Arched membrane structure for MEMS device
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsJhao-Yi Wang, Chin-Yu Ku, Wen-Hsiung Lu, Lung-Kai Mao, Ming-Da Cheng
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Abstract
A method includes bonding a supporting substrate to a semiconductor substrate of a wafer. A bonding layer is between, and is bonded to both of, the supporting substrate and the semiconductor substrate. A first etching process is performed to etch the supporting substrate and to form an opening, which penetrates through the supporting substrate and stops on the bonding layer. The opening has substantially straight edges. The bonding layer is then etched. A second etching process is performed to extend the opening down into the semiconductor substrate. A bottom portion of the opening is curved.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- bonding a supporting substrate to a semiconductor substrate of a wafer, wherein a bonding layer is between, and is bonded to both of, the supporting substrate and the semiconductor substrate;
- performing a first etching process to etch the supporting substrate and to form an opening, wherein the opening penetrates through the supporting substrate and stops on the bonding layer, and wherein the opening has substantially straight edges;
- etching-through the bonding layer;
- and
- performing a second etching process to extend the opening down into the semiconductor substrate, wherein a bottom portion of the opening is curved.
A method comprising:
- forming integrated circuit devices at a first surface of a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a plurality of dielectric layers over the semiconductor substrate;
- forming a bonding layer on the plurality of dielectric layers;
- bonding a supporting substrate to the bonding layer, wherein the bonding layer is in contact with the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- etching the supporting substrate, the bonding layer, and the semiconductor substrate to form an opening, wherein a second surface of a portion of the semiconductor substrate is exposed to the opening, and in a side view of the semiconductor substrate viewed in a direction parallel to an interface between the semiconductor substrate and the bonding layer, the second surface of the portion of the semiconductor substrate is arched, and wherein the second surface is curved when viewed in the side view.
A method comprising:
- forming a plurality of dielectric layers over a semiconductor substrate;
- bonding a bonding layer to the semiconductor substrate;
- bonding a supporting substrate to the bonding layer;
- and
- forming an opening penetrating through the bonding layer and the supporting substrate, wherein the opening further extends into the semiconductor substrate, so that a portion of the semiconductor substrate aligned to the opening forms a membrane, wherein the membrane is configured to vibrate, and wherein edge portions of the membrane have first thicknesses increasingly greater than second thicknesses of middle portions of the membrane, and wherein the first thicknesses and the second thicknesses are measured in a direction perpendicular to an interface between the semiconductor substrate and the bonding layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.