Reducing MEMS stiction by deposition of nanoclusters
AssigneeFreescale Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsRobert F. Steimle, Ruben B. Montez
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Abstract
Certain microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, and methods of creating them, are disclosed. The method may include forming a structural layer over a substrate; forming a mask layer over the structural layer, wherein the mask layer is formed with a material selective to an etching process; forming a plurality of nanoclusters on the mask layer; and etching the structural layer using at least the etching process.
Claims16
A method for manufacturing a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, the method comprising:
- forming a structural layer over a substrate;
- forming a mask layer over the structural layer, wherein the mask layer is formed with a material selective to an etching process;
- forming a plurality of nanoclusters on the mask layer;
- using the nanoclusters as a mask for removing portions of the mask layer;
- and
- etching the structural layer using remaining portions of the mask layer as a mask for the etching of the structural layer forming a plurality of surface roughness features on a travel stop of the MEMS device.
A method for manufacturing a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, the method comprising:
- forming a structural layer over a substrate;
- forming a mask layer over the structural layer;
- forming a plurality of nanoclusters on the mask layer;
- using the nanoclusters as a mask for removing portions of the mask layer;
- and
- etching the structural layer using remaining portions of the mask layer as a mask for the etching of the structural layer forming a plurality of surface roughness features of a travel stop feature of the MEMS device;
- and
- forming a movable body, wherein the structural layer forms a fixed surface having a portion facing a major surface of the movable body, and the fixed surface is operable to contact at least a portion of the plurality of surface roughness features.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.