Piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer apparatus
AssigneeResearch Triangle Institute
InventorDavid Edward Dausch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods are provided for creating a metal or other electrically-conductive member extending from an air-backed cavity of a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) apparatus defining such an air-backed cavity, through a substrate layer disposed adjacent to the transducer device of the pMUT device, and into electrically-conductive engagement with a first electrode of the pMUT device, such that the electrically-conductive member provides an electrically-conductive engagement between the first electrode and a conformal electrically-conductive layer deposited in the air-backed cavity of the pMUT device. Associated apparatuses are also provided.
Claims8
A piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer apparatus, comprising:
- a transducer device disposed on a dielectric layer disposed on a device substrate, the device substrate comprising one of a silicon-on-insulator substrate and a silicon substrate, the transducer device including a first electrode disposed on the dielectric layer and a piezoelectric material disposed between the first electrode and a second electrode, the piezoelectric material having a maximum lateral dimension greater than a thickness thereof, the device substrate and the dielectric layer being configured to define a first via extending therethrough to the first electrode;
- a first conductive material configured to substantially fill the first via;
- and
- a support member engaged with the device substrate and forming a sidewall defining a second via extending to and exposing the device substrate and the first conductive material, the exposed device substrate further defining a second via end wall, and the first conductive material being disposed with respect to the second via end wall away from the sidewall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.