Microfabrication of high quality three dimensional structures using wafer-level glassblowing of fused quartz and ultra low expansion glasses

Abstract

A high temperature micro-glassblowing process and a novel inverted-wineglass architecture that provides self-aligned stem structures. The fabrication process involves the etching of a fused quartz substrate wafer. A TSG or fused quartz device layer is then bonded onto the fused quartz substrate, creating a trapped air pocket or cavity between the substrate and the TSG device layer. The substrate and TSG device layerare then heated at an extremely high temperature of approximately 1700° C., forming an inverted wineglass structure. Finally, the glassblown structure is cut or etched from the substrate to create a three dimensional wineglass resonator micro-device. The inverted wineglass structure may be used as a high performance resonator for use as a key element in precision clock resonators, dynamic MEMS sensors, and MEMS inertial sensors.