# US 2013/0154033 A1 · Micro-electro-mechanical system (mems) structures and design structures

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- Number: US 2013/0154033 A1
- Document ID: US20130154033A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/758,447
- Filed: 2013-02-04
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Brian M. CZABAJ; David A. DeMUYNCK; Anthony K. STAMPER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154033A1

## CPC

- H10D 48/50: Devices controlled by mechanical forces, e.g. pressure
- B81C 1/0015: {Cantilevers (switches using MEMS H01H1/0036; electrostatic relays using micromechanics H01H59/0009; microelectro-mechanical resonators H03H9/02244)}
- B81C 1/00246: {Monolithic integration, i.e. micromechanical structure and electronic processing unit are integrated on the same substrate}
- G06F 30/39: Circuit design at the physical level (physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347)
- B81B 2201/014: having a cantilever fixed on one side connected to one or more dimples
- B81B 2203/0118: Cantilevers
- B81B 2207/015: the micromechanical device and the control or processing electronics being integrated on the same substrate
- H01H 2057/006: {Micromechanical piezoelectric relay}
- Y10T 428/239: Complete cover or casing
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- 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)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B81B: MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES (piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/00, H10N35/00)
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method includes layering metal and insulator materials on a sacrificial material formed on a substrate. The method further includes masking the layered metal and insulator materials. The method further includes forming an opening in the masking which overlaps with the sacrificial material. The method further includes etching the layered metal and insulator materials in a single etching process to form the beam structure, such that edges of the layered metal and insulator material are aligned. The method further includes forming a cavity about the beam structure through a venting.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A structure comprising a composite beam structure having self aligned edges and located between an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the composite beam structure comprises a metal, oxide and metal layering.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the composite beam structure comprises:
a first insulator layer;
a first metal layer on the first insulator layer;
a second insulator layer on the first metal layer;
a second metal layer on the second insulator layer; and
a third insulator layer on the second metal layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The structure of claim 3, further comprising an oxide bump extending below the first metal layer, and facing a fixed electrode formed on a substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The structure of claim 3, further comprising a wiring on a same level as the first metal layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The structure of claim 3, further comprising a wiring on a same level as the second metal layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The structure of claim 3, wherein the composite beam structure is a cantilever beam.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the composite beam structure is a cantilever beam.

### Claim 9

A method in a computer-aided design system for generating a functional design model of a MEMS structure, the method comprising:
generating a functional representation of a composite beam structure having self aligned edges and located between an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the functional design model comprises a netlist.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the functional design model resides on a storage medium as a data format used for the exchange of layout data of integrated circuits.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the functional design model resides in a programmable gate array.