Method of fabricating microelectromechanical systems and devices having trench isolated contacts

US6936491B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Aaron Partridge · Cupertino, US
• Markus Lutz · Palo Alto, US
• Silvia Kronmueller · Schwaikheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 4, 2003
• Grant date: Aug 30, 2005
• Expiry date: Jun 11, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B81C2203/0136
• WIPO field: Micro-structural and nano-technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a MEMS device, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a MEMS device, having mechanical structures encapsulated in a chamber prior to final packaging and a contact area disposed at least partially outside the chamber. The contact area is electrically isolated from nearby electrically conducting regions by way of dielectric isolation trench that is disposed around the contact area. The material that encapsulates the mechanical structures, when deposited, includes one or more of the following attributes: low tensile stress, good step coverage, maintains its integrity when subjected to subsequent processing, does not significantly and/or adversely impact the performance characteristics of the mechanical structures in the chamber (if coated with the material during deposition), and/or facilitates integration with high-performance integrated circuits. In one embodiment, the material that encapsulates the mechanical structures is, for example, silicon (polycrystalline, amorphous or porous, whether doped or undoped), silicon carbide, silicon-germanium, germanium, or galliu…