Multi material secondary metallization scheme in MEMS fabrication
View Patent ↗Processes are provided herein for the fabrication of MEMS utilizing both a primary metal that is integrated into the final MEMS structure and two or more sacrificial secondary metals that provide structural support for the primary metal component during machining. A first secondary metal is thinly plated around the primary metal and over the entire surface of the substrate without using photolithography. A second secondary metal, is then thickly plated over the deposited first secondary metal without using photolithography. Additionally, techniques are disclosed to increase the deposition rate of the first secondary metal between primary metal features in order to prevent voiding and thus enhance structural support of the primary metal during machining.
1. An intermediary, multi-layered, metallic complex to be used in the fabrication of a microelectro-mechanical system, comprising:
a) a substrate supporting a plurality layers of primary and secondary metallic structures, wherein each layer comprises:
b) a structure of primary metal that is configured to be integrated into the fabricated micro-electro-mechanical system component;
c) a first sacrificial secondary metal deposited in a thin layer around the primary metal structure and over the entire surface of the substrate; and
d) a second sacrificial secondary metal deposited in a thick layer around the first sacrificial secondary metal structure and over the entire surface of the substrate;
e) wherein the second sacrificial secondary metal is of a lower density than the first sacrificial secondary metal, such that the combination of these metals does not cause the substrate to warp.
2. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein both the first and second sacrificial secondary metals are configured to be etched away using the same etching agent and without etching the primary metal.
3. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein the deposited first and second sacrificial secondary metals are configured to provide horizontal mechanical support to the primary metal during machining.
4. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein the second sacrificial secondary metal comprises a copper composite with a suspension of ceramic powder.
5. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary metal structure comprises cavities along its surface area and the deposited first sacrificial secondary metal lacks significant voiding.
6. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary metal structure comprises nickel.
7. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sacrificial secondary metals comprise copper.
8. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein the first sacrificial secondary metal comprises a leveling agent.
9. The metallic complex of claim 1 , wherein the second sacrificial secondary metal comprises a leveling agent.