Method of manufacturing a microstructure
AssigneeMemsstar Limited
InventorAnthony O'HARA
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Abstract
There is provided a method of producing a microstructure comprising silicon nitride (Si3N4) the method comprising employing a hydrogen fluoride (HF) vapour to etch a sacrificial layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and thereafter removing a residual layer formed when the HF vapour also etches the silicon nitride (Si3N4). The residual layer comprises silicon and various techniques are disclosed for removing such layers. These techniques may be applied concurrently, or sequentially, to the microstructure. The described methodologies therefore produce microstructures that exhibits reduced levels of silicon residue when as compared to those techniques known in the art.
Claims12
A method of producing a microstructure that comprises silicon rich silicon nitride (Si3N4) and a sacrificial layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2), the method comprising:
- employing a hydrogen fluoride (HF) vapour to etch the sacrificial layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2);
- and
- once the HF vapour etch is complete, subsequently removing a residual layer comprising silicon formed by the HF vapour etching the silicon rich silicon nitride (Si3N4).
A method of producing a microstructure that comprises silicon nitride (Si3N4), the method comprising:
- employing a hydrogen fluoride (1f) vapour to etch a sacrificial layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2);
- and
- once the HF vapour etch is complete, subsequently removing a solid silicon residual layer formed by the HF vapour etching the silicon nitride (Si3N4).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.