Method of processing a wafer for manufacturing an oscillating structure such as a micro-mirror
11673799 · 2023-06-13
Assignee
Inventors
- Enri Duqi (Milan, IT)
- Nicolo′ Boni (Albino, IT)
- Lorenzo Baldo (Bareggio, IT)
- Massimiliano Merli (Pavia, IT)
- Roberto Carminati (Piancogno, IT)
Cpc classification
G02B26/0858
PHYSICS
B81B2201/042
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
To manufacture an oscillating structure, a wafer is processed by: forming torsional elastic elements; forming a mobile element connected to the torsional elastic elements; processing the first side of the wafer to form a mechanical reinforcement structure; and processing the second side of said wafer by steps of chemical etching, deposition of metal material, and/or deposition of piezoelectric material. Processing of the first side of the wafer is carried out prior to processing of the second side of the wafer so as not to damage possible sensitive structures formed on the first side of the wafer.
Claims
1. A method of processing a wafer having a first side and a second side opposite to one another to manufacture an oscillating structure, comprising: a) forming first and second elastic torsional elements which are constrained to respective portions of a fixed supporting body and define an axis of rotation; b) forming a mobile element interposed between, and connected to, said first and second elastic torsional elements, the mobile element being rotatable about the axis of rotation as a consequence of a torsion of the first and second elastic torsional elements; c) processing the first side of said wafer at the mobile element to form a mechanical reinforcement structure for the mobile element, by: c1) growing a reinforcement layer on the first side of the wafer; and c2) patterning said reinforcement layer by removing selective portions of the reinforcement layer; and d) processing the second side of said wafer, including carrying out, at the second side of the wafer, at least one of: chemical etching, deposition of metal material, and deposition of piezoelectric material; wherein step d) is performed after performing step c).
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling a supporting structure to the first side of the wafer, after performing step c) but before performing step d).
3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising providing the supporting structure with a recess, and wherein coupling the supporting structure to the first side of the wafer is carried out so that the mechanical reinforcement structure is completely contained within said recess.
4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising removing selective portions of the reinforcement layer to form at least one fluidic access channel adapted to set in fluidic communication the recess with an environment external to the recess.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein step d) includes processing the second side of said wafer, including carrying out, at the second side of the wafer, at least deposition of metal material; wherein the deposition of metal material is carried out to form a reflecting layer on the mobile element and/or an electrical contact and/or an electrical path; and wherein the deposition of piezoelectric material is carried out to form a piezoelectric actuator configured to cause, in use, said torsion of the first and the second elastic torsional elements.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wafer is a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer including an insulating layer interposed between a substrate and a structural layer; wherein the method further comprises forming an etch-stop layer on the structural layer, said reinforcement layer being grown on the etch-stop layer and wherein forming the mechanical reinforcement structure includes masked etching of the reinforcement layer for removing selective portions thereof until the etch-stop layer is reached.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wafer is a SOI wafer including an insulating layer interposed between a substrate and a structural layer; and wherein processing the second side of the wafer comprises: carrying out a thinning the substrate until the insulating layer is reached; removing selective portions of the insulating layer to expose respective surface regions of the structural layer; and carrying out at least one operation from among said chemical etching, said deposition of metal material, and said deposition of piezoelectric material.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said chemical etching is carried out to form a central body of the oscillating structure, the first elastic torsional element, the second elastic torsional element, and the mobile element.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said chemical etching is carried out to form one or more structures configured to carry out electrostatic actuation of said oscillating structure.
10. A method of processing a wafer having a first side and a second side opposite to one another to manufacture an oscillating structure, comprising: a) forming first and second elastic torsional elements which are constrained to respective portions of a fixed supporting body and define an axis of rotation; b) forming a mobile element interposed between, and connected to, said first and second elastic torsional element; c) processing the first side of said wafer at the mobile element to form a mechanical reinforcement structure for the mobile element, by: c1) growing a reinforcement layer on the first side of the wafer; and c2) patterning said reinforcement layer by removing selective portions of the reinforcement layer to produce an annular reinforcement structure supporting the mobile element about a periphery thereof; and d) processing the second side of said wafer, including carrying out, at the second side of the wafer, at least one of: chemical etching, deposition of metal material, and deposition of piezoelectric material.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising coupling a supporting structure to the first side of the wafer, after performing step c) but before performing step d).
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing the supporting structure with a recess, and wherein coupling the supporting structure to the first side of the wafer is carried out so that the mechanical reinforcement structure is completely contained within said recess.
