IP Library Granted Patent US 8,916,407
Granted Patent B1
US 8,916,407 · App. 13/837,407 · Granted Dec 23, 2014

MEMS device and method of manufacturing same

Inventors: Charles I Grosjean (San Jose, CA); Ginel Hill (Palo Alto, CA); Paul M. Hagelin (Saratoga, CA); Renata Melamud Berger (Palo Alto, CA); Aaron Partridge (Cupertino, CA); Markus Lutz (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: SiTime Corporation
B81C1/0069
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,916,407
App. No.
13/837,407
Granted
Dec 23, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method of manufacturing a micromachined resonator having a moveable member comprising forming the moveable member from a material having a first concentration of dopants of a first impurity type, depositing a dopant carrier layer on or over at least a portion of the moveable member, wherein the dopant carrier layer includes one or more dopants of the first impurity type, transferring at least a portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member, wherein, in response, the concentration of dopants of the first impurity type in the moveable member increases (for example, to greater than 10 19 cm −3 , and preferably between 10 19 cm −3 and 10 21 cm −3 ). The method further includes removing the dopant carrier layer and may include providing an encapsulation structure over the moveable member of the micromachined resonator.

Claims (35)

1. A method of manufacturing a micromachined resonator having a moveable member in or on a substrate comprising:

forming the moveable member of the micromachined resonator from a material having a first concentration of dopants of a first impurity type;

depositing a dopant carrier layer on or over at least a portion of the moveable member, wherein the dopant carrier layer includes one or more dopants of the first impurity type;

transferring at least a portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member, wherein, in response, the concentration of dopants of the first impurity type in the moveable member increases by at least one order of magnitude;

removing the dopant carrier layer; and

providing an encapsulation structure over the moveable member of the micromachined resonator.

2. The method of manufacturing of claim 1 wherein the one or more dopants include phosphorous, arsenic, antimony, boron, gallium and/or indium.

3. The method of manufacturing of claim 1 wherein, after transferring at least the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member, the concentration of dopants of the first impurity type in the moveable member is at least three orders of magnitude greater than the first concentration of dopants.

4. The method of manufacturing of claim 1 further including releasing the moveable member of the micromachined resonator from the substrate during or after removing the dopant carrier layer.

5. The method of manufacturing of claim 1 wherein the material of the moveable member of the micromachined resonator is substantially monocrystalline silicon.

6. The method of manufacturing of claim 1 wherein transferring at least the portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member further includes heating the moveable member and the dopant carrier layer after depositing a dopant carrier layer on the moveable member and before removing the dopant carrier layer.

7. The method of manufacturing of claim 6 wherein after transferring at least the portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member dopant, the first material of the moveable member includes a concentration of the first impurity type of greater than 10 19 cm −3 .

8. The method of manufacturing of claim 7 wherein the concentration of the first impurity type in the material of the moveable member is substantially uniform.

9. The method of manufacturing of claim 7 wherein the material of the moveable member of the micromachined resonator is substantially monocrystalline silicon.

10. A method of manufacturing a micromachined resonator having a moveable member in or on a substrate comprising:

forming the moveable member of the micromachined resonator from a material having a first concentration of dopants of a first impurity type, wherein the moveable member includes a plurality of exposed surfaces;

depositing a dopant carrier layer on or over at least at least one of the plurality of exposed surfaces of the moveable member, wherein the dopant carrier layer includes one or more dopants of the first impurity type;

transferring at least a portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member via the at least one of the plurality of exposed surfaces of the moveable member, wherein, in response, the concentration of dopants of the first impurity type in the moveable member increases by at least one order of magnitude;

removing substantially all of the dopant carrier layer; and

providing a cover over the moveable member of the micromachined resonator.

11. The method of manufacturing of claim 10 wherein, after transferring at least the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member, the concentration of dopants of the first impurity type in at least a portion of the material of the moveable member is at least three orders of magnitude greater than the first concentration of dopants and the concentration of the first impurity type in the material of the moveable member is non-uniform.

12. The method of manufacturing of claim 10 wherein the one or more dopants include phosphorous, arsenic, antimony, boron, gallium and/or indium.

13. The method of manufacturing of claim 10 further including releasing the moveable member of the micromachined resonator from the substrate during or after removing substantially all of the dopant carrier layer.

14. The method of manufacturing of claim 10 wherein the material of the moveable member of the micromachined resonator is substantially monocrystalline silicon.

15. The method of manufacturing of claim 10 wherein transferring at least a portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member via the at least one of the plurality of exposed surfaces of the moveable member further includes heating the moveable member and the dopant carrier layer after depositing the dopant carrier layer and before removing the dopant carrier layer.

16. A method of manufacturing a micromachined resonator having a moveable member in or on a substrate comprising:

forming the moveable member of the micromachined resonator from a material having a first concentration of dopants of a first impurity type, wherein the moveable member includes a plurality of exposed surfaces;

depositing a dopant carrier layer on the plurality of exposed surfaces of the moveable member, wherein the dopant carrier layer includes one or more dopants of the first impurity type;

transferring at least a portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member, wherein, in response, the concentration of dopants of the first impurity type in the moveable member is greater than 10 19 cm −3 ;

removing substantially all of the dopant carrier layer; and

providing a cover over the moveable member of the micromachined resonator.

17. The method of manufacturing of claim 16 wherein the material of the moveable member of the micromachined resonator is substantially monocrystalline silicon.

18. The method of manufacturing of claim 16 wherein transferring at least the portion of the one or more dopants from the dopant carrier layer to the moveable member further includes heating the moveable member and the dopant carrier layer after depositing a dopant carrier layer on the moveable member and before removing the dopant carrier layer.

19. The method of manufacturing of claim 16 wherein the concentration of the first impurity type in the material of the moveable member is substantially uniform.

20. The method of manufacturing of claim 16 further including releasing the moveable member of the micromachined resonator from the substrate during or after removing substantially all of the dopant carrier layer.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2014
From: CAPITAL IP INVESTMENT PARTNERS LLC
To: SITIME CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034201/0107 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2014
From: SITIME CORPORATION
To: CAPITAL IP INVESTMENT PARTNERS LLC
Reel/Frame 033279/0061 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2013
From: GROSJEAN, CHARLES I.; HILL, GINEL; HAGELIN, PAUL M.; BERGER, RENATA MELAMUD; PARTRIDGE, AARON; LUTZ, MARKUS
To: SITIME CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030619/0387 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61617389 · Mar 29, 2012
Provisional Application 61617230 · Mar 29, 2012