Patent · US Expired

Micromechanical structure with textured surface and method for making same

US5679436A · kind A · utility

49Cited by
18References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 22, 1995
Grant dateOct 21, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 22, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/24479
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for forming sub-micron sized bumps on the bottom surface of a suspended microstructure or the top surface of the underlying layer in order to reduce contact area and sticking between the two layers without the need for sub-micron standard photolithography capabilities and the thus-formed microstructure. The process involves the deposition of latex spheres on the sacrificial layer which will later temporarily support the microstructure, shrinking the spheres, depositing aluminum over the spheres, dissolving the spheres to leave openings in the metal layer, etching the sacrificial layer through the openings, removing the remaining metal and depositing the microstructure material over the now textured top surface of the sacrificial layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.