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Title: 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.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
872368
Patent Number(s):
5919548
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B81 - MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY B81C - PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
chemical-mechanical; polishing; recessed; microelectromechanical; devices; method; disclosed; micromachining; layers; sacrificial; mems; device; formed; cavity; etched; semiconductor; substrate; cmp; resilient; pad; locally; planarize; local; planarization; advantageous; improving; patterning; subsequently; deposited; eliminating; mechanical; interferences; functional; elements; linkages; formation; stringers; step; provided; globally; planarizing; form; integrated; electronic; circuitry; cmos; bicmos; bipolar; surface; chemical-mechanical polishing; microelectromechanical devices; electronic circuit; semiconductor substrate; electronic circuitry; mems device; subsequently deposited; mechanical device; functional elements; device formed; sacrificial layers; cavity etched; mechanical polishing; deposited layer; electromechanical devices; mechanical devices; sacrificial layer; microelectromechanical device; subsequently deposit; /428/438/

Citation Formats

Barron, Carole C, Hetherington, Dale L, and Montague, Stephen. Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices. United States: N. p., 1999. Web.
Barron, Carole C, Hetherington, Dale L, & Montague, Stephen. Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices. United States.
Barron, Carole C, Hetherington, Dale L, and Montague, Stephen. Fri . "Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872368.
@article{osti_872368,
title = {Chemical-mechanical polishing of recessed microelectromechanical devices},
author = {Barron, Carole C and Hetherington, Dale L and Montague, Stephen},
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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}