MEMS coupler and method to form the same
AssigneeSilicon Labs SC, Inc.
InventorsEmmanuel P. Quevy, Roger T. Howe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A MEMS coupler and a method to form a MEMS structure having such a coupler are described. In an embodiment, a MEMS structure comprises a member and a substrate. A coupler extends through a portion of the member and connects the member with the substrate. The member is comprised of a first material and the coupler is comprised of a second material. In one embodiment, the first and second materials are substantially the same. In one embodiment, the second material is conductive and is different than the first material. In another embodiment, a method for fabricating a MEMS structure comprises first forming a member above a substrate. A coupler comprised of a conductive material is then formed to connect the member with the substrate.
Claims37
A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- forming a resonating member above said substrate;
- and, subsequent to forming said resonating member,
- forming a coupler to connect said resonating member with said substrate, said coupler being formed to extend through a portion of said resonating member without said coupler being present at the top surface of a suspended portion of said resonating member and without said coupler overlying the top surface of the suspended portion of said resonating member, the top surface of said coupler essentially planar with the top surface of the suspended portion of said resonating member, and said coupler comprised of a conductive material.
A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising:
- (a) providing a substrate having a release layer;
- (b) depositing a structural layer above said release layer;
- (c) patterning said structural layer to provide a resonating member above said release layer, wherein said resonating member comprises a base;
- (d) forming a hole in said base of said resonating member and through said release layer;
- (e) depositing a conductive material layer in said hole to form a coupler to connect said resonating member with said substrate, the top surface of said coupler essentially planar with the top surface of said resonating member;
- and
- (f) subsequent to performing each of steps (a) through (e), removing at least a portion of said release layer to provide a suspended portion of said resonating member, said coupler not present at the top surface of the suspended portion of said resonating member and said coupler not overlying the top surface of the suspended portion of said resonating member, the top surface of said coupler essentially planar with the top surface of said suspended portion of said resonating member.
A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- forming a resonating member above said substrate;
- forming a drive electrode and a sensor electrode above said substrate and on either side of said resonating member;
- and
- subsequent to forming said resonating member, drive electrode and sensor electrode, forming a first coupler to connect said resonating member with said substrate without said first coupler being present at the top surface of a suspended portion of said resonating member and without said first coupler overlying the top surface of the suspended portion of said resonating member, the top surface of said first coupler essentially planar with the top surface of the suspended portion of said resonating member, forming a second coupler to connect said drive electrode with said substrate, and forming a third coupler to connect said sensor electrode with said substrate.
A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate having a release layer;
- depositing a structural layer above said release layer;
- patterning said structural layer to provide a resonating member above said release layer, wherein said resonating member comprises a base;
- forming a hole in said base of said resonating member and through said release layer;
- depositing a conductive material layer in said hole;
- polishing said conductive material layer to form a coupler to connect said resonating member with said substrate;
- and
- removing at least a portion of said release layer to provide a suspended portion of said resonating member, wherein the coupler is essentially planar with the top surface of said suspended portion of said resonating member.
A method of fabricating a MEMS structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- forming at least one resonating member above said substrate, the resonating member having a base portion and a suspended portion;
- and, subsequent to forming said resonating member,
- forming a coupler to connect said resonating member with said substrate, said coupler being formed to extend through the base portion of said resonating member without contacting the suspended portion of said resonating member, the top surface of said coupler essentially planar with the top surface of the suspended portion of said resonating member, and said coupler comprised of a conductive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.