Devices and methods for controlling molecular transport are disclosed herein. The devices include a membrane having a plurality of nanochannels extending therethrough. The membrane has an inner electrically conductive layer and an outer dielectric layer. The outer dielectric layer creates an insulative barrier between the electrically conductive layer and the contents of the nanochannels. At least one electrical contact region is positioned on a surface of the membrane. The electrical contact region exposes the electrically conductive layer of the membrane for electrical coupling to external electronics. When the membrane is at a first voltage, molecules flow through the nanochannels at a first release rate. When the membrane is at a second voltage, charge accumulation within the nanochannels modulates the flow of molecules through the nanochannels to a second release rate that is different than the first release rate. Methods of fabricating devices for controlling molecular transport are also disclosed herein.

The present disclosure relates integrated chip structure including a MEMS actuator. The MEMS actuator includes an anchor having a first plurality of branches extending outward from a central region of the anchor. The first plurality of branches respectively include a first plurality of fingers. A proof mass surrounds the anchor and includes a second plurality of branches extending inward from an interior sidewall of the proof mass. The second plurality of branches respectively include a second plurality of fingers interleaved with the first plurality of fingers as viewed in a top-view. One or more curved cantilevers are coupled between the proof mass and a frame wrapping around the proof mass. The one or more curved cantilevers have curved outer surfaces having one or more inflection points as viewed in the top-view.

A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer device includes forming and patterning a film stack over a substrate, the film stack comprising a metal electrode layer and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) stop layer formed over the metal electrode layer; forming an insulation layer over the patterned film stack; planarizing the insulation layer to the CMP stop layer; measuring a remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer; and forming a membrane support layer over the patterned film stack, wherein the membrane support layer is formed at thickness dependent upon the measured remaining thickness of the CMP stop layer, such that a combined thickness of the CMP stop layer and the membrane support layer corresponds to a desired transducer cavity depth.

The present disclosure relates to a CUT transducer (200) comprising: —a conductive or semiconductor substrate (201) coated with a stack of one or a plurality of dielectric layers (203, 213); —a cavity (205, 215) formed in said stack; —a conductive or semiconductor membrane (221) suspended above the cavity; —at the bottom of the cavity, a conductive region (209) in contact with the upper surface of the substrate, said conductive region being interrupted on a portion of the upper surface of the substrate; and—in the cavity, a stop structure (207) made of a dielectric material localized on or above the area of interruption of the conductive region (209).

A semiconductor oxide plate is formed on a recessed surface in a semiconductor matrix material layer. Comb structures are formed in the semiconductor matrix material layer. The comb structures include a pair of inner comb structures spaced apart by a first semiconductor portion. A second semiconductor portion that laterally surrounds the first semiconductor portion is removed selective to the comb structures using an isotropic etch process. The first semiconductor portion is protected from an etchant of the isotropic etch process by the semiconductor oxide plate, the pair of inner comb structures, and a patterned etch mask layer that covers the comb structures. A movable structure for a MEMS device is formed, which includes a combination of the first portion of the semiconductor matrix material layer and the pair of inner comb structures.

This disclosure relates to the process of etching and treatment of side walls while processing microdevices. One aspect is to fill the device wall indentation with a polymer. The disclosure relates to a method and device with its structure to the process of etching and treatment of sidewalls. The methods of etching, coating, and curing are used.

A method for manufacturing a structural layer in a silicon wafer is provide. The silicon wafer has at least two areas vertically recessed to at least two recess depths, with the first recess depth being greater than the second recess depth. The method includes forming a silicon dioxide pattern, a mask layer and a silicon dioxide pad layer, etching the structural layer in a main LOCOS oxidation process, and removing the formed layers exposing the recessed structural layer. The manufactured structural layer has a bump structure with the recess depth smaller than the second recess depth, and the recessed area has no edge steps.

A device includes a first layer of an electrically insulating material and a second layer of a non-electrically insulating material (e.g., semiconductor or electrically conductive) extending on the first layer. The second layer is structured so as to define opposite, lateral walls of a microchannel, a bottom wall of which is defined by an exposed surface of the first layer. The second layer is further structured to form one or more electrical insulation barriers; each barrier includes a line of through holes, each surrounded by an oxidized region of the material of the second layer. The through holes alternate with oxidized portions of the oxidized region along the line. Each barrier extends, as a whole, laterally across the second layer up to one of the lateral walls and delimits two sections of the second layer on each side of the barrier and on a same side of the microchannel.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) with a contoured electrode. In certain embodiments, the CMUT has a contoured electrode. The electrode may be non-planar to correspond to a deflected shape of the outer plate. A change in distance between the electrode and the plate after deflection may be greater than a minimum threshold across the width of the CMUT.

Disclose is a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes: forming a groove such as by etching one side surface of a first substrate; attaching a second substrate including a silicon layer on the etched surface of the first substrate formed with the hollow groove; etching the second substrate so as to leave substantially only the silicon layer; forming a thin film structure on the surface of silicon layers of the second substrate; and separating the second substrate formed with the thin film structure from the first substrate. For example, the groove structure may be formed in the lower portion of the device in the process of fabricating the semiconductor device to facilitate the final device separation.