US 7,352,040 B2 · Microelectromechanical systems having trench isolated contacts, and methods for fabricating same

Abstract

There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a MEMS device, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a MEMS device, having mechanical structures encapsulated in a chamber prior to final packaging and a contact area disposed at least partially outside the chamber. The contact area is electrically isolated from nearby electrically conducting regions by way of dielectric isolation trench that is disposed around the contact area. The material that encapsulates the mechanical structures, when deposited, includes one or more of the following attributes: low tensile stress, good step coverage, maintains its integrity when subjected to subsequent processing, does not significantly and/or adversely impact the performance characteristics of the mechanical structures in the chamber (if coated with the material during deposition), and/or facilitates integration with high-performance integrated circuits. In one embodiment, the material that encapsulates the mechanical structures is, for example, silicon (polycrystalline, amorphous or porous, whether doped or undoped), silicon carbide, silicon-germanium, germanium, or gallium-arsenide.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A microelectromechanical device comprising:

a chamber;
a mechanical structure, wherein at least a portion of the mechanical structure is disposed in the chamber;
a first encapsulation layer having at least one vent formed therein, wherein the first encapsulation layer is at least a portion of a wall of the chamber;
a second encapsulation layer, deposited over or in the at least one vent to seal the chamber, wherein the second encapsulation layer is a semiconductor material;
an insulation layer disposed on the second encapsulation layer;
a contact;
and
a trench, disposed around at least a portion of the contact which is disposed outside the chamber, wherein the trench includes an insulating material disposed therein to electrically isolate the contact.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Microelectromechanical systems having trench isolated contacts, and methods for fabricating same

Life of this patent

Microelectromechanical systems having trench isolated contacts, and methods for fabricating same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21