A method of forming a monocrystalline nitinol film on a single crystal silicon wafer can comprise depositing a first seed layer of a first metal on the single crystal silicon wafer, the first seed layer growing epitaxially on the single crystal silicon wafer in response to the depositing the first seed layer of the first metal; and depositing the monocrystalline nitinol film on a final seed layer, the monocrystalline nitinol film growing epitaxially on the final seed layer in response to the depositing the monocrystalline nitinol film. The method can form a multilayer stack for a micro-electromechanical system MEMS device.

A free-standing microstructure may be formed from an engineered substrate including a first silicon layer, a second silicon layer, and an intermediate layer. The second silicon layer may include a monocrystalline silicon film. The intermediate layer may be between the first silicon layer and the second silicon layer. The intermediate layer may include a silicon- or germanium-based material having a different lattice constant than the first silicon layer or the second silicon layer. The intermediate layer of the free-standing microstructure may further include one or more voids wherein at least a portion of the silicon- or germanium-based material is absent between the first silicon layer and the second silicon layer.

According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a device is provided. A amorphous metal layer is formed. A metal layer containing metal and having a crystal plane oriented to a predetermined plane is formed on the amorphous metal layer. A first layer containing semiconductor including silicon, and metal identical to the metal contained in the metal layer is formed on the metal layer. The first layer is changed to a second layer containing a compound of the semiconductor and the metal, the compound having a crystal plane oriented to the predetermined plane. A third layer containing polycrystalline silicon-germanium and having a crystal plane oriented to the predetermined plane is formed on the second layer.

A method comprises forming an etch stop layer, a first titanium layer, a magnetic core, a second titanium layer, and patterning the first and second titanium layers. The etch stop layer is formed above a substrate. The first titanium layer is formed on the etch stop layer. The magnetic core is formed on the first titanium layer. The second titanium layer has a first portion encapsulating the magnetic core with the first titanium layer, and a second portion interfacing with the first titanium layer beyond the magnetic core. The patterning of the first and second titanium layers includes forming a mask over a magnetic core region and etching the first and second titanium layers exposed by the mask using a titanium etchant and a titanium oxide etchant.

The invention relates to a method for controlling stress in a substrate during laser deposition. The method includes the steps of: providing a laser deposition device including a chamber with a target holder with a target, a substrate holder with a substrate facing the target and a window, the laser deposition device further including a laser beam directed through the window of the chamber onto a spot at the target for generating a plasma plume of target material and depositing the target material onto a surface portion of the substrate in order to form a thin film of target material, wherein the target spot is movable relative to the substrate in order to deposit target material onto a plurality of surface portions of the substrate; defining a plurality of discrete surface portions on the substrate; aligning the target spot one after the other with each of the plurality of discrete surface portions and generating a plasma plume to deposit target material on each of the plurality of discrete surface portions; and adjusting at least one of the parameters of the deposition process depending on the discrete surface portion with which the target spot is aligned, which parameters include temperature, pressure, laser beam pulse duration, laser beam power, distance of target to substrate.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes patterning a wiring layer to form at least one fixed plate and forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer. The method further includes forming an insulator layer of one or more films over the at least one fixed plate and exposed portions of an underlying substrate to prevent formation of a reaction product between the wiring layer and a sacrificial material. The method further includes forming at least one MEMS beam that is moveable over the at least one fixed plate. The method further includes venting or stripping of the sacrificial material to form at least a first cavity.

Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method includes forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) beam structure by venting both tungsten material and silicon material above and below the MEMS beam to form an upper cavity above the MEMS beam and a lower cavity structure below the MEMS beam.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes patterning a wiring layer to form at least one fixed plate and forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer. The method further includes forming an insulator layer of one or more films over the at least one fixed plate and exposed portions of an underlying substrate to prevent formation of a reaction product between the wiring layer and a sacrificial material. The method further includes forming at least one MEMS beam that is moveable over the at least one fixed plate. The method further includes venting or stripping of the sacrificial material to form at least a first cavity.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.