Described herein is a technique capable of forming a sacrificial film with a high wet etching rate so as to obtain a wet etching selectivity with respect to a movable electrode when manufacturing a cantilever structure sensor. According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including: (a) placing a substrate with a sacrificial film containing impurities on a substrate support in a process chamber, wherein the sacrificial film is formed so as to cover a control electrode, a pedestal and a counter electrode formed on the substrate; (b) heating the substrate; and (c) modifying the sacrificial film into a modified sacrificial film by supplying an oxygen-containing gas in a plasma state to the substrate to desorb the impurities from the sacrificial film after (b).

Methods for fabricating flexible substrate nanostructured devices are disclosed. The nanostructures comprise nano-pillars and metallic bulbs or nano-apertures. The nanostructures can be functionalized to detect biological entities. The flexible substrates can be rolled into cylindrical tubes for detection of fluidic samples.

According to at least one embodiment, a method of fabricating a micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) structure is disclosed. The method involves causing an etchant to remove a portion of a sacrificial layer of the MEMS structure, the sacrificial layer between a structural layer of the MEMS structure and a substrate of the MEMS structure. In this embodiment, causing the etchant to remove the portion of the sacrificial layer involves causing a target portion of the substrate to be released from the MEMS structure. According to another embodiment, another method of fabricating a MEMS structure is disclosed. The method involves causing an etchant including water to remove a portion of a sacrificial layer of the MEMS structure, the sacrificial layer between a structural layer of the MEMS structure and a substrate of the MEMS structure. In this embodiment, the sacrificial layer and the substrate are hydrophobic.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a microphone including a support structure layer disposed between a particle filter and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structure. A carrier substrate is disposed below the particle filter and has opposing sidewalls that define a carrier substrate opening. The MEMS structure overlies the carrier substrate and includes a diaphragm having opposing sidewalls that define a diaphragm opening overlying the carrier substrate opening. The particle filter is disposed between the carrier substrate and the MEMS structure. A plurality of filter openings extend through the particle filter. The support structure layer includes a support structure having one or more segments spaced laterally between the opposing sidewalls of the carrier substrate. The one or more segments of the support structure are spaced laterally between the plurality of filter openings.

A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) includes a circuit substrate, a first MEMS structure disposed over the circuit substrate, and a second MEMS structure disposed over the first MEMS structure.

A process for manufacturing a microelectromechanical device envisages: providing a wafer of semiconductor material; forming a buried cavity, completely contained within the wafer, and a structural layer formed by a surface portion of the wafer and suspended over the buried cavity; forming first trenches through the structural layer as far as the buried cavity, which define the suspended structure in the structural layer; filling the first trenches and the buried cavity with sacrificial material; forming a closing structure above the structural layer; removing the sacrificial material from the first trenches and from the buried cavity to release the suspended structure, the suspended structure being isolated and buried within the wafer in a buried environment formed by the first trenches and by the buried cavity.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a microphone including a support structure layer disposed between a particle filter and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structure. A carrier substrate is disposed below the particle filter and has opposing sidewalls that define a carrier substrate opening. The MEMS structure overlies the carrier substrate and includes a diaphragm having opposing sidewalls that define a diaphragm opening overlying the carrier substrate opening. The particle filter is disposed between the carrier substrate and the MEMS structure. A plurality of filter openings extend through the particle filter. The support structure layer includes a support structure having one or more segments spaced laterally between the opposing sidewalls of the carrier substrate. The one or more segments of the support structure are spaced laterally between the plurality of filter openings.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a beam structure and an electrode on an insulator layer, remote from the beam structure. The method further includes forming at least one sacrificial layer over the beam structure, and remote from the electrode. The method further includes forming a lid structure over the at least one sacrificial layer and the electrode. The method further includes providing simultaneously a vent hole through the lid structure to expose the sacrificial layer and to form a partial via over the electrode. The method further includes venting the sacrificial layer to form a cavity. The method further includes sealing the vent hole with material. The method further includes forming a final via in the lid structure to the electrode, through the partial via.

The disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a planarized etch-stop layer, ESL, for a hydrofluoric acid, HF, vapor phase etching process. The method includes providing a first planarized layer on top of a surface of a substrate, the first planarized layer having a patterned and structured metallic material and a filling material. The method further includes comprises depositing on top of the first planarized layer the planarized ESL of an ESL material with low HF etch rate, wherein the planarized ESL has a low surface roughness and a thickness of less than 150 nm, in particular of less than 100 nm.

A device includes a substrate having first and second layers and an insulator layer between the first and second layers. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure is provide on a portion of the second layer. A trench is formed in the second layer and around at least a part of a periphery of the portion of the second layer. An undercut is formed in the insulator layer and adjacent to the portion of the second layer. The undercut separates the portion of the second layer from the first layer. First and second pinholes extend from a plane of the insulator layer and in the first layer. The first and second pinholes are in fluid communication with the undercut and the trench.