Oakland University

Microstar Technologies LLC

Hongwei Qu

James Melvin Slicker

The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a micromachined CMOS-MEMS integrated device as well as the devices/apparatus resulting from the method. In the disclosed method, the anisotropic etching (e.g., DRIE) for isolation trench formation on a MEMS element is performed on the back side of a silicon wafer, thereby avoiding the trench sidewall contamination and the screen effect of the isolation beams in a plasma etching process. In an embodiment, a layered wafer including a substrate and a composite thin film thereon is subjected to at least one (optionally at least two) back side anisotropic etching step to form an isolation trench (and optionally a substrate membrane). The method overcomes drawbacks of other microfabrication processes, including isolation trench sidewall contamination.

Method of wafer-level fabrication of MEMS devices

A MEMS switch includes a latch mechanism, first and second electrical conductors, a first latch actuator, a second latch actuator, and an axial actuator. The latch mechanism may include a transfer rod and a contact member, the contact member extending radially outwardly from a position along the axial length of the transfer rod. The first and second electrical conductors may extend along, and may be radially offset from, a portion of the transfer rod. The first latch actuator may include a first latch pin, and the second latch actuator may include a second latch pin, the first and second latch actuators being configured to move toward and away from the transfer rod, and the first and second latch pins configured to engage the contact member. The at least one axial actuator may be configured to move the contact member towards and away from the first and second electrical conductors.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Hongwei Qu