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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9862598-B2
Application number	US-201514840422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2015
Priority date	Jun 25, 2010
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

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 a beam structure;
generating a functional representation of an electrode on an insulator layer, remote from the beam structure;
generating a functional representation of at least one sacrificial layer over the beam structure, and remote from the electrode;
generating a functional representation of a lid structure over the at least one sacrificial layer and the electrode;
generating a functional representation of simultaneously providing a vent hole through the lid structure to expose the sacrificial layer and to form a partial via over the electrode;
generating a functional representation of venting the sacrificial layer to form a cavity;
generating a functional representation of sealing the vent hole with material; 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 function design model of the MEMS is generated to manufacture a MEMS device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
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 the 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.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealing the vent hole comprises depositing dielectric material, which covers a surface of the lid structure within the partial via.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material includes dielectric material and a nitride cap.

5. 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.

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

7. 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 a beam structure;
generating a functional representation of an electrode on an insulator layer, remote from the beam structure;
generating a functional representation of at least one sacrificial layer over the beam structure, and remote from the electrode;
generating a functional representation of a lid structure over the at least one sacrificial layer and the electrode;
generating a functional representation of simultaneously providing a vent hole through the lid structure to expose the sacrificial layer and to form a partial via over the electrode;
generating a functional representation of venting the sacrificial layer to form a cavity;
generating a functional representation of sealing the vent hole with material; and
generating a functional representation of forming a final via in the lid structure to the electrode, through the partial via;
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 the 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,
the venting comprises venting the sacrificial material and the sacrificial layer to form at least a lower cavity and an upper cavity, respectively,
the function design model of the MEMS is generated to manufacture a MEMS device,
the sealing the vent hole with material includes 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.

8. 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 a beam structure;
generating a functional representation of an electrode on an insulator layer, remote from the beam structure;
generating a functional representation of at least one sacrificial layer over the beam structure, and remote from the electrode;
generating a functional representation of a lid structure over the at least one sacrificial layer and the electrode;
generating a functional representation of simultaneously providing a vent hole through the lid structure to expose the sacrificial layer and to form a partial via over the electrode;
generating a functional representation of venting the sacrificial layer to form a cavity;
generating a functional representation of sealing the vent hole with material; and
generating a functional representation of forming a final via in the lid structure to the electrode, through the partial via,
wherein the sealing the vent hole comprises depositing dielectric material, which covers a surface of the lid structure within the partial via,
the function design model of the MEMS is generated to manufacture a MEMS device, and
the forming the final via includes etching through the dielectric material within the partial via.

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

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the forming the final via includes etching through the nitride cap within the partial via.

11. The method of claim 10 , 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.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• Y10T29/435

  Solid dielectric type · CPC title

• B81C2201/013

  Etching · CPC title

• Y10T29/4913

  Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc. · CPC title

• H01H57/00

  Electrostrictive relays; Piezoelectric relays · CPC title

• H01H1/0036

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