IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,012,726
Granted Patent B1
US 7,012,726 · App. 10/700,641 · Granted Mar 14, 2006

MEMS devices with unreleased thin film components

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,012,726
App. No.
10/700,641
Filed
Nov 3, 2003
Granted
Mar 14, 2006
Kind
B1
Art Unit
2873
USPC
359/245
Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention provides a MEMS device. The MEMS device comprises a plurality of functional components including at least one moveable component; and a sacrificial component to at least reduce movement of the moveable component during shipping of the microelectromechanical systems device, wherein the sacrificial component can be removed after shipping.

Claims (20)

1. A method, comprising:

fabricating a microelectromechanical systems device comprising a movable component;

inhibiting at least some movement of the movable component with a sacrificial material, so that the microelectromechanical systems device can be transported with at least a reduced risk of damage to the movable component;

transporting said device;

removing the sacrificial material after the miroelectromechanical systems device has been transported; and

packaging the microelectronical systems device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing comprises removing the sacrificial material with a gas etchant.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the sacrificial material after the microelectromechanical systems device has been transported.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microelectromechanical systems device comprises all functional components to enable full functioning of the microelectromechanical systems device upon removal of the sacrificial material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microelectromechanical systems device comprises interferometric modulators.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sacrificial material is deposited on an optical film.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a mechanical film is deposited on said sacrificial material.

8. A method of packaging an electronic device comprising an interferometric modulator, comprising:

fabricating an interferometric modulator comprising a movable component; inhibiting movement of the movable component with a sacrificial material; transporting the interferometric modulator; removing the sacrificial material after the interferometric modulator has been transported; and packaging the interferometric modulator into an electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the removing comprises removing the sacrificial material with a gas etchant.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the interferometric modulator comprises all functional components to enable full functioning of the interferometric modulator upon removal of the sacrificial material.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sacrificial material is deposited during the fabricating.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said sacrificial material is deposited on an optical film.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a mechanical film is deposited on said sacrificial material.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the interferometric modulator is part of an interferometric modulator array.