Polysilicon sacrificial layer etching using ClF3 for thin film encapsulation of silicon acceleration sensors with high aspect ratio

We present a new thin film encapsulation technique for surface micromachined sensors using a polysilicon multilayer process. The main feature of the encapsulation process is that both the sacrificial layer above the silicon sensor structure and the cap layer consist of epitaxial polysilicon. The sacrificial layer is removed by chlorine trifluoride (ClF₃) plasmaless gas-phase etching through vents within the cap layer. The perforated cap membrane is sealed by a nonconformal oxide deposition. The method has been applied to a silicon surface micromachined acceleration sensor with high aspect ratio structures, but is broadly applicable. Capacitance–voltage measurements have been performed to show the electrical functionality of the accelerometer.     

A self-aligned fabrication method of dual comb drive using multilayers SOI process for optical MEMS applications

A novel method for fabricating a self-aligned electrostatic dual comb drive using a multi-layer SOI process is developed. The present method utilizes four aligned masks, greatly simplify the existing SOI-MEMS fabrication methods in manufacturing optical MEMS devices. Here, the actuating structure consists of fixed combs and moving combs that are composed of single crystal silicon, nitride and polysilicon. One mask is used to provide a deep etching to etch polysilicon, nitride and single crystal silicon respectively. The nitride separates polysilicon and single crystal silicon and provides an additional dielectric for the purpose of producing bi- directional motion upon applying electrostatic forces. A dual comb drive actuator with optical structures was fabricated with the developed process. The actuator is capable of motion 250 nm downward and 480 nm upward with 30 V applied voltage at 4 kHz frequency. The dynamic characteristics of the first and the second resonant frequency of the dual comb-drive actuator are 10.5 kHz and 23 kHz respectively. Experimental results indicated that the measured data agreed well with simulation results using the ANSOFT Maxwell^® 2D field simulator, ANSYS^® and Coventor Ware^®.     

Design and fabrication of an angular microactuator for magneticdisk drives

Angular electrostatic microactuators suitable for use in a two-stage servo system for magnetic disk drives have been fabricated from molded chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) polysilicon using the HexSil process. A 2.6-mm-diameter device has been shown to be capable of positioning the read/write elements of a 30% picoslider over a ±1-μm range, with a predicted bandwidth of 2 kHz. The structures are formed by depositing polysilicon via CVD into deep trenches etched into a silicon mold wafer. Upon release, the actuators are assembled onto a target wafer using a solder bond. The solder-bonding process will provide easy integration of mechanical structures with integrated circuits, allowing separate optimization of the circuit and structure fabrication processes. An advantage of HexSil is that once the mold wafer has undergone the initial plasma etching, it may be reused for subsequent polysilicon depositions, amortizing the cost of the deep-trench etching over many structural runs and thereby significantly reducing the cost of finished actuators. Furthermore, 100-μm-high structures may be made from a 3-μm deposition of polysilicon, increasing overall fabrication speed     

Integrated polysilicon and DRIE bulk silicon micromachining for anelectrostatic torsional actuator

This paper presents a fabrication process that integrates polysilicon surface micromachining and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) bulk silicon micromachining. The process takes advantage of the design flexibility of polysilicon surface micromachining and the deep silicon structures possible with DRIE. As a demonstration, a torsional actuator driven by a combdrive moving in the out-of-plane direction, consisting of polysilicon fingers and bulk silicon fingers, has been fabricated. The integrated process allows the combdrive to be integrated with any structure made by polysilicon surface micromachining     

Silicon TFTs for flat panel displays

Liquid crystal displays work best when directly driven by an active matrix system. Such matrices can be made in different ways, but one of the most promising is the amorphous silicon thin film transistor (a-Si TFT) technology. Although an a-Si TFT technique seems quite suitable for LCD drives, polysilicon TFTs should be preferred for fast peripheral addressing circuits. Two basic TFT processes are proposed, using a-Si and SiO₂ films deposited on glass by the glow discharge technique. Silicon was deposited at 300°C in the first process and at 500°C in the second. Only in this latter case could silicon be easily recrystallized to give a polysilicon TFT on glass. This paper devotes most of its attention to the amorphous Si TFT. Static and dynamic characteristics are presented emphasizing the predominant role of traps, and a LC switching simulation is demonstrated. Finally a large area circuit is proposed and its problems discussed.     

