MEMS heater or emitter structure for fast heating and cooling cycles
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorChristoph Glacer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to various embodiments, a MEMS device includes a substrate, an electrically movable heating element having a first node coupled to a first terminal of a first voltage source and the second node coupled to a reference voltage source, a first anchor anchoring the first node and a second anchor anchoring the second node of the electrically movable heating element to the substrate, and a cavity between the first anchor and the second anchor and between the electrically movable heating element and the substrate.
Claims20
A method for forming a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) heater element, the method comprising:
- forming a dielectric layer over a substrate;
- patterning the dielectric layer to form a cavity within the dielectric layer;
- forming a sacrificial layer in the cavity;
- depositing a first insulating layer over the sacrificial layer;
- depositing a resistive conductor layer over the first insulating layer;
- patterning the resistive conductor layer to form a heater element that overlies the cavity and extends to two regions of the dielectric layer;
- and
- removing the sacrificial layer from the cavity so that a portion of the heater element is spaced from the substrate.
A micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate;
- a cavity formed in the dielectric layer;
- and
- a heater element overlying the cavity and extending to two regions of the dielectric layer, the heater element comprising a first insulating layer and a resistive conductive layer disposed over the first insulating layer.
A method for forming a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) heater element, the method comprising:
- forming a cavity with a region of material;
- forming a movable membrane anchored to the region of material and overlying the cavity, the movable membrane including an electrically movable heating element;
- forming a first piezo material physically attached the movable membrane at a first portion of the region of material;
- and
- forming a second piezo material physically attached the movable membrane at a second portion of the region of material, wherein the first and second piezo materials are configured to cause the movable membrane to move between a first position at a top of the cavity to a second position within the cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.