Texas Instruments Corporation

Raytheon Ti Systems, Inc.

Thomas W Orent

Richard Lee Knipe

John H Tregilgas

Joseph D Luttmer

Rudy L York

Larry D Hutchins

Hidekazu Yoshihara

Art Simmons

Chang F Wan

Elliott Keith Carpenter

John Harold Tregilgas

An improved elastic member (24) for micromechanical devices (12). The micromechanical device (12) includes a stationary member (28) and a moving member (26) which are connected together by a elastic member (24). Because of repeated and frequent movement of the moving member (26), the elastic member (24) can become permanently flexed or deformed, resulting in poor operation of the device. Aluminum alloys are formed to include oxygen, in combination with nitrogen if desired, to obtain a film with dramatically reduced load relaxation characteristics. Oxygen is added to an Argon sputter gas during deposition, and an amorphous film is produced.

Micromechanical device with reduced load relaxation

A P-type substrate for infrared photo diodes can be produced by the present invention. A CdZnTe substrate is utilized. A first layer of HgCdTe is formed by liquid phase epitaxy on the substrate. A CdTe passivation layer is formed over the HgCdTe. A ZnS layer is formed over the CdTe layer. A noble metal is introduced into either the CdTe or ZnS layers. During a subsequent baking of the composite, the noble metal diffuses throughout the composite and into the HgCdTe layer.

Noble metal diffusion doping of mercury cadmium telluride for use in

An electrically addressable, integrated, monolithic, micromirror device (10) is formed by the utilization of sputtering techniques, including various metal and oxide layers, photoresists, liquid and plasma etching, plasma stripping and related techniques and materials. The device (10) includes a selectively electrostatically deflectable mass or mirror (12) of supported by one or more beams (18) formed by sputtering and selective etching. The beams (18) are improved by being constituted of an impurity laden titanium-tungsten layer (52) with an impurity such as nitrogen, which causes the beams to have lattice constant different from TiW. The improved beams (18) exhibit increased strength, and decreased relaxation and creep.

Micromechanical device having an improved beam

Method of manufacturing an infrared detector having a refractory metal (16) within the metal-insulator-semiconductor structure (MIS) provides a process applicable for high volume production of infrared focal plane array detectors. The process of the present invention uses a refractory metal such as tantalum as the gate (16) which is less susceptible to the etching by the bromine solution used to etch the vias (22) as compared to aluminum. Additionally, the etching of the refractory metal film to form the MIS structure can be done with a fluorine-containing plasma, thus avoiding the corrosion of the metal associated with etching aluminum metal films in a chlorine-containing plasma.

Method for forming an infrared detector having a refractory metal

Method and apparatus for forming an infrared detector having a

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Garland, TX, United States of America

Thomas W Orent