Patent · US Expired

Process for micromechanical fabrication

US5725729A · kind A · utility

37Cited by
109References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 1996
Grant dateMar 10, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 15, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01P2015/0831
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An improved process for fabricating micromechanical devices having movable members, such as gyros and accelerometers. A starting wafer includes an oxidized silicon wafer which has been wafer bonded to a second silicon wafer which has a thin N layer on a P substrate. The wafer is patterned, doped and etched in a series of process steps which include the deposition of epitaxial layers to configure critical device dimensions and geometry. Metallizations are deposited for electrical/electronic interconnections. The process includes an ability to integrate on-chip electronics on the silicon substrate. Alignment difficulties and thermal mismatch associated with prior art processes are minimized.

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