Method for producing a microelectromechanical transducer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9637379-B2
Application number	US-201414909105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2014
Priority date	Aug 6, 2013
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A method can be used for producing a microelectromechanical transducer. A plurality of microelectromechanical transducers are produced on a single wafer. Each transducer includes a diaphragm. The wafer is divided into at least a first and a second region. The mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the first region are established and the values are compared with a predetermined desired value. The mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the second region are established and the values are compared with the predetermined desired value. The tensions of the diaphragms in the first region are adjusted to the predetermined desired value, and the tensions of the diaphragms in the second region are adjusted to the predetermined desired value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a microelectromechanical transducer, the method comprising:
producing a plurality of microelectromechanical transducers on a single wafer, wherein each transducer comprises a diaphragm;
dividing the wafer into a first region and a second region;
establishing mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the first region;
comparing values of the established mechanical tensions of the random sample of diaphragms of the first region with a predetermined desired value;
establishing mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the second region;
comparing values of the established mechanical tensions of the random sample of diaphragms of the second region with the predetermined desired value;
adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the first region to the predetermined desired value; and
adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the second region to the predetermined desired value.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, when adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the first region, the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the second region remain unchanged.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein establishing mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the first region comprises measuring a capacitance of the respective transducer in dependence upon an applied electrical voltage and ascertaining the mechanical tension of the diaphragm from the measured capacitance.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein measuring the capacitance comprises using a measuring tip that is placed against the diaphragm and wherein a change in the capacitance is taken into consideration when positioning the measuring tip.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms of the first and second regions in a common method step that is performed prior to dividing the wafer into a first and a second region.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the first region comprises adjusting thicknesses of all diaphragms in the first region in a common method step.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein adjusting the thicknesses of the diaphragms in the first region comprises performing localized etching of the first region.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the localized etching is performed by a plasma etching method or by a chemical etching method in a gas, vapor or liquid phase.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the localized etching comprises a halogen-based method.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein adjusting the thicknesses of the diaphragms in the first region comprises increasing the thicknesses by performing a localized deposition of material in the first region.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein performing the localized deposition comprises performing a localized deposition of silicon nitride.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the mechanical tension of the diaphragms in the first region comprises implanting foreign atoms, foreign ions, or foreign molecules in the diaphragm.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each transducer comprises a spacer comprising a substance that has a glass transition temperature and a substrate;
wherein each of the diaphragms is fastened to the spacer and spaced apart from the substrate; and
wherein the method comprises heating the transducer to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the substance.

14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising separating the wafer into transducers that are separate from one another, wherein the wafer is separated after the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms have been adjusted.

15. A method for producing a plurality of microelectromechanical transducers, the method comprising:
producing a plurality of microelectromechanical transducers on a single wafer, wherein each transducer comprises a diaphragm;
dividing the wafer into a first region, a second region, a third region and a fourth region, each region including about one quarter of the wafer;
establishing mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the first region;
comparing values of the established mechanical tensions of the random sample of diaphragms of the first region with a predetermined desired value;
establishing mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the second region;
comparing values of the established mechanical tensions of the random sample of diaphragms of the second region with the predetermined desired value;
establishing mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the third region;
comparing values of the established mechanical tensions of the random sample of diaphragms of the third region with a predetermined desired value;
establishing mechanical tensions of a random sample of diaphragms of the fourth region;
comparing values of the established mechanical tensions of the random sample of diaphragms of the fourth region with a predetermined desired value;
adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the first region to the predetermined desired value;
adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the second region to the predetermined desired value;
adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the third region to the predetermined desired value;
adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the fourth region to the predetermined desired value; and
separating the wafer into transducers that are separate from one another, wherein the wafer is separated after the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms of the first, second, third and fourth regions have been adjusted.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein, when adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in one of the regions, the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the other regions remain unchanged.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the first region comprises adjusting thicknesses of all diaphragms in the first region in a common method step;
wherein adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the second region comprises adjusting thicknesses of all diaphragms in the second region in a common method step;
wherein adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the third region comprises adjusting thicknesses of all diaphragms in the third region in a common method step; and
wherein adjusting the mechanical tensions of the diaphragms in the fourth region comprises adjusting thicknesses of all diaphragms in the fourth region in a common method step.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein adjusting the mechanical tension of the diaphragms in the first region comprises implanting foreign atoms, foreign ions, or foreign molecules in the diaphragm.

Assignees

• Epcos Ag
• Tdk Corp

Inventors

• Giesen Marcel
• Metzger Thomas
• Ekkels Phillip
• Schäufele Ansgar

Classifications

• B81C1/00666

  Treatments for controlling internal stress or strain in MEMS structures · CPC title

• B81B2201/0264

  Pressure sensors · CPC title

• B81C1/00682 Primary

  Treatments for improving mechanical properties, not provided for in B81C1/00658 - B81C1/0065 · CPC title

• B81B2201/0257

  Microphones or microspeakers · CPC title

• B81C99/004

  during manufacturing · CPC title