High aspect-ratio combined poly and single-crystal silicon (HARPSS)MEMS technology

This paper presents a single-wafer high aspect-ratio micromachining technology capable of simultaneously producing tens to hundreds of micrometers thick electrically isolated poly and single-crystal silicon microstructures. High aspect-ratio polysilicon structures are created by refilling hundreds of micrometers deep trenches with polysilicon deposited over a sacrificial oxide layer. Thick single-crystal silicon structures are released from the substrate through the front side of the wafer by means of a combined directional and isotropic silicon dry etch and are protected on the sides by refilled trenches. This process is capable of producing electrically isolated polysilicon and silicon electrodes as tall as the main body structure with various size capacitive air gaps ranging from submicrometer to tens of micrometers. Using bent-beam strain sensors, residual stress in 80-μm-thick 4-μm-wide trench-refilled vertical polysilicon beams fabricated in this technology has been measured to be virtually zero. 300-μm-long 80-μm-thick polysilicon clamped-clamped beam micromechanical resonators have shown quality factors as high as 85 000 in vacuum. The all-silicon feature of this technology improves long-term stability and temperature sensitivity, while fabrication of large-area vertical pickoff electrodes with submicrometer gap spacing will increase the sensitivity of micro-electromechanical devices by orders of magnitude     

Porous polycrystalline silicon: a new material for MEMS

A new technique for the fabrication of thin patterned layers of porous polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) and surface micromachined structures is presented. First, a multilayer structure of polysilicon between two layers of low-stress silicon nitride is prepared on a wafer of silicon. Electrochemical anodization with an external cathode takes place in an RF solution. A window in the outer nitride layer provides contact between the polysilicon and the HF solution; the polysilicon layer contacts the substrate through openings in the lower silicon nitride layer (remote from the upper windows). Porous polysilicon growth in the lateral direction is found at rates as high as 15 μm min^-1 in 12M (25%, wgt) HF to be controlled by surface-reaction kinetics. A change in morphology occurs when either the anodic potential is raised or the HF concentration is decreased, causing the polysilicon to be electropolished. The etch front advances proportionally to the square root of time as expected for a mass-transport-controlled process. Similar behavior is observed in HF anodic reactions of single-crystal silicon. Dissolution of the polysilicon layer is confirmed using profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. Enclosed cavities (chambers surrounded by porous plugs) are formed by alternating between pore formation and uniform dissolution. Porous polysilicon also forms over a broad-area layer of polycrystalline silicon that has been deposited without overcoating the silicon wafer with a thin film of silicon nitride. The resulting porous layer may be useful for gas-absorption purposes in ultrasonic sensors     

High-aspect-ratio, molded microstructures with electrical isolation and embedded interconnects

 A thin film molding process was developed to enable the fabrication of monolithic micromechanical structures with built-in electrical isolation and embedded interconnects. High-aspect-ratio composite structures were created from undoped polysilicon, low stress nitride and doped polysilicon, in a dual micromolding process. These monolithic electro-mechanical microstructures are more resistant to thermal effects and misalignment errors compared to microsystems assembled from discrete elements. In addition, the microstructures are molded in a re-usable mold providing an economical advantage. A gimballed electrostatic microactuator was successfully fabricated using this process. Electrical isolation was achieved with a combination of low stress nitride and undoped polycrystalline silicon. Various isolation geometries were investigated. Current leakages of less than 1 nA at 30 V were measured for isolation structures 40 μm long and 80 μm tall. Received: 13 November 2000/Accepted: 16 November 2000     

The development of a low-stress polysilicon process compatible withstandard device processing

