Innovative Micro Technology

Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc.

Jeffery Frank Summers

John Stuart Foster

Paul Rubel

Richard Thomas Martin

John Wesley Stocker

Patrick Edward Feierabend

Gregory A Carlson

Alok Paranjpye

John Harley

Benedikt Zeyen

Andrew Dexter Wallis

Christopher S Gudeman

Bryant P Hichwa

David M Erlach

Jaquelin K Spong

Douglas L Thompson

Kimon Rybnicek

Ian R Johnston

Tao Feng Gilbert

Tara Jean Rybnicek

Described herein is a method and structure for fabricating vias in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is first doped to make it mildly conducting, via holes are formed therein, and a conductive material is deposited in the holes. Using the moderate conductivity of the substrate, the conductive material may be plated into the holes.

Method for making vias using a doped substrate

A method for creating small features in an Al/Ag/Ti multilayer stack is disclosed. The method uses a combination of wet and dry etching techniques to anisotropically etch the layers.

Etching technique for microfabrication substrates

A bonding technology is disclosed that can form an anodic, conductive bond between two optically transparent substrates. The anodic bond may be accompanied by a metal alloy, solder, eutectic and polymer bond. The first anodic bond may provide one attribute such as hermeticity, whereas the second bond may provide another attribute, such as electrical conductivity.

Device using glass substrate anodic bonding

Method using glass substrate anodic bonding

A bonding technology is disclosed that can form an anodic, conductive bond between two optically transparent substrates. The anodic bond may be accompanied by a Second bond, for example a metal alloy, solder, eutectic and polymer bond. The two bonds may be used for the same or a different purpose, and may be selected for the following attributes: hermeticity, electrical conductivity, low RF loss, high adhesive strength, leak resistance, thermal conductivity. The attributes for each bonding technology may be the same, or they may be different.

Method and device using silicon substrate to glass substrate anodic bonding

An approach to obtain localized heat within a sealed vacuum cavity is disclosed. The approach uses an exothermic reaction between two reactants to generate heat in the vicinity of a structure, such as a getter material or a bondline that is heat activated. The exothermic reaction can be initiated by application of laser light, or application of current to a current-carrying conductor in the vicinity of the reactants.

Exothermic activation for high vacuum packaging

An approach to activating a getter within a sealed vacuum cavity is disclosed. The approach uses inductive coupling from an external coil to a magnetically permeable material deposited in the vacuum cavity. The getter material is formed over this magnetically permeable material, and heated specifically thereby, leaving the rest of the device cavity and microdevice relatively cool. Using this inductive coupling technique, the getter material can be activated after encapsulation, and delicate structures and low temperature wafer bonding mechanisms may be used.

Inductive getter activation for high vacuum packaging

An optical material is inlaid into a supporting substrate, with the top surface of the optical material flush with the top surface of the substrate, wherein the optical element is used to shape a beam of light travelling substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate, but with the central axis of the beam below the top surface of the substrate. The optical elements serve to shape the beam of light for delivery to or from a microfabricated structure within the device.

Inlaid optical material and method of manufacture

A method for forming through features in a substrate uses a seed layer deposited over a first substrate, and a second substrate bonded to the seed layer. The features may be formed in the first substrate, by plating a conductive filler material onto the seed layer. The first substrate and the second substrate may then be bonded to a third substrate, and the second substrate is removed, leaving through features and first substrate adhered to the third substrate. The through features may provide at least one of electrical access and motion to a plurality of devices formed on the third substrate, or may impart movement to a moveable feature on the first substrate, wherein the third substrate supports the first substrate after removal of the second substrate.

Plating process and apparatus for through wafer features

Systems and methods for forming an encapsulated device include a hermetic seal which seals an insulating environment between two substrates, one of which supports the device. The hermetic seal is formed by an alloy of two metal layers, one deposited on a first substrate and the other deposited on the second substrate, along with a raised feature formed on the first or the second substrate. At least one of the metal layers may be deposited conformally over the raised feature. The raised feature penetrates the molten material of the first or the second metal layers during formation of the alloy, and produces a spectrum of stoichiometries for the formation of the desired alloy, as a function of the distance from the raised feature. At some distance from the raised feature, the proper ratio of the first metal to the second metal exists to form an alloy of the preferred stoichiometry.

Wafer level hermetic bond using metal alloy with raised feature

A MEMS thermal switch is disclosed which couples a hot, expanding beam to a cool flexor beam using a slideably engaged tether, and bends the cool, flexor beam by the expansion of the hot beam. A rigidly engaged tether ties the distal ends of the hot, expanding beam and the cool, flexor beam together, whereas the slideably engaged tether allows the hot, expanding beam to elongate with respect to the cool, flexor beam, without loading the slideably engaged tether with a large shear force. As a result, the material of the tether can be made stiffer, and therefore transmit the bending force of the hot, expanding beam more efficiently to the cool, flexor beam.

MEMS thermal device with slideably engaged tether and method of manufacture

A material for bonding a lid wafer to a device wafer, which includes an adhesive substance with rigid particles embedded in the adhesive substance. The rigid particles may be particles or spheres of alumina, silica, or diamond, for example. The adhesive substance may be glass frit, epoxy, glue, cement or solder, for example. When the adhesive is applied and melted, and pressure is applied between the lid wafer and the device wafer, the lid wafer approaches the device wafer until a minimum separation is reached, which is defined by the rigid particles.

Wafer bonding material with embedded rigid particles

A method for providing improved gettering in a vacuum encapsulated device is described. The method includes forming a plurality of small indentation features in a device cavity formed in a lid wafer. The gettering material is then deposited over the indentation features. The indentation features increase the surface area of the getter material, thereby increasing the volume of gas that the getter material can absorb. This may improve the vacuum maintained within the vacuum cavity over the lifetime of the vacuum encapsulated device.

Indented lid for encapsulated devices and method of manufacture

A material for forming a conductive structure for a micromechanical current-driven device is described, which is an alloy containing about 0.025% manganese and the remainder nickel. Data shows that the alloy possesses advantageous mechanical and electrical properties. In particular, the sheet resistance of the alloy is actually lower and more stable than the sheet resistance of the pure metal. Accordingly, when used for conductive leads in a photonic device, the leads using the NiMn alloy may provide current to heat the photonic device while generating less heat within the leads themselves, and a more stable output.

Current-driven device using NiMn alloy and method of manufacture

A hermetic interconnect is fabricated on a substrate by forming a stud of conductive material over a metallization layer, and then overcoating the stud of conductive material and the metallization layer with a layer of compliant dielectric material. In one embodiment, the layer of compliant dielectric material is low Young's modulus silicon dioxide, formed by sputter-deposition at low temperature, in a low pressure argon atmosphere. The interconnect may provide electrical access to a micromechanical device, which is enclosed with a capping wafer hermetically sealed to the substrate with an AuInalloy bond.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Jeffery Frank Summers