Method to prevent adhesion of micromechanical structures
AssigneeCarnegie Mellon University
InventorsMichael L. Reed, Takeshi Abe
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Abstract
A method is provided for inhibiting stiction of suspended microstructures during post-release-etch rinsing and drying. The microstructures are shaped to include additional convex corners at regions of the released portion of the microstructure that can undergo substantial displacement toward the substrate. A stiction-inhibition method also includes incorporating clefts between the microstructure and adjacent field regions at regions of the microstructure which cannot undergo substantial displacement toward the substrate. Methods for inhibiting stiction are also provided wherein high-temperature rinse liquid is used and wherein a high-temperature anneal follows a rinsing step.
Claims22
In a micromachining process for producing microstructures that include a base portion attached to a substrate, a released portion having top and bottom surfaces suspended above the substrate, and edge surfaces extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, a method for inhibiting adhesion between the released portion and the substrate during rinsing and drying, the method comprising the step of shaping the microstructure to include at least one convex corner along an edge surface of the microstructure at a region of the microstructure which can undergo substantial displacement toward the substrate.
In a micromachining process for producing a microstructure that includes a base portion attached to a substrate and a released portion suspended above the substrate, a method for inhibiting adhesion between the released portion and the substrate during rinsing and drying, the method comprising the step of etching the substrate to define a cleft between the substrate and the microstructure at a region of the microstructure which cannot undergo substantial displacement toward the substrate, and wherein in said etching step the portion of said substrate defining said cleft is not substantially undercut.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.