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:
Apr. 17, 2007
Filed:
Oct. 29, 2004
Fei-yuh Chen, Hinchu, TW;
Wei-ya Wang, Dalin Township, Chiayi County, TW;
Yuh-hwa Chang, Shulin, TW;
Tzu-yang Wu, Hsinchu, TW;
Fei-Yuh Chen, Hinchu, TW;
Wei-Ya Wang, Dalin Township, Chiayi County, TW;
Yuh-Hwa Chang, Shulin, TW;
Tzu-Yang Wu, Hsinchu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
An MEMS mirror structure is formed using an etching process that forms sidewall oxide spacers while maintaining the integrity of the oxide layer formed over the reflective layer of the MEMS mirror structure. The discrete mirror structure is formed to include a reflective layer sandwiched between oxide layers and with a protect layer formed over the upper oxide layer. A spacer oxide layer is formed to cover the structure and oxide spacers are formed on sidewalls of the discrete structure using a selective etch process that is terminated when horizontal portions of the spacer oxide layer have cleared to expose the release layer formed below the discrete mirror structure and the protect layer. The superjacent protect layer prevents the spacer oxide etch process from attacking the upper oxide layer and therefore maintains the integrity of the upper oxide layer and the functionality of the mirror structure.