13. The method according to claim 10, wherein step d) includes processing the second side of said wafer, including carrying out, at the second side of the wafer, at least deposition of metal material; wherein the deposition of metal material is carried out to form a reflecting layer on the mobile element and/or an electrical contact and/or an electrical path; and wherein the deposition of piezoelectric material is carried out to form a piezoelectric actuator.
14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said wafer is a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer including an insulating layer interposed between a substrate and a structural layer; wherein the method further comprises forming an etch-stop layer on the structural layer, said reinforcement layer being grown on the etch-stop layer and wherein forming the mechanical reinforcement structure includes masked etching of the reinforcement layer for removing selective portions thereof until the etch-stop layer is reached.
15. The method according to claim 11, wherein said wafer is a SOI wafer including an insulating layer interposed between a substrate and a structural layer; and wherein processing the second side of the wafer comprises: thinning the substrate until the insulating layer is reached; removing selective portions of the insulating layer to expose respective surface regions of the structural layer; and carrying out at least one operation from among said chemical etching, said deposition of metal material, and said deposition of piezoelectric material.
16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said chemical etching is carried out to form a central body of the oscillating structure, the first elastic torsional element, the second elastic torsional element, and the mobile element.
17. The method according to claim 11, wherein said chemical etching is carried out to form one or more structures configured to carry out electrostatic actuation of said oscillating structure.
18. A method of processing a wafer having a first side and a second side opposite to one another to manufacture an oscillating structure, wherein said wafer is a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer including an insulating layer interposed between a substrate and a structural layer, comprising: a) forming first and second elastic torsional elements which are constrained to respective portions of a fixed supporting body and define an axis of rotation; b) forming a mobile element interposed between, and connected to, said first and second elastic torsional elements, the mobile element being rotatable about the axis of rotation as a consequence of a torsion of the first and second elastic torsional elements; c) processing the first side of said wafer at the mobile element to form a mechanical reinforcement structure for the mobile element, by: forming an etch-stop layer on the structural layer, growing a reinforcement layer on the etch-stop layer, and masked etching of the reinforcement layer for removing selective portions thereof until the etch-stop layer is reached; and d) processing the second side of said wafer, including carrying out, at the second side of the wafer, at least one of: chemical etching, deposition of metal material, and deposition of piezoelectric material; wherein step d) is performed after performing step c).
19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising coupling a supporting structure to the first side of the wafer, after performing step c) but before performing step d).
20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising providing the supporting structure with a recess, and wherein coupling the supporting structure to the first side of the wafer is carried out so that the mechanical reinforcement structure is completely contained within said recess.
21. The method according to claim 20, where removing selective portions of the reinforcement layer forms at least one fluidic access channel adapted to set in fluidic communication the recess with an environment external to the recess.
22. The method according to claim 18, wherein step d) includes processing the second side of said wafer, including carrying out, at the second side of the wafer, at least deposition of metal material; wherein the deposition of metal material is carried out to form a reflecting layer on the mobile element and/or an electrical contact and/or an electrical path; and wherein the deposition of piezoelectric material is carried out to form a piezoelectric actuator configured to cause, in use, said torsion of the first and the second elastic torsional elements.
23. The method according to claim 18, wherein processing the second side of the wafer comprises: carrying out a thinning the substrate until the insulating layer is reached; removing selective portions of the insulating layer to expose respective surface regions of the structural layer; and carrying out at least one operation from among said chemical etching, said deposition of metal material, and said deposition of piezoelectric material.
24. The method according to claim 18, wherein said chemical etching is carried out to form a central body of the oscillating structure, the first elastic torsional element, the second elastic torsional element, and the mobile element.
25. The method according to claim 18, wherein said chemical etching is carried out to form one or more structures configured to carry out electrostatic actuation of said oscillating structure.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) For a better understanding, certain embodiments are now described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:
(2)
(3)
(4)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(5)
(6) The projective MEMS system 20 further comprises a combiner 26, a MEMS device 30, and a screen 32. The combiner 26 is arranged downstream of the light source 22 so as to receive the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the LDs 24 and form a single optical beam OB1, obtained by combination of the electromagnetic radiation. The combiner 26 is moreover adapted to direct the optical beam OB1 onto the MEMS device 30. In turn, the MEMS device 30, described in greater detail hereinafter, is adapted to generate a reflected optical beam OB2 and to direct the reflected optical beam OB2 onto the screen 32, so as to enable formation of images on the screen 32.
(7) In detail, the MEMS device 30 is adapted to vary in time the orientation in space of the axis of the reflected optical beam OB2 so as to periodically scan portions of the screen 32. In particular, the reflected optical beam OB2 linearly scans a portion of the screen 32 (possibly the entire screen).
