MEMS structures and methods utilizing a locker film are provided. In an embodiment a locker film is utilized to hold and support a moveable mass region during the release of the moveable mass region from a surrounding substrate. By providing additional support during the release of the moveable mass, the locker film can reduce the amount of undesired movement that can occur during the release of the moveable mass, and preventing undesired etching of the sidewalls of the moveable mass.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulator layer on the first semiconductor layer, forming a patterned second semiconductor layer on the first insulator layer, the patterned second semiconductor layer having an actual thickness greater than a target thickness and exposing a portion of the first insulator layer; forming a second insulator layer as a spacer on the exposed portion of the first insulator layer, and performing an etching process on the patterned second semiconductor layer until the second semiconductor layer has the target thickness and concurrently removing the second insulator layer. The method can eliminate capillary etching of the spacer in a subsequent removal of the first insulator layer.

Methods for manufacturing MEMS structures are provided. The method includes forming a first trench and a second trench in a MEMS substrate by performing a main etching process and etching the MEMS substrate through the first trench and the second trench to form a first through hole and an extended second trench by performing a first step of an over-etching process. The method further includes etching the MEMS substrate through the extended second trench to form a second through hole by performing a second step of the over-etching process. In addition, a width of the first trench is greater than a width of the second trench, and a height of the first trench is greater than of a height of the MEMS substrate, and a height of the second trench is smaller than of the MEMS substrate.

A Through Silicon Interposer Wafer and Method of Manufacturing the Same A through silicon interposer wafer having at least one cavity formed therein for MEMS applications and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The through silicon interposer wafer includes one or more filled silicon vias formed sufficiently proximate to the at least one cavity to provide support for walls of the at least one cavity during subsequent processing of the interposer wafer.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a substrate and a multilayer film having a step-shaped portion on the substrate; forming a protective layer covering the step-shaped portion of the multilayer film; forming a capping layer having a plurality of steps on the protective layer covering the semiconductor substrate; and removing at least one layer of the multilayer film to form a cavity that is defined by the capping layer and a remaining multilayer film that has the at least one layer removed. The thus formed semiconductor device does not have cracks in the steps of the capping layer when performing an etch process, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.

MEMS structures and methods utilizing a locker film are provided. In an embodiment a locker film is utilized to hold and support a moveable mass region during the release of the moveable mass region from a surrounding substrate. By providing additional support during the release of the moveable mass, the locker film can reduce the amount of undesired movement that can occur during the release of the moveable mass, and preventing undesired etching of the sidewalls of the moveable mass.

The disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing recessed micromechanical structures in a MEMS device wafer. First vertical trenches in the device wafer define the horizontal dimensions of both level and recessed structures. The horizontal face of the device wafer and the vertical sidewalls of the first vertical trenches are then covered with a self-supporting etching mask which is made of a self-supporting mask material, which is sufficiently rigid to remain standing vertically in the location where it was deposited even as the sidewall upon which it was deposited is etched away. Recess trenches are then etched under the protection of the self-supporting mask. The method allows a spike-preventing aggressive etch to be used for forming the recess trenches, without harming the sidewalls in the first vertical trenches.

The invention relates in particular to a method for producing subsequent patterns in an underlying layer (120), the method comprising at least one step of producing prior patterns in a carbon imprintable layer (110) on top of the underlying layer (120), the production of the prior patterns involving nanoimprinting of the imprintable layer (110) and leave in place a continuous layer formed by the imprintable layer (110) and covering the underlying layer (120), characterized in that it comprises the following step: at least one step of modifying the underlying layer (120) via ion implantation (421) in the underlying layer (120), the implantation (421) being carried out through the imprintable layer (110) comprising the subsequent patterns, the parameters of the implantation (421) being chosen in such a way as to form, in the underlying layer (120), implanted zones (122) and non-implanted zones, the non-Implanted zones defining the subsequent patterns and having a geometry that is dependent on the prior patterns.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulator layer on the first semiconductor layer, forming a patterned second semiconductor layer on the first insulator layer, the patterned second semiconductor layer having an actual thickness greater than a target thickness and exposing a portion of the first insulator layer; forming a second insulator layer as a spacer on the exposed portion of the first insulator layer, and performing an etching process on the patterned second semiconductor layer until the second semiconductor layer has the target thickness and concurrently removing the second insulator layer. The method can eliminate capillary etching of the spacer in a subsequent removal of the first insulator layer.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a substrate and a multilayer film having a step-shaped portion on the substrate; forming a protective layer covering the step-shaped portion of the multilayer film; forming a capping layer having a plurality of steps on the protective layer covering the semiconductor substrate; and removing at least one layer of the multilayer film to form a cavity that is defined by the capping layer and a remaining multilayer film that has the at least one layer removed. The thus formed semiconductor device does not have cracks in the steps of the capping layer when performing an etch process, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.