Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices
Abstract
A method is disclosed for micromachining recessed layers (e.g. sacrificial layers) of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device formed in a cavity etched into a semiconductor substrate. The method uses chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) with a resilient polishing pad to locally planarize one or more of the recessed layers within the substrate cavity. Such local planarization using the method of the present invention is advantageous for improving the patterning of subsequently deposited layers, for eliminating mechanical interferences between functional elements (e.g. linkages) of the MEMS device, and for eliminating the formation of stringers. After the local planarization of one or more of the recessed layers, another CMP step can be provided for globally planarizing the semiconductor substrate to form a recessed MEMS device which can be integrated with electronic circuitry (e.g., CMOS, BiCMOS or bipolar circuitry) formed on the surface of the substrate. 23 figs.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6431766
- Patent Number(s):
- 5919548
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 8-915071
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corp., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 20 Aug 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; CHEMICAL POLISHING; MACHINING; MECHANICAL POLISHING; MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; SUBSTRATES; ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS; MATERIALS; POLISHING; SURFACE FINISHING; 426000* - Engineering- Components, Electron Devices & Circuits- (1990-)
Citation Formats
Barron, C C, Hetherington, D L, and Montague, S. Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices. United States: N. p., 1999.
Web.
Barron, C C, Hetherington, D L, & Montague, S. Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices. United States.
Barron, C C, Hetherington, D L, and Montague, S. Tue .
"Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices". United States.
@article{osti_6431766,
title = {Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices},
author = {Barron, C C and Hetherington, D L and Montague, S},
abstractNote = {A method is disclosed for micromachining recessed layers (e.g. sacrificial layers) of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device formed in a cavity etched into a semiconductor substrate. The method uses chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) with a resilient polishing pad to locally planarize one or more of the recessed layers within the substrate cavity. Such local planarization using the method of the present invention is advantageous for improving the patterning of subsequently deposited layers, for eliminating mechanical interferences between functional elements (e.g. linkages) of the MEMS device, and for eliminating the formation of stringers. After the local planarization of one or more of the recessed layers, another CMP step can be provided for globally planarizing the semiconductor substrate to form a recessed MEMS device which can be integrated with electronic circuitry (e.g., CMOS, BiCMOS or bipolar circuitry) formed on the surface of the substrate. 23 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 06 00:00:00 EDT 1999},
month = {Tue Jul 06 00:00:00 EDT 1999}
}