The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 22, 2005
Filed:
May. 23, 2002
Janak Singh, Singapore, SG;
Uppili Sridhar, Singapore, SG;
Ranganathan Nagarajan, Singapore, SG;
Quanbo Zou, Singapore, SG;
Janak Singh, Singapore, SG;
Uppili Sridhar, Singapore, SG;
Ranganathan Nagarajan, Singapore, SG;
Quanbo Zou, Singapore, SG;
Institute of Microelectronics, Singapore, SG;
Abstract
Method of fabricating a micro-mirror switching device in single crystal silicon are described. The device is fabricated as three main elements: silicon mirror plate with metal-mirror, secondary actuator, and hinge/spring mechanism to integrate the mirror plate with the actuator. p-n junction is first formed on p-type silicon. Trenches are then etched in n-silicon to define the device element boundaries and filled with silicon dioxide. Three layers of sacrificial oxide and two structural poly-silicon layers are deposited and patterned to form device elements. Novel release processes, consisting of backside electrochemical etching in potassium-hydroxide, reactive ion etching to expose oxide-filled trenches from the bottom, and hydrofluoric acid etching of sacrificial oxide layers and oxide in silicon trenches, form the silicon blocks; those that are not attached to structural poly-silicon are sacrificed and those that are attached are left in place to hold together the switching device elements.