# US 12,006,205 B2 · Micro-device structures with etch holes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,205 B2 - Document ID: US12006205B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/475,046 - Filed: 2021-09-14 - Published: 2022-04-14 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-08 - Assignees: X-Celeprint Limited - Applicants: X-Celeprint Limited - Inventors: António José Marques Trindade; Pierluigi Rubino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006205B2 ## CPC - B81B 1/004: {Through-holes, i.e. extending from one face to the other face of the wafer} - B81C 1/00476: {removing a sacrificial layer (B81C1/00912 takes precedence)} - H10N 30/306: {Cantilevers} - B81B 2201/058: Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054 - B81B 2203/0118: Cantilevers - B81B 2203/0307: Anchors - B81B 2203/0353: Holes - B81B: MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES (piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/00, H10N35/00) - B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01) - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A micro-device structure comprises a source substrate having a sacrificial layer comprising a sacrificial portion adjacent to an anchor portion, a micro-device disposed completely over the sacrificial portion, the micro-device having a top side opposite the sacrificial portion and a bottom side adjacent to the sacrificial portion and comprising an etch hole that extends through the micro-device from the top side to the bottom side, and a tether that physically connects the micro-device to the anchor portion. A micro-device structure comprises a micro-device disposed on a target substrate. Micro-devices can be any one or more of an antenna, a micro-heater, a power device, a MEMs device, and a micro-fluidic reservoir. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A micro-device structure, comprising: a micro-device comprising a micro-device substrate having a top side and a bottom side and comprising one or more etch holes, wherein each of the one or more etch holes is an etch hole that extends entirely through an interior portion of the micro-device substrate from the top side to the bottom side; one or more anchors; and one or more tethers physically connecting the micro-device to the one or more anchors, wherein at least one of the one or more etch holes has a length-to-width aspect ratio no less than 2:1. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein: (i) any straight line parallel to an edge side of the micro-device drawn from a concave corner disposed on a first edge side of the micro-device to a second edge side of the micro-device opposite the first edge side contacts at least one of the one or more etch holes, wherein the concave corner is defined by the micro-device and/or the one or more tethers; (ii) any orthogonal line segment angle drawn from a first concave corner disposed on a first edge side of the micro-device to a second concave corner disposed on a second edge side of the micro-device adjacent to the first edge side contacts at least one of the one or more etch holes, wherein the first concave corner and the second concave corner are each defined by the micro-device and/or the one or more tethers; (iii) at least one of the one or more etch holes comprises two or more portions that extend in different directions and is disposed closer to a center of the micro-device than to any edge side of the micro-device; or (iv) any combination of (i), (ii), and (iii). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-device is unitary. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more anchors comprise an anchor that surrounds the micro-device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more anchors comprise an anchor that surrounds two or more edge sides around a perimeter of the micro-device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein no etch hole intersects an edge of the micro-device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein at least one etch hole is disposed at an angle that is not parallel or orthogonal to an edge side of the micro-device or wherein at least one etch hole forms an x (‘x’) shape, a plus (‘+’) shape, a T (‘T’) shape, a Y (‘Y’) shape, or a cross shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, comprising a source substrate and wherein each of the one or more anchors is disposed on or is a portion of the source substrate and the micro-device is separated from the source substrate by a cavity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The micro-device structure of claim 8, wherein the source substrate has a crystalline structure that is anisotropically etchable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The micro-device structure of claim 8, wherein the source substrate is made of silicon. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The micro-device structure of claim 8, wherein the source substrate has a crystalline structure with a {100} orientation and the bottom side of the micro-device is substantially parallel to a {100} crystal plane at a surface of the source substrate, wherein the micro-device has a micro-device edge direction oriented at an angle from 30 to 60 degrees with respect to a {110} crystal plane of the crystalline structure, wherein the micro-device comprises a micro-device edge having a direction oriented at an angle of substantially 45 degrees with respect to the {110} crystal plane, wherein the source substrate has a crystalline structure with a {100} crystal plane, or wherein the micro-device has a micro-device length greater than a micro-device width and the micro-device length is in a direction that is substantially parallel to the {100} crystal plane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more etch holes and the micro-device are both rectangular, the at least one of the one or more etch holes has an etch-hole edge, the micro-device has a micro-device edge, and the etch-hole edge is substantially parallel to, substantially orthogonal to, or substantially at 45 degrees to the micro-device edge. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more tethers are a plurality of tethers physically connecting one edge side of the micro-device to one of the one or more anchors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-device has two or more edge sides and the one or more tethers physically connect two or more edge sides of the micro-device to the one or more anchors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-device structure comprises piezoelectric material and the micro-device is or comprises a mass that mechanically stresses the piezoelectric material when mechanically perturbed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The micro-device structure of claim 15, wherein the micro-device comprises the piezoelectric material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-device comprises an added mass corresponding to the one or more etch holes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more etch holes are coated with an etch-hole protective coating. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A micro-device system, comprising: a target substrate; one or more micro-device structures according to claim 1 disposed on the target substrate, wherein the micro-device of each of the one or more micro-device structures is suspended over the target substrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The micro-device structure of claim 1, comprising a source substrate comprising a sacrificial portion, wherein each of the one or more anchors is disposed on or is a portion of the source substrate and the micro-device is disposed completely and exclusively over the sacrificial portion.