Refractory seed metal for electroplated MEMS structures

1. A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprising:

a substrate; and

a free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure formed on the substrate and comprising:

a metal mechanical element mechanically coupled to the substrate;

a seed layer mechanically coupled to and in electrical communication with the mechanical element, the seed layer comprising at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy; and

a protective layer mechanically coupled to the mechanical element, the protective layer being formed on at least one additional surface of the mechanical element not covered by the seed layer;

wherein a thickness of the mechanical element is substantially greater than a thickness of the seed layer such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the material properties of the mechanical element, with a product of a residual stress in the metal mechanical element and the thickness of the metal mechanical element being greater than three times (3×) that of a product of a residual stress in the seed layer and the thickness of the seed layer.

2. The MEMS device of claim 1 wherein the mechanical element is composed of a nickel-tungsten alloy.

3. The MEMS device of claim 1 wherein the seed layer is left intact on an underside of the mechanical element that faces the substrate.

4. The MEMS device of claim 3 wherein the MEMS device is a switch, the switch further comprising at least one conductive contact formed on the substrate and with the mechanical element comprising a beam cantilevered over the conductive contact;

wherein the seed layer provides an ohmic contact between the beam and the at least one conductive contact when the beam is in a contacting position.

5. The MEMS device of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the refractory metal and refractory metal alloy of the seed layer has a melting voltage of greater than 0.4 V and a melting temperature of greater than 1850° C.

6. The MEMS device of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the refractory metal and refractory metal alloy comprises ruthenium, tantalum, niobium, rhodium, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, hafnium, and/or alloys thereof.

7. The MEMS device of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the refractory metal and refractory metal alloy is resistant to etchants used in micro- and nanofabrications, the etchants comprising one or more of sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, buffered oxide, hydrogen peroxide and alkali photoresist developer solutions.

8. The MEMS device of claim 1 wherein the MEMS device is an inertial sensor.

9. A method of creating a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprising:

providing a substrate; and

forming a free-standing metal MEMS structure on the substrate, wherein forming the free-standing metal MEMS structure comprises:

applying a sacrificial release layer on a portion of the substrate;

applying a layer of seed metal over the substrate and the sacrificial release layer, wherein the seed metal comprises at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy;

applying a photoresist layer on a portion of the layer of seed metal;

electroplating a metallic material onto the layer of seed metal not covered by the photoresist layer to form a free-standing structure;

coating at least one additional side of the free-standing structure with a protective layer, the protective layer comprising a material that is resistant to damage or etching during a fabrication processes; and

subsequent to coating at least one additional side of the free-standing structure with a protective layer, removing the photoresist layer, the sacrificial release layer, and a portion of the layer of seed metal not in contact with the free-standing structure, such that the free-standing structure is cantilevered over the substrate;

wherein a portion of the layer of seed metal in contact with the free-standing structure remains on an underside of the free-standing structure subsequent to the removing of the photoresist layer, the sacrificial release layer, and the portion of the layer of seed metal not in contact with the free-standing structure.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a thickness of the free-standing structure is substantially greater than a thickness of the layer of seed metal such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing metal MEMS structure are defined by the electroplated metallic material of the free-standing structure.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the one of the refractory metal and the refractory metal alloy comprises one of ruthenium, tantalum, niobium, rhodium, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, hafnium, and/or alloys thereof.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein coating the at least additional side of the free-standing structure with a protective layer comprises coating every exposed side of the free-standing structure with the protective layer.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein electroplating the metallic material onto the layer of seed metal comprises electroplating a nickel-tungsten alloy.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein removing the sacrificial release layer comprises performing a wet etching via application of at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, buffered oxide, and hydrogen peroxide; and

wherein the layer of seed metal is resistant to sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, buffered oxide, and hydrogen peroxide and to alkali photoresist developer solutions.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming a conductive layer on the substrate, the conductive layer comprising at least one MEMS contact, wherein the layer of seed material functions as an ohmic contact between the free-standing structure and the at least one MEMS contact when the free-standing structure is in a contacting position, with the layer of seed material having a melting voltage of greater than 0.4 V and a melting temperature of greater than 1850° C.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein applying the layer of seed metal and electroplating the metallic material further comprises selecting a thickness for each of the layer of seed metal and the metallic material to be applied such that a product of a residual stress in the free-standing structure and the thickness of the free-standing structure is greater than three times (3×) that of a product of a residual stress in the layer of seed metal and the thickness of the layer of seed metal.

17. A free-standing and suspended metal micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) structure of a MEMS device, wherein the metal MEMS structure is fabricated by:

applying a sacrificial release layer on a portion of a substrate;

applying a seed layer of refractory metal over the substrate and the sacrificial release layer;

applying a photoresist layer on a portion of the seed layer;

electroplating a metallic material onto the seed layer in an area not covered by the photoresist layer to form a free-standing structure, the free-standing structure being mechanically coupled to and electrically connected with the seed layer; and

removing the photoresist layer, the sacrificial release layer, and a portion of the seed layer such that a layer of refractory metal remains on an underside of the free-standing structure to collectively form a free-standing and suspended metal MEMS structure on the substrate;

wherein applying the seed layer and electroplating the metallic material further comprises selecting a thickness for each of the seed layer and metallic material to be applied such that a product of a residual stress in the free-standing structure and the thickness of the free-standing structure is greater than three times (3×) that of a product of a residual stress in the seed layer and the thickness of the seed layer.

18. The MEMS structure of claim 17 wherein a thickness of the electroplated metallic material of the free-standing structure is substantially greater than a thickness of the layer of refractory metal on the underside thereof, such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the electroplated metallic material.

19. The MEMS structure of claim 17 wherein the metal MEMS structure is fabricated by forming a conductive contact on the substrate, such that the MEMS device comprises a MEMS switch; and

wherein the layer of refractory metal on the underside of free-standing structure provides an ohmic contact between the free-standing structure and the conductive contact when the free-standing structure is in a contacting position.

20. The MEMS structure of claim 17 wherein the electroplated metallic material comprises a nickel-tungsten alloy and wherein the refractory metal comprises a material having a melting voltage of greater than 0.4 V and a melting temperature of greater than 1850° C.

21. The MEMS structure of claim 17 wherein the metal MEMS structure is fabricated by depositing a protective layer on one or more sides of the free-standing structure other than the underside of the free-standing structure.