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:
Jun. 07, 2005
Filed:
May. 09, 2003
Jeffrey D. Chinn, Foster City, CA (US);
Rolf A. Guenther, Monte Sereno, CA (US);
Michael B. Rattner, Santa Clara, CA (US);
James A. Cooper, San Jose, CA (US);
Toi Yue Becky Leung, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Claes H. Bjorkman, Los Altos, CA (US);
Jeffrey D. Chinn, Foster City, CA (US);
Rolf A. Guenther, Monte Sereno, CA (US);
Michael B. Rattner, Santa Clara, CA (US);
James A. Cooper, San Jose, CA (US);
Toi Yue Becky Leung, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Claes H. Bjorkman, Los Altos, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Claa, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method of improving the adhesion of a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer (SAM) coating to a surface of a MEMS structure, for the purpose of preventing stiction. The method comprises treating surfaces of the MEMS structure with a plasma generated from a source gas comprising oxygen and, optionally, hydrogen. The treatment oxidizes the surfaces, which are then reacted with hydrogen to form bonded OH groups on the surfaces. The hydrogen source may be present as part of the plasma source gas, so that the bonded OH groups are created during treatment of the surfaces with the plasma. Also disclosed herein is an integrated method for release and passivation of MEMS structures which may be adjusted to be carried out in a either a single chamber processing system or a multi-chamber processing system.