Plasma processing apparatus and associated methods are provided. In one example, a method can include admitting a process gas into a plasma chamber. The method can include exciting with RF energy an inductive coupling element to initiate ignition of a plasma induced in the process gas. The method can include adjusting an RF voltage of an electrostatic shield located between the inductive coupling element and the plasma chamber. The electrostatic shield can have a stray capacitance to a ground reference. The method can include conducting an ion-assisted etching process on the workpiece based at least in part on the RF voltage of the electrostatic shield.

Methods for forming an electrode structure, which can be used as a biosensor, are provided in which the electrode structure has non-random topography located on one surface of an electrode base. In some embodiments, an electrode structure is obtained that contains no interface between the non-random topography of the electrode structure and the electrode base of the electrode structure. In other embodiments, electrode structures are obtained that have an interface between the non-random topography of the electrode structure and the electrode base of the electrode structure.

A method, system, apparatus, and/or device to creating a set of miniaturized electrode pillars. The method, system, apparatus, and/or device may include patterning a set of miniaturized electrode pillars on a substrate and coating the set of miniaturized electrode pillars with an interstitial filler disposed between the set of miniaturized electrode pillars. The interstitial filler may insulate the set of miniaturized electrode pillars from each other and bolster the set of miniaturized electrode pillars.

A method for manufacturing a substrate including a region, which is mechanically decoupled from a support and has at least one component situated on the region; at least one recess being introduced on a front side of the substrate; an etching pattern being prepared on a back side of the substrate and etched anisotropically in such a manner, that vertical channels are produced on the back side of the substrate; and subsequently, a cavity being introduced at the back side of the substrate; the at least one recess on the front side of the substrate being connected to the cavity on the back side of the substrate; and in at least one region between the front side of the substrate and the cavity, at least two recesses or at least two segments of a recess being interconnected by at least one channel.

In an embodiment a MEMS microphone includes a substrate, a shield layer, a central insulation layer and a membrane, wherein the substrate has an upper surface with a first opening therein, wherein the shield layer is arranged between the upper surface of the substrate and the membrane, the shield layer having a second opening, wherein the central insulation layer is arranged between the shield layer and the membrane, the shield layer comprising a dielectric bulk material having a third opening and an etch stopper forming an edge of the central insulation layer towards the third opening such that the dielectric bulk material of the central insulation layer is completely enclosed between the shield layer, the etch stopper and the membrane, and wherein all openings are arranged one above another to form a common sound channel to the membrane.

A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. Firstly, a CMOS device including a semiconductor substrate, a first oxide insulation layer, a doped polysilicon layer, a second oxide insulation layer, a patterned polysilicon layer, and a metal wiring layer from bottom to top. The metal wiring layer is formed on the second oxide insulation layer. The patterned polysilicon layer includes undoped polysilicon. Then, a part of the metal wiring layer is removed to form a metal electrode and the semiconductor substrate is penetrated to have a chamber and expose the first oxide insulation layer, thereby forming a MEMS microphone.

A carrier proximity mask and methods of assembling and using the carrier proximity mask may include providing a first carrier body, second carrier body, and set of one or more clamps. The first carrier body may have one or more openings formed as proximity masks to form structures on a first side of a substrate. The first and second carrier bodies may have one or more contact areas to align with one or more contact areas on a first and second sides of the substrate. The set of one or more clamps may clamp the substrate between the first carrier body and the second carrier body at contact areas to suspend work areas of the substrate between the first and second carrier bodies. The openings to define edges to convolve beams to form structures on the substrate.

A laser micro-machining process called laser-assisted material phase-change and expulsion (LAMPE) micromachining that includes cutting features in a cutting surface of a piece of material using a pulsed laser with intensity, pulse width and pulse rate set to melt and eject liquid material without vaporizing said material, or, in the case of silicon, create an ejectible silicon oxide. Burrs are removed from the cutting surface by electro-polishing the cutting surface with a dilute acid solution using an electric potential higher than a normal electro-polishing electric potential. A multi-lamina assembly of laser-micro-machined laminates (MALL) may utilize MEMS. In the MALL process, first, the individual layers of a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) are fabricated using the LAMPE micro-machining process. Next, the fabricated microstructure laminates are stack assembled and bonded to fabricate MEM systems. The MALL MEMS fabrication process enables greater material section and integration, greater design flexibility, low-cost manufacturing, rapid development, and integrated packaging.

A method for fabricating a MEMS sensor device. The method can include providing a substrate, forming an IC layer overlying the substrate, forming an oxide layer overlying the IC layer, forming a metal layer coupled to the IC layer through the oxide layer, forming a MEMS layer having a pair of designated sense electrode portions and a designated proof mass portion overlying the oxide layer, forming a via structure within each of the designated sense electrode portions, and etching the MEMS layer to form a pair of sense electrodes and a proof mass from the designated sense electrode portions and proof mass portions, respectively. The via structure can include a ground post and the proof mass can include a sense comb. The MEMS sensor device formed using this method can result is more well-defined edges of the proof mass structure.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure including the following steps is provided. A mask layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate revealed by the mask layer is anisotropically etched until a cavity is formed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein anisotropically etching the semiconductor substrate revealed by the mask layer comprises performing a plurality of first cycles and performing a plurality of second cycles after performing the first cycles, each cycle among the first and second cycles respectively includes performing a passivating step and performing an etching step after performing the passivating step. During the first cycles, a first duration ratio of the etching step to the passivating step is variable and ramps up step by step. During the second cycles, a second duration ratio of the etching step to the passivating step is constant, and the first duration ratio is less than the second duration ratio.