When surface micromachined devices are combined with on-chip circuitry, any high-temperature processing must be avoided to minimize the effect on active device characteristics. High-temperature stress annealing cannot be applied to these structures. This work studies the effects of deposition parameters and subsequent processing on the mechanical properties of the polysilicon film in the development of a low-strain polysilicon process, without resorting to high-temperature annealing. The films are deposited as a semi-amorphous film and then annealed, in situ at 600°C for 1 h, to ensure the desired mechanical characteristics for both doped and undoped samples. This low temperature anneal changes the strain levels in undoped films from -250 to +1100 με. The best results have been obtained for an 850°C anneal for 30 min which is used to activate the dopant (both phosphorus and boron). No further stress annealing was used, and 850°C does not present problems in terms of thermal budget for the electrical devices. It is shown that these mechanical characteristics are achieved by forming the grain boundaries during subsequent low temperature annealing, and not during deposition. TEM (transmission electron microscopy) studies have been used to investigate the link between the structure and mechanical strain. This has shown that it is the formation of the grain boundary rather than the grain size which has a significant effect on strain levels, contrary to reports in the literature. Using the above-mentioned deposition process, a series of experiments have been performed to establish the flexibility in subsequent processing available to the designer. Therefore, by careful consideration of the processing, a low-temperature polysilicon process, which can be used to fabricate thin micromachined structures, has been developed     

Surface/bulk micromachined single-crystalline-siliconmicro-gyroscope

A single-crystalline-silicon micro-gyroscope is fabricated in a single wafer using the recently developed surface/bulk micromachining (SBM) process. The SBM technology combined with deep silicon reactive ion etching allows fabricating accurately defined single-crystalline-silicon high-aspect-ratio structures with large sacrificial gaps, in a single wafer. The structural thickness of the fabricated micro-gyroscope is 40 μm, and the sacrificial gap is 50 μm. For electrostatic actuation and capacitive sensing of the developed gyroscope, a new isolation method which uses sandwiched oxide, polysilicon, and metal films, is developed in this paper. This triple-layer isolation method utilizes the excellent step coverage of low-pressure chemical vapor deposition polysilicon films, and thus, this new isolation method is well suited for high-aspect-ratio structures. The thickness of the additional films allows controlling and fine tuning the stiffness properties of underetched beams, as well as the capacitance between electrodes. The noise-equivalent angular-rate resolution of the SBM-fabricated gyroscope is 0.01°/s, and the bandwidth is 16.2 Hz. The output is linear to within 8% for a ±20°/s range. Work is currently underway to improve these performance specifications     

Reliability study of AlTi/TiW on polysilicon contacts for high temperature sensors

This paper deals with the reliability of metal on polysilicon gauges for sensors operating in harsh environments. Particular test structures and characterization equipment have been developed in order to study AlTi/TiW on highly doped polysilicon contact resistance behaviour and long-term stability. Finite element modeling of current density distribution over the test structures allowed accurate contact resistance extraction. Contact resistance was found to be temperature dependent, having relative good long term stability at 150°C with a slight (lower than 10%) trend of increase.     

Surface micromachining of polycrystalline SiC films usingmicrofabricated molds of SiO2 and polysilicon

As an alternative to conventional SiC reactive ion etching (RIE), polycrystalline (poly-SiC) films were patterned into micron-sized structures using sacrificial SiO₂ and polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) molds in conjunction with mechanical polishing. The molds were made from thermally grown SiO₂ and LPCVD polysilicon films and were fabricated using conventional patterning techniques. The poly-SiC micromolding process combines film deposition, polishing, and selective wet chemical etching of the molds to achieve the desired pattern. The process is simple and does not suffer from the difficulties associated with RIE of SiC. Micrometer sized lines, spaces, and complex device structures have been patterned using this technique. The micromolding technique has been used in a SiC surface micromachining process to fabricate fully released lateral resonant structures     

Microfabrication using one-step LPCVD porous polysilicon films

A simple, one-step LPCVD process was recently reported to allow the repeatable fabrication of polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) thin films containing through-pores measuring 10-50 nm in diameter, as-deposited, with no additional processing steps required. This paper describes methods for using this one-step porous polysilicon material to quickly and easily fabricate structures of interest to MEMS designers. Among the structures presented are hermetically sealed diaphragms, hollow tube and shell structures, substrate-aligned membranes over one square centimeter in area ("supermembranes"), and permeable fluidic microchannels on silicon and quartz substrates.     

