Controlled sacrificial sidewall surface micromachining for the release of high length-to-thickness aspect ratio bridges

Raum, Christopher R.; Tait, R. Niall; Gauthier, Robert

doi:doi:10.1116/1.3503612

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Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B / Volume 28 / Issue 6 / Regular Articles

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J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 28, 1195 (2010); http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.3503612 (7 pages)

Controlled sacrificial sidewall surface micromachining for the release of high length-to-thickness aspect ratio bridges

Christopher R. Raum, R. Niall Tait, and Robert Gauthier

Department of Electronics, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada

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(Published online 25 October 2010)

Abstract

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A surface micromachining technique for the release of high length-to-thickness aspect ratio (800:1) bridge structures is presented. During a timed etch release, the remaining side wall geometry of the sacrificial layer provides intrinsic support for the structural layer. The micromachining process itself is an equipment limited procedure in which the wet etchant for the sacrificial layer is replaced in solution (i.e., in situ) with a supportive photoresist layer. Once in solid form, the photoresist is removed via ashing in an oxygen plasma. This combination of controlling the sidewall etch profile of the sacrificial layer and its removal technique results in the successful release of bridge structures, which are 4000 μm long and 5 μm thick, with a 2 μm suspension gap.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Canadian Institute for Photonic Innovations (CIPI). Fabrication support was provided by Rob Vandusen and Carol Adams (Department of Electronics, Carleton University). Device fabrication was completed at Carleton University's Microelectronics Fabrication Laboratory (MFL).

Article Outline

INTRODUCTION
CONTROLLED SIDEWALL OF SACRIFICIAL LAYER
TEST STRUCTURES
MICROSTRUCTURE RELEASE POSTPROCESS
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
CONCLUSIONS

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

etching, micromachining, micromechanical devices, plasma materials processing, silicon-on-insulator, thermal oxide, hydrofluoric acid, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)

PACS

85.85.+j

Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and devices
81.65.Cf

Surface cleaning, etching, patterning
52.77.Bn

Etching and cleaning

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History

Received 10 March 2010
Accepted 20 September 2010
Published online 25 October 2010

Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.3503612

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1071-1023 (print)

1520-8567 (online)

Publisher

American Vacuum Society

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