Monolithic silicon membrane device fabrication process
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsErnest Bassous, Joseph M. Blum, Kevin K. Chan, Angela C. Lamberti, Constantino Lapadula, Istvan Lovas, Alan D. Wilson
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Abstract
The method of fabrication of a monolithic silicon membrane structure in which the membrane and its supporting framework are constructed from a single ultra thick body of silicon. The fabrication sequence includes the steps of providing a doped membrane layer on the silicon body, forming an apertured mask on the silicon body, and removal of an unwanted silicon region by mechanical grinding and chemical etching to provide a well opening in the silicon body terminating in the doped membrane.
Claims7
A method for fabricating a monolithic silicon membrane structure comprising the steps of:
- Step 1. providing a doped silicon region of a selected depth on a silicon wafer surface to define a membrane layer,
- Step 2. masking a portion of said wafer surface opposite said membrane layer with an apertured mask layer leaving an area of said surface unmasked,
- Step 3. removing said undoped silicon wafer material beneath said unmasked area to form a well to expose an area of said doped membrane layer corresponding to said unmasked area of said apertured mask layer,
- Step 4. removing said apertured mask layer from said silicon wafer surface and cleaning said wafer structure to provide a monolithic silicon wafer structure including a well terminating in an integrated doped membrane layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.