Characterization of selective polysilicon deposition for MEMS resonator tuning

Variations in micromachining processes cause submicron differences in the size of MEMS devices, which leads to frequency scatter in resonators. A new method of compensating for fabrication process variations is to add material to MEMS structures by the selective deposition of polysilicon. It is performed by electrically heating the MEMS in a 25/spl deg/C silane environment to activate the local decomposition of the gas. On a (1.0/spl times/1.5/spl times/100) /spl mu/m/sup 3/, clamped-clamped, polysilicon beam, at a power dissipation of 2.38 mW (peak temperature of 699/spl deg/C), a new layer of polysilicon (up to 1 /spl mu/m thick) was deposited in 10 min. The deposition rate was three times faster than conventional LPCVD rates for polysilicon. When selective polysilicon deposition (SPD) was applied to the frequency tuning of specially-designed, comb-drive resonators, a correlation was found between the change in resonant frequency and the length of the newly deposited material (the hotspot) on the resonator's suspension beams. A second correlation linked the length of the hotspot to the magnitude of the power fluctuation during the deposition trial. The mechanisms for changing resonant frequency by the SPD process include increasing mass and stiffness and altering residual stress. The effects of localized heating are presented. The experiments and simulations in this work yield guidelines for tuning resonators to a target frequency.     

Magnetic microactuation of polysilicon flexure structures

A microactuator technology that combines magnetic thin films with polysilicon flexural structures is described. Devices are constructed in a batch-fabrication process that combines electroplating with conventional lithography, materials, and equipment. A microactuator consisting of a 400×(47-40)×7 μm³ rectangular plate of NiFe attached to a 400×(0.9-1.4)×2.25 μm³ polysilicon cantilever beam has been displaced over 1.2 mm, rotated over 180°, and actuated with over 0.185 nNm of torque. The microactuator is capable of motion both in and out of the wafer plane and has been operated in a conductive fluid environment. Theoretical expressions for the displacement and torque are developed and compared to experimental results     

Robot Leg Motion in a Planarized-SOI, Two-Layer Poly-Si Process

With the ultimate goal of creating autonomous microrobots, we developed a five-mask process that combines two polysilicon structural layers with 50-$mu m$-thick SOI structures and a backside substrate etch. The polysilicon layers provide three-dimensional (3-D) hinged structures, high compliance structures, and electrical wiring. The SOI structural layer yields much stronger structures and large-force actuators. This process was developed as a part of a three-chip solution for a solar-powered 10-mg silicon robot. Here, we describe the fabrication of this planarized-SOI, two-layer poly-Si process (henceforth called the SOI/poly process), basic modules in the design of robot legs in this process, and lastly, the results of fabricated robot legs. In designing the leg structures, we developed guidelines and test structures to provide a better understanding of the robot leg performance. These guidelines include understanding the relationship between the lateral etch depth to the actuator spacing and performing static friction tests of polysilicon flaps to more accurately model the frictional forces of the linkages. Last, we report on the performance of the robot legs and inchworm motors. On an 8 mm$times$3 mm robot, we have demonstrated a 1 degree-of-freedom (DOF) robot leg, 1 mm in length, which demonstrates up to 60$mu N$of vertical leg force with an angular deflection of almost 30$^circ$. A two-DOF robot leg, also 1 mm in length, operated with at least 90$^circ$of angular deflection, and each inchworm motor demonstrated a shuttle displacement of 400$mu m$with speeds up to 6.8 mm/s. In addition to robot legs, a bidirectional inchworm motor that produces equivalent forces in both directions was also fabricated in this SOI/poly process. This motor uses an additional set of gap-closing-actuator (GCA) arrays to prebias the drive frame.hfill hbox[1305]     

