Controlling electromechanical behavior of structures within a microelectromechanical systems device
View Patent ↗In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for fabricating a microelectromechanical systems device. The method comprises fabricating a first layer comprising a film having a characteristic electromechanical response, and a characteristic optical response, wherein the characteristic optical response is desirable and the characteristic electromechanical response is undesirable; and modifying the characteristic electromechanical response of the first layer by at least reducing charge build up thereon during activation of the microelectromechanical systems device.
1. An electromechanical device having a substrate, the device comprising:
an electrode layer formed over the substrate;
a dielectric layer formed over the electrode layer;
a first etch barrier layer formed over the dielectric layer, wherein the first etch barrier layer comprises aluminum oxide;
a second etch barrier layer formed over the first etch barrier layer, wherein the second etch barrier layer covers only a portion of the first etch barrier layer; and
a displaceable layer located above the second etch barrier.
2. The device of claim 1 , additionally comprising a cavity located between the second etch barrier layer and the displaceable layer.
3. The device of claim 1 , additionally comprising a sacrificial layer located between the second etch barrier layer and the displaceable layer.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises a material resistant to an etch used to pattern the sacrificial layer.
5. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first etch barrier layer comprises a material resistant to an etch used to remove the sacrificial layer.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises a material substantially resistant to a phosphoric/acetic/nitric acid etch.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises silicon oxide.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a charge trapping layer.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises silicon nitride.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of: silicon oxide and silicon nitride.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises a material selected from the group of titanium, molybdenum, and amorphous silicon.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second etch barrier layer has a varying thickness over the surface of the first etch barrier layer.
14. An electromechanical device, comprising:
an electrode layer formed over a substrate;
a dielectric layer formed over the electrode layer;
a first etch barrier layer formed over the dielectric layer;
a second etch barrier layer formed over the first etch barrier layer, wherein the second etch barrier layer covers only a portion of the first etch barrier layer;
a displaceable layer located above the second etch barrier; and
a sacrificial layer located between the second etch barrier layer and the displaceable layer.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises a material resistant to an etch used to pattern the sacrificial layer.
16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the first etch barrier layer comprises a material resistant to an etch used to remove the sacrificial layer.
17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the second etch barrier layer has a varying thickness over the surface of the first etch barrier layer.
18. The device of claim 14 , wherein the second etch barrier covers only a portion of the first etch barrier layer.
19. The device of claim 14 , wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises a material selected from the group of: silicon oxide, silicon nitride, titanium, molybdenum, and amorphous silicon.
20. An electromechanical device, comprising:
an electrode layer formed over a substrate;
a dielectric layer formed over the electrode layer;
a first etch barrier layer formed over the dielectric layer;
a second etch barrier layer formed over the first etch barrier layer, wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises silicon oxide; and
a displaceable layer located above the second etch barrier.
21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide.
22. The device of claim 20 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a charge trapping layer.
23. The device of claim 20 , wherein the first etch barrier layer comprises aluminum oxide.
24. The device of claim 20 , wherein the second etch barrier layer has a varying thickness over the surface of the first etch barrier layer.
25. The device of claim 20 , wherein the second etch barrier covers only a portion of the first etch barrier layer.
26. An electromechanical device, comprising:
an electrode layer formed over a substrate;
a dielectric layer formed over the electrode layer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of: silicon oxide and silicon nitride;
a first etch barrier layer formed over the dielectric layer, wherein the first etch barrier layer comprises aluminum oxide;
a second etch barrier layer formed over the first etch barrier layer, wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises silicon nitride; and
a displaceable layer located above the second etch barrier.
27. The device of claim 26 , wherein the second etch barrier layer has a varying thickness over the surface of the first etch barrier layer.
28. The device of claim 26 , wherein the second etch barrier covers only a portion of the first etch barrier layer.
29. An electromechanical device, comprising:
an electrode layer formed over a substrate;
a dielectric layer formed over the electrode layer;
a first etch barrier layer formed over the dielectric layer;
a second etch barrier layer formed over the first etch barrier layer, wherein the second etch barrier layer comprises a material selected from the group of: titanium, molybdenum, and amorphous silicon; and
a displaceable layer located above the second etch barrier.
30. The device of claim 29 , wherein the second etch barrier layer has a varying thickness over the surface of the first etch barrier layer.
31. The device of claim 29 , wherein the second etch barrier covers only a portion of the first etch barrier layer.