MOEMS apparatus and a method for manufacturing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9459447-B2
Application number	US-201414174367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2014
Priority date	May 24, 2009
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus is formed from a double active layer silicon on insulator (DSOI) substrate that includes first and second active layers separated by an insulating layer. An electrostatic comb drive is formed from the substrate to include a first comb formed from the first active layer and a second comb formed from the second active layer. The comb drive may be used to impart a tilting motion to a micro-mirror. The method of manufacturing provides comb teeth exhibiting an aspect ratio greater than 1:20, with an offset distance between comb teeth of the first and second combs that is less than about 6 μm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a double active layer silicon on insulator substrate including a first active layer separated from a second active layer by an insulating layer;
a first plurality of comb teeth formed in the first active layer and defined by a first plurality of cavities;
a second plurality of comb teeth formed in the second active layer and defined by a second plurality of cavities;
wherein an aspect ratio of the first and second pluralities of cavities defining the first and second pluralities of comb teeth is greater than 1:20.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pluralities of comb teeth are components of a drive selected from the group consisting of a vertical comb drive or an in-plane comb drive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio of the cavities defining the first and second pluralities of comb teeth is greater than 1:40.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a tooth in the first plurality of comb teeth and an adjacent tooth in the second plurality of comb teeth is less than 6 μm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of comb teeth in the second active layer are positioned complementary of the first plurality of comb teeth in the first active layer.

6. An apparatus, comprising:
a double active layer silicon on insulator substrate including a first active layer separated from a second active layer by an insulating layer;
a first plurality of comb teeth formed in the first active layer and defined by a first plurality of cavities;
a second plurality of comb teeth formed in the second active layer and defined by a second plurality of cavities;
wherein an aspect ratio of the first and second pluralities of cavities defining the first and second pluralities of comb teeth is greater than 1:20;
a marker cavity formed in the first active layer; and
an additional cavity formed in the second active layer opposite the marker cavity.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the marker cavity has a smaller opening than the additional cavity.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first and second pluralities of comb teeth are components of a drive selected from the group consisting of a vertical comb drive or an in-plane comb drive.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein an aspect ratio of the cavities defining the first and second pluralities of comb teeth is greater than 1:40.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a distance between a tooth in the first plurality of comb teeth and an adjacent tooth in the second plurality of comb teeth is less than 6 μm.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second plurality of comb teeth in the second active layer are positioned complementary of the first plurality of comb teeth in the first active layer.

12. An apparatus, comprising;
a double active layer silicon on insulator substrate that includes first and second active layers separated by an insulating layer, wherein the first active layer has a first plurality of designed shapes and at least one first cavity adapted to be used as a marker, and the second active layer has a second plurality of designated shapes and at least one second cavity;
wherein the second cavity is arranged at a location that essentially corresponds to a location of said first cavity; and
wherein the insulating layer extends between the first and the second cavities and is practically transparent so as to allow identification, through said second cavity, of both said first cavity and a reference point; and
wherein the second plurality of designated shapes are located at a pre-determined distance from said reference point.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein said apparatus is an electro-static comb drive is selected from among a vertical comb drive or an in-plane comb drive.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein each of said rotor and stator have an alignment accuracy of ±0.5 μm.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of designed shapes comprises a stator of an electrostatic comb drive and the second plurality of designed shapes comprises a rotor.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Int Nv

Inventors

• Medina Moshe
• Chaviv Pinchas
• Fein Yaron

Classifications

• G02B26/0841

  the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means · CPC title

• G02B26/08 Primary

  for controlling the direction of light (in light guides G02B6/35) · CPC title

• B81C1/00603 Primary

  Aligning features and geometries on both sides of a substrate, e.g. when double side etching · CPC title

• H02N1/008

  Laterally driven motors, e.g. of the comb-drive type · CPC title