Method of making an electrostatic actuator

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Making device or circuit responsive to nonelectrical signal – Physical stress responsive

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C052S053000, C052S393000, C052S652100, C052S686000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06933165

ABSTRACT:
A method of fabricating an electrostatic actuator with an intrinsic stress gradient is provided. An electrode is formed on a substrate and a support layer is formed over the electrode. A metal layer is deposited onto the support layer via a deposition process. Deposition process conditions are varied in order to induce a stress gradient into the metal layer. The intrinsic stress in the metal layer increases in the direction from the bottom to the top of the metal layer. The support layer under the electrode is removed to release the electrostatic actuator.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4401521 (1983-08-01), Ohmura et al.
patent: 5233459 (1993-08-01), Bozler et al.
patent: 5476836 (1995-12-01), Eddy
patent: 5508255 (1996-04-01), Eddy
patent: 5613861 (1997-03-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5665648 (1997-09-01), Little
patent: 5843870 (1998-12-01), Wu et al.
patent: 5883050 (1999-03-01), Yun et al.
patent: 6229684 (2001-05-01), Cowen et al.
patent: 6238539 (2001-05-01), Joyce et al.
patent: 6290510 (2001-09-01), Fork et al.
patent: 6361331 (2002-03-01), Fork et al.
patent: 6396677 (2002-05-01), Chua et al.
Angerer, H. et al., On the Electrodeposition of Hard Gold, Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 9 (1979), pp 219-232.
Chinthakindi, A.K. et al., Stress Temperature Studies of Au/Al and Au/Zn Bimetallic Films, in press, pp 1-29, no date.
Chu, W. et al., Low Stress Gold Electroplating for X-Ray Masks, Microelectronic Engineering, 17 (1992), pp 223-226.
Dec, A. et al., Micromachined Electro-mechanically Tunable Capacitors and Their Applications to RF IC's, IEEE Transactions of Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 46, No. 12, Dec. 1998, pp 2587-2596.
Fang, W., et al., Determining Mean and Gradient Residual Stresses in Thin Films Using Micromachined Cantilevers, J. Micormech. Microeng. 6 (1998), pp 301-309.
Hodge, T.C. et al., Stresses In Thin Film Metallization, IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology, Part A, vol. 20, No. 2, Jun. 1997.
Hoffman, M. et al., Bistable Micromechanical Fiber-Optic Switches on Silicon with Thermal Actuators, Sensors and Actuators, 78 (1999), pp 28-35.
Kohl, P. A. Electrodeposition of Gold, Modem Electroplating, 4thEd., 2000, pp 201-225.
Laibinis, P.E., et al., Comparison of the Structures and Wetting Properties of Self-Assembled Monolayers of N-Alkanethiols on the Coinage Metal Surfaces, Cu Ag, Au, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1991, 113, pp 7152-7167.
Legtenberg, R. et al., Electrostatic Curved Electrode Actuators, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, vol. 6, No. 3, Sep. 1997, pp 225-267.
Lo, C.C., et al., Hardening Mechanisms of Hard Gold, J.Appl. Phys. 50(11), Nov. 1979,pp 6887-6891.
Maboudian, R. et al., Self Assembled Monolayers as Anti-Stiction Coatings for MEMS: Characteristics and Recent Development, Sensors and Actuators 82 (2000), pp 219-223.
Maboudian, R., Critical Review: Adhesion in Surface Micromechanical Structures, J.Vac.Sci. Technol. B 15(1), Jan./Feb. 1997, pp 1-20.
Maeda, H. et al., A New High-Tc Oxide Superconductor Without a Rare Earth Element, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 27, (1988), L209-L210.
Min, Y. et al., Modeling, Design, Fabrication and Measurement of a Single Layer Polysilicon Micromirror with Initial Curvature Compensation, Sensors and Actuators, 78 (1999), pp 8-17.
Min, Y.H. et al., In Situ Measurement of Residual Stress in Micromachined Thin Films Using a Specimen with Composite-Layered Cantilevers, J. Micromech, Microeng. 10 (2000), pp 314-321.
Nguyen, C.T.C., Micromechanical Resonators for Oscillators and Filters, Proc. IEEE Ultrasonics Symp., Seattle, WA, Nov. 1995, vol. pp 489-99.
Roas, B. et al., Epitaxial Growth of Yba2Cu207-x Thin Films by a Laser Evaporation Process, Appl. Phys. Lett. 53, 1557 (1988).
Timoshenko, S., Analysis of Bi-Metal Thermostats, Journal of Structural Analysis and RSI, Sep. 1925, pp 233-255.
Zook, J.D. et al., Characteristics of Polysilicon Resonant Microbeams, Sensors and Actuators A, vol. A35, no. 1, pp. 51-59, Oct. 1992.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Method of making an electrostatic actuator does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Method of making an electrostatic actuator, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of making an electrostatic actuator will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3494595

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.