A method of the invention includes reducing stiction of a MEMS device by providing a conductive path for electric charge collected on a bump stop formed on a substrate. The bump stop is formed by depositing and patterning a dielectric material on the substrate, and the conductive path is provided by a conductive layer deposited on the bump stop. The conductive layer can also be roughened to reduce stiction.

The present invention provides a silicon microphone with a high-aspect-ratio corrugated diaphragm and a microphone package including the same. The microphone comprises the corrugated diaphragm on which at least one ring-shaped corrugation is formed in the vicinity of the edge of the diaphragm which is fixed to the substrate, the corrugated diaphragm is flexible, wherein the ratio of the depth of the corrugation to the thickness of the diaphragm is larger than 5:1, preferably 20:1, and the walls of the corrugation are inclined to the surface of the diaphragm at an angle in the range of 80 to 100. The microphone with the high-aspect-ratio corrugated diaphragm can achieve a consistent and optimal sensitivity and greatly reduce impact applied thereto in a drop test so that the performances, the reproducibility, the reliability and the yield can be improved. The microphone package of the present invention further provides a simplified processing, an improved sensitivity and an improved SNR.

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a CMOS-MEMS structure. The method includes etching a cavity on a first surface of a cap substrate; bonding the first surface of the cap substrate with a sensing substrate; thinning a second surface of the sensing substrate, the second surface being opposite to a third surface of the sensing substrate bonded to the cap substrate; etching the second surface of the sensing substrate; patterning a portion of the second surface of the sensing substrate to form a plurality of bonding regions; depositing an eutectic metal layer on the plurality of bonding regions; etching a portion of the sensing substrate under the cavity to form a movable element; and bonding the sensing substrate to a CMOS substrate through the eutectic metal layer.

Various embodiments provide for a method for roughening a surface of a MEMs device or the surface of a CMOS surface. A first material can be deposited in a thin layer over a surface made of a second material. After heating, the first and second materials, they can partially melt and interdiffuse, forming an alloy. The first material can then be removed and the alloy is removed at the same time. The surface of the second material that is left behind has then been roughened due to the interdiffusion of the first and second materials.

A method includes forming a bumpstop from a first intermetal dielectric (IMD) layer and forming a via within the first IMD, wherein the first IMD is disposed over a first polysilicon layer, and wherein the first polysilicon layer is disposed over another IMD layer that is disposed over a substrate. The method further includes depositing a second polysilicon layer over the bumpstop and further over the via to connect to the first polysilicon layer. A standoff is formed over a first portion of the second polysilicon layer, and wherein a second portion of the second polysilicon layer is exposed. The method includes depositing a bond layer over the standoff.

A device includes a substrate and an intermetal dielectric (IMD) layer disposed over the substrate. The device also includes a first plurality of polysilicon layers disposed over the IMD layer and over a bumpstop. The device also includes a second plurality of polysilicon layers disposed within the IMD layer. The device includes a patterned actuator layer with a first side and a second side, wherein the first side of the patterned actuator layer is lined with a polysilicon layer, and wherein the first side of the patterned actuator layer faces the bumpstop. The device further includes a standoff formed over the IMD layer, a via through the standoff making electrical contact with the polysilicon layer of the actuator and a portion of the second plurality of polysilicon layers and a bond material disposed on the second side of the patterned actuator layer.

The present invention provides a silicon microphone with a high-aspect-ratio corrugated diaphragm and a microphone package including the same. The microphone comprises the corrugated diaphragm on which at least one ring-shaped corrugation is formed in the vicinity of the edge of the diaphragm which is fixed to the substrate, the corrugated diaphragm is flexible, wherein the ratio of the depth of the corrugation to the thickness of the diaphragm is larger than 5:1, preferably 20:1, and the walls of the corrugation are inclined to the surface of the diaphragm at an angle in the range of 80 to 100. The microphone with the high-aspect-ratio corrugated diaphragm can achieve a consistent and optimal sensitivity and greatly reduce impact applied thereto in a drop test so that the performances, the reproducibility, the reliability and the yield can be improved. The microphone package of the present invention further provides a simplified processing, an improved sensitivity and an improved SNR.

A mechanism for reducing stiction in a MEMS device by decreasing surface area between two surfaces, such as a travel stop and travel stop region, that can come into close contact is provided. Reduction in contact surface area is achieved by increasing surface roughness of the travel stop region. This is achieved by depositing a polysilicon layer over a dielectric layer using gaseous hydrochloric acid as one of the reactants. A subsequent etch back is performed to further increase the roughness. The deposition of polysilicon and subsequent etch back may be repeated one or more times in order to obtain the desired roughness. A final polysilicon layer may then be deposited to achieve a desired thickness. This final polysilicon layer is patterned to form the travel stop regions. The rougher surface decreases the surface area available for contact and, in turn, decreases the area through which stiction can be imparted.

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 method includes: receiving a first substrate; forming a bonding layer on a second substrate; bonding the second substrate to the first substrate; forming a movable membrane on the second substrate, the forming including performing an etching operation to form a through via through a thickness of the second substrate; and forming a first anti-stiction structure on a surface of the movable membrane. The forming of the first anti-stiction structure is performed at a same time as at least one of the etching operation of the through via and the forming of the bonding layer.