(8) It is evident that the MEMS device 30 can find application in a system different from the one illustrated in
(9)
(10) The MEMS device 30 comprises a fixed supporting body 40, in particular of semiconductor material, which includes a first and a second structural region 44, 46.
(11) The MEMS device 30 is illustrated in an orthogonal reference system formed by three axes X, Y, Z. Likewise, an axis H is defined parallel to the Z axis of the reference system. The fixed supporting body 40 defines a cavity 52. The MEMS device 30 further comprises a mobile body 54, which is affixed to first and second structural regions 44, 46 of the fixed supporting body 40 and is likewise suspended over the cavity 52.
(12) The mobile body 54 has a central portion 60, for example circular in plan view (in the horizontal plane XY), set on which is a reflecting element (which is, in what follows, referred to as “mirror layer”) 65, including a material with high reflectivity in regard to the light radiation to be projected, such as a metal, for example aluminum or gold.
(13) The mobile body 54 further includes first and second deformable elements 56, 58 (also referred to as “arms”), in particular configured to undergo deformation of a torsional type.
(14) The central portion 60 is mechanically coupled to the first and second deformable elements 56, 58 and, via the latter, to the first and second structural regions 44, 46.
(15) A first end 56a of the first deformable element 56 is fixed with respect to the first structural region 44, while a first end 58a of the second deformable element 58 is fixed with respect to the second structural region 46. Moreover, a second end 56b of the first deformable element 56 and a second end 58b of the second deformable element 58 are fixed with respect to the central portion 60, in respective regions of the latter opposite to one another along the axis X.
(16) According to an embodiment provided by way of non-limiting example of the present disclosure, in resting conditions, each of the first and second deformable elements 56, 58 has a parallelepiped shape, the dimension of which in a direction parallel to the X axis is greater than the corresponding dimensions along the Y and Z axes; for example, the dimension parallel to the X axis is at least five times greater than the dimensions along the Y and Z axes. In resting conditions, each of the first and the second deformable elements 56, 58 has two faces parallel to the XY plane and opposite to one another along the Z axis. Likewise, the mobile body 54 (in particular, the central portion 60) has two faces parallel to the XY plane and opposite to one another along the Z axis.
(17) For practical purposes, the first and second deformable elements 56, 58 function, respectively, as first and second springs since each of them can undergo a torsion about the axis O, and subsequently return into the position assumed in resting conditions. During torsion of the first and second deformable elements 56, 58, the two faces thereof that, in a resting condition, are arranged in planes parallel to the XY plane, are displaced, with respect to the resting position, rotating about the axis O and bringing the central portion 60 and the mirror layer 65 into rotation about the axis O.
(18) According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a first 70, a second 72, a third 74, and a fourth actuator 76, of a piezoelectric type, are arranged laterally with respect to the first and second deformable elements 56, 58. In particular, the first and the second actuators 70, 72 extend, in top view in the XY plane, on opposite sides, along the Y axis, of the first deformable element 56; the third and fourth actuators 74, 76 extend, in top view in the XY plane, on opposite sides, along the Y axis, of the second deformable element 58.
(19) Respective ends of the first and second actuators 70, 72 are fixed with respect to the first structural region 44, while the other respective ends of the first and second actuators 70, 72 are fixed with respect to the central portion 60. Likewise, respective ends of the third and fourth actuators 74, 76 are fixed with respect to the second structural region 46, while the other respective ends of the third and fourth actuators 74, 76 are fixed with respect to the central portion 60.
(20) In one embodiment, the first and second actuators 70, 72 are mutually symmetrical with respect to the axis O and with respect to the first deformable element 56, and the third and fourth actuators 74, 76 are mutually symmetrical with respect to the axis O and with respect to the second deformable element 58. In different embodiments, the actuators may not be symmetrical, according to specific design choices.
(21) Each actuator 70-76 includes a respective layer of piezoelectric material interposed between control electrodes, which can be biased for generating a controlled deformation of the piezoelectric material. In a way not illustrated in
(22) In use, when appropriate control voltages are applied to the actuators 70-76 via electrical contact pads 81 and conductive paths 83, a local deformation is generated, which is transferred directly to the mobile body 54, imparting a rotation of the mobile body 54 about the axis O, thanks to the torsion of just the first and second deformable elements 56, 58.
(23) According to a different embodiment, not illustrated, the actuators 70-76 each have a respective end coupled to either the first structural region 44 or the second structural region 46 and a second respective end coupled to a respective deformable element 56, 58 along which they extend (i.e., they are not directly coupled to the central portion 60). The operation remains similar to what has been described above.
