A method for fabricating a microfluidic device includes providing an assembly that includes a first silicon substrate having a hydrophilic silicon oxide top surface that includes a microfluidic channel and a second silicon substrate having a hydrophilic silicon oxide bottom surface directly bonded on the top surface of the first silicon substrate, the second silicon substrate including fluidic access holes giving fluidic access to the microfluidic channel. The method also includes exposing the assembly to oxidative species including one or more oxygen atoms and to heat so as to form silicon oxide at a surface of the access holes and of the microfluidic channel.

A method including fusion bonding a handle wafer to a first side of a device wafer. The method further includes depositing a hardmask on a second side of the device wafer, wherein the second side is planar. An etch stop layer is deposited over the hardmask and an exposed portion of the second side of the device wafer. A dielectric layer is formed over the etch stop layer. A via is formed within the dielectric layer. The via is filled with conductive material. A eutectic bond layer is formed over the conductive material. Portions of the dielectric layer uncovered by the eutectic bond layer is etched to expose the etch stop layer. The exposed portions of the etch stop layer is etched. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device pattern is etched into the device wafer.

A semiconductor oxide plate is formed on a recessed surface in a semiconductor matrix material layer. Comb structures are formed in the semiconductor matrix material layer. The comb structures include a pair of inner comb structures spaced apart by a first semiconductor portion. A second semiconductor portion that laterally surrounds the first semiconductor portion is removed selective to the comb structures using an isotropic etch process. The first semiconductor portion is protected from an etchant of the isotropic etch process by the semiconductor oxide plate, the pair of inner comb structures, and a patterned etch mask layer that covers the comb structures. A movable structure for a MEMS device is formed, which includes a combination of the first portion of the semiconductor matrix material layer and the pair of inner comb structures.

A device includes a substrate comprising a first standoff, a second standoff, a third standoff, a first cavity, a second cavity, and a bonding material covering a portion of the first, the second, and the third standoff. The first cavity is positioned between the first and the second standoffs, and the second cavity is positioned between the second and the third standoffs. The first cavity comprises a first cavity region and a second cavity region separated by a portion of the substrate extruding thereto, and wherein a depth associated with the first cavity region is greater than a depth associated with the second cavity. A surface of the first cavity is covered with a getter material.

A device includes a substrate comprising a first standoff, a second standoff, a third standoff, a first cavity, a second cavity, and a bonding material covering a portion of the first, the second, and the third standoff. The first cavity is positioned between the first and the second standoffs, and the second cavity is positioned between the second and the third standoffs. The first cavity comprises a first cavity region and a second cavity region separated by a portion of the substrate extruding thereto, and wherein a depth associated with the first cavity region is greater than a depth associated with the second cavity. A surface of the first cavity is covered with a getter material.

A MEMS microphone is provided. The MEMS microphone includes a substrate, a membrane, and a backplate. The substrate is with a cavity. The membrane is disposed on the substrate across the cavity. The backplate is disposed over the membrane and separated from the membrane by an air gap. The membrane has a corrugation. The backplate has a portion corresponding to and directly above the corrugation. A step height of the portion is equal to or less than 20% of a step height of the corrugation.

A method for producing a first and second micromirror device. A silicon oxide layer is applied to at least the front side of a silicon wafer. The silicon oxide layer is removed so that a first and second separation region of the silicon oxide layer are generated, which are arranged spatially separated from each other along a separation plane. A silicon layer is applied to the front side of the silicon wafer and to the silicon oxide layer. An etching mask is applied to the rear side of the silicon wafer, the etching mask having a first opening along the separation plane of the first and second separation region. The silicon layer and the silicon wafer are removed, according to the etching mask on the rear side of the silicon wafer and according to the silicon oxide layer of the first and second separation region.

Micro gas chromatographic devices are provided having a microfluidic separation column and a plurality of capillaries where the capillaries have been independently configured in terms of the capillary length, capillary width, the packing density and packing geometry of the capillary using one or more micro pillars, the tortuosity of the capillary path, and the presence and identity of the stationary phase for use in micro gas chromatographic separation of complex mixtures of compounds. Through the plurality of capillaries, the devices are capable of discriminating between complex samples even in instances where complete separation of the components is not possible. Methods of fabrication and methods of use of the devices are also provided. The devices can be readily fabricated using known techniques. The devices can be used for the analysis of complex mixtures of compounds containing tens or hundreds of compounds in which just a few differ in presence or concentration.

A device includes one or more layers of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure and a dielectric stack over the one or more layers. The dielectric stack includes a first dielectric layer having a first index of refraction, and a second dielectric layer having a second index of refraction different than the first index of refraction.

A process for manufacturing a microelectromechanical mirror device includes, in a semiconductor wafer, defining a support frame, a plate connected to the support frame so as to be orientable around at least one rotation axis, and cantilever structures extending from the support frame and coupled to the plate so that bending of the cantilever structures causes rotations of the plate around the at least one rotation axis. The process further includes forming piezoelectric actuators on the cantilever structures, forming pads on the support frame, and forming spacer structures protruding from the support frame more than both the pads and the stacks of layers forming the piezoelectric actuators.