Process of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator for tunable electronic components on a carrier substrate

Abstract

A processes for manufacturing actuating assembly for tuning a circuit by forming a carrier substrate containing a membrane, a conductive layer, and piezoelectric actuators are disclosed. The process includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a bottom protective layer on a bottom side and etched trenches on a top side; depositing a top protective layer on the top side of the substrate; depositing a first conductive layer on the top protective layer; patterning the first conductive layer; patterning the bottom protective layer to form an etch mask aligned with the patterned first conductive layer; forming a piezoelectric structure on the top side of the substrate; depositing a membrane layer along the top side of the substrate and above the piezoelectric structure; curing the membrane layer; depositing a second conductive layer on the cured membrane layer; depositing a protective photoresist layer on the second conductive layer; patterning and hard-baking the photoresist layer; removing a portion of the substrate from the bottom side of the substrate, forming an etched opening in the substrate; removing a portion of the top protective layer; removing a portion of the second conductive layer to form a patterned second conductive layer; and removing the patterned photoresist layer. Changes in shape of the resulting piezoelectric arrangement allow a deflection of the membrane and a corresponding controllable upward or downward movement of the conductive element.