(24) The present disclosure likewise applies to MEMS devices provided with an oscillating structure with actuators other than piezoelectric actuators, for example, a structure with electrostatic actuation (not illustrated in the figures) and therefore provided with actuators configured to be biased so as to cause and/or sustain an oscillation of the oscillating structure. The electrostatic actuators are, for example, obtained via etching steps.
(25) According to one aspect described herein, it is possible to form, optionally, a reinforcement structure (which cannot be appreciated from the view of
(26) It is evident that the mechanical reinforcement structure may have a shape different from the annular shape; for example, it may comprise one or more ribbings, or beam structures, or rib structures, or it may have any other shape adapted to provide a mechanical reinforcement for the central portion 60.
(27) In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the central portion 60, the first and second connection regions 55, 57, the first and second deformable elements 56, 58, and the first and second structural regions 44, 46 form a single piece; i.e., they belong to a monolithic structure, in particular including semiconductor material obtained by micromachining techniques used in the semiconductor and MEMS industry.
(28)
(29) With reference to
(30) Then, with reference to
(31) This is followed, as shown in
(32) There then follows, as shown in
(33) As an alternative to what has been described for the step of
(34) As mentioned previously, the annular structure 112 has the function of providing mechanical reinforcement for the central portion 60, reducing deformation thereof during oscillation, and may be omitted.
(35) During the etching process represented in
(36) As an alternative or in addition to the step of formation of the annual structure 112 (reinforcement structure), it is possible to carry out other machining processes on the back of the central portion 60, for example to obtain edge anchorage regions.
(37) There then follows, as shown in
(38) In particular, the cap 114 is obtained in a wafer 200 different from the wafer 100 and comprises a recess 116 within which the annular structure 112 is housed.
(39) The cap 114 is, for example, of semiconductor material (for instance, silicon).
(40) The wafer 200 and the wafer 100 are coupled together, for example via bonding of a glass-fit type, or by metal bonding, thermal-compression bonding, eutectic bonding, anodic bonding, bonding by adhesives or glues, or other types of bonding. The bonding layer is represented schematically in
(41) The fluidic paths 122 formed in the step of
(42) Next, as shown in
(43) Then, as shown in
(44) During the step of
(45) A step of deposition of reflective material (e.g., aluminium or gold), and subsequent lithographic and etching steps, are then also carried out to form the mirror layer 65. The steps of formation of the pads 81 and/or conductive paths 83 for biasing the actuators and the mirror layer 65 may, at least in part, be simultaneous. In this case, the conductive pads 81/paths 83 may be of the same material as the one chosen for the mirror layer 65. It may be noted that the mirror layer 65 may be formed indifferently over the structural layer 106 or over the insulating layer 104. The conductive paths 83 are, instead, preferably formed on the insulating layer 104 in order to provide electrical insulation during use.
(46) With reference to
(47) In one embodiment, the MEMS device 30 further comprises an electronic control circuit (not illustrated), adapted to start, and then maintain, the oscillation of the mobile body 54. The electronic control circuit may be integrated in the same die that houses the MEMS device 30, or else set outside the die that houses the MEMS device 30, according to the design requirements and specifications.
(48) The electronic control circuit is configured to generate the driving voltages for the actuators 70-76, for example in the form of voltage/current pulses. According to one embodiment, the mobile body 54 is made to oscillate at its resonance frequency.
(49) The electronic control circuit may moreover manage start-up of the oscillation of the mobile body 54, starting from a state in which the latter is stationary in a resting condition.
(50) The advantages that derive from the present disclosure are evident from what has been set forth above.
(51) In particular, the manufacturing method proposed envisages initial steps of patterning of the silicon wafer for formation of the structures that, in use, correspond to the back of the micro-mirror (in particular, the annular structure) and, subsequently, steps of machining of the front of the micro-mirror, of formation of the actuators and of the reflecting layer, and of photolithographic definition of the various structural components. In this way, the elements of the micro-mirror that extend at the front are not damaged during the steps of processing of the back, with evident advantages.
(52) Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to what has been described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the annexed claims.
(53) For instance, in
(54) Furthermore, the mobile body 54 may have a circular or oval shape or follow some other curvilinear path, or even a square path.
(55) In addition, according to a further embodiment, a number of actuators different from four may be present, for example just two actuators.
(56) It is moreover possible for the projective MEMS system 20 of
(57) It is likewise possible for the MEMS device 30 to include moreover a movement device, for example of an electromagnetic type, adapted to rotate the central portion 60, and therefore the mirror layer 65, about a further axis parallel, for example, to the axis Y.