The low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) thin film MOS Schottky diode on glass substrate for low cost and high performance CO sensing applications

The Au/SnO₂/n-LTPS MOS Schottky diode prepared on a glass substrate for carbon monoxide (CO) sensing applications is studied. The n-LTPS (n-type low temperature polysilicon) is prepared by excimer laser annealing and PH₃ plasma treatment of an amorphous Si thin film on glass substrate. The developed Schottky diode exhibits a high relative response ratio of ∼546% to 100 ppm CO ambient under condition of 200 °C and −3 V bias. The response ratio is better than the reported SnO₂ based resistive type CO sensors of 100% and 37%, respectively on poly-alumina and glass substrates or comparable to 390% of Pt-AlGaN/GaN Schottky diode CO sensor. Thus, the Au/SnO₂/n-LTPS Schottky diode has the potential to develop a low cost high performance CO sensor.     

Determination of Young’s modulus and residual stress of electroless nickel using test structures fabricated in a new surface micromachining process

This paper reportsin situ measurement of Young’s modulus and residual stress of electroless nickel films through the use of microfabricated nickel test structures, including electrostatic microactuators and passive devices. Th test structures are fabricated in a new surface micromachining process, termed “nickel surface micromachining”, using electroless plated nickel as the structural layer and polysilicon as the sacrificial layer. Subsequent to fabrication, lateral resonant-type electrostatic microactuators of different geometries are resonated by electrical excitation. Using the measured resonant frequencies and knowledge of the device geometry, the Young’s modulus of the film is determined. The passive electroless nickel microstructures deform upon completion of the fabrication process due to residual stress in the film Measurement of this deformation in conjunction with an appropriate mechanical model is used to determine the residual stress in the films.     

Large-area,high-temperature stainless steel foil substrate for manufacturing low-cost and flexible CMOS polysilicon TFTs

A large-area stainless steel foil substrate which is compatible with high-temperature (>800°C) processing was developed to support a hybrid printed and conventional process technology to fabricate polysilicon thin-film transistors (TFTs). The purpose was to build a platform that could lead to low-cost, roll-to-roll manufacturing of polysilicon TFTs. To fabricate a self-aligned top-gate TFT structure, a screen-printed dopant process, which requires high-temperature activation, was developed to substitute capital-intensive ion implantation. For the pilot line process, a 300-mm² and 100-μm-thick stainless steel substrate made of an alloy with a low thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) was chosen. Then, the foil finishing process was optimized to achieve flatness and minimize surface roughness. A barrier and dielectric encapsulation were developed to prevent trace metal diffusion from the substrate into the active layers. The polysilicon TFTs were then evaluated with static and dynamic bending tests.     

Process technology for the modular integration of CMOS and polysilicon microstructures

Modular fabrication of polysilicon surface-micromachined structures after completion of a conventional CMOS electronic process is described. Key process steps include tungsten metallization with contact diffusion barriers, LPCVD oxide and nitride passivation of the CMOS, rapid thermal processing for stress-relief annealing of the structural polysilicon film, implementation of a sacrificial spin-on-glass planarization, and the final microstructure release in hydrofluoric acid. Modularity of the process enables independent modification of either the CMOS or the microstructure process sequences. This technology is used in the fabrication of various types of sensors and actuators.The authors thank the U.C. Berkeley Microfabrication Facility staff,with a special thanks to Shenqing Fang for timely CMOS fabrication, as well as Wheling Cheng at the Center for Integrated Systems at Stanford University for assistance with CVD tungsten depositions. The transmission electron micrograph was supplied by Peter Krulevitch. Supercritical drying and phase diagram discussion provided by Greg Mulhern. This project is supported by the California Dept. of Transportation PATH project, ARPA, and the Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center, an NSF/Industry/University Cooperative Research Center.