 , wherein a first portion of the carbon material comprises an sp 3 hybridization.

24 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 23 , wherein the first portion is at least 30% of the carbon material.

25 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 23 , wherein an average amount of the carbon material comprising the sp 3 hybridization varies along a thickness direction of the functional structure.

26 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 14 , wherein a second portion of the carbon material comprises an sp 2 hybridization.

27 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 26 , wherein the second portion is at least 30% of the carbon material.

28 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 23 , wherein an average amount of the carbon material comprising the sp 2 hybridization varies along a thickness direction of the functional structure.

29 . The micromechanical structure according to claim 23 , wherein the carbon material essentially comprises an sp 3 hybridization and wherein the base layer arrangement comprises a basis material being carbon essentially comprising an sp 2 hybridization.

30 . A micromechanical sound transducer comprising a micromechanical structure according to claim 14 .

31 . The micromechanical sound transducer according to claim 30 , wherein the micromechanical sound transducer is a microphone.

32 . The micromechanical sound transducer according to claim 30 , wherein the micromechanical sound transducer is a loudspeaker.

33 - 36 . (canceled)

37 . A micromechanical structure comprising:
a substrate; and a functional structure arranged at the substrate, wherein the functional structure comprises a functional region which is deflectable with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region, wherein the functional structure comprises a carbon layer arrangement comprising a l

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Schmid Ulrich
• Frischmuth Tobias
• Irsigler Peter
• Grille Thomas
• Maurer Daniel
• Hedenig Ursula
• Kahn Markus
• Denifl Guenter
• Schneider Michael

Classifications

• B81C2201/0167

  by adding further layers of materials having complementary strains, i.e. compressive or tensile strain · CPC title

• B81B3/0064

  Constitution or structural means for improving or controlling the physical properties of a device · CPC title

• B81C1/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate (B81C3/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B81B2203/0118

  Cantilevers · CPC title

• H04R31/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)} · CPC title