Micromachining for Microelectromechanical Systems
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Defence Science Journal Defence Science Journal, VoI48,'No January1998, pp. 5-19 (0 1998, DESlDOC Micromachining for Microelectromechanical Systems K.N. Bliat Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai-600 036. ABSTRACT The various micromachining processes required for microengineering and for the successful realisation of microeletromechanical systems on Si are presented. The techniques presented include bulk and surface micromachining, Si fusion bonding, and the lithography, electroforming and micromoulding (LIGA) process. The paper also includes discussion on the markets, applications and future trends for microenginerated products. I. INTRODUCTION desired purpose. The integrated sensors have the The microfabrication technology which has maximum number of applications in MEMSs. The been key to the success of microchips and market for integrated sensors is growing more than microelectronics is now revolutionising the 16 per cent annually and is about $ 1.1 billion in mechanical systems. Using this technology, basic 19971. The application of other systems include: mechanical devices, such as motors, gears, bearings flow valves, electromechanical switches and relays, and springs have been miniaturised and integrated gyroscopes, ink-jet nozzles, micromanipulators and on Si chips. The miniaturisation of mechanical connectors, as well as optical components, such as components brings the same benefits to mechanical lenses, gratings, waveguides, mirrors, sources and systems that microfabrication brought to detectors2. For instance, a chip that contained over electronics. Micromechanical devices and systems two. million tiny mirrors, each individually are inherently smaller, lighter and faster than their addressed and moved by electrostatic actuation, has macroscopic counterparts and are invariably more been produced by Texas Instruments3, USA. precise. Since the devices are fabricated using Si is the major material used for micro- microfabrication techniques, they can be integrated machining and microengineering because it has with electronics to develop high performance excellent material properties, including a tensile closed-loop-co~tro lIed m icroe lectromechan ical strength, Young's modulus comparable to steel, a systems (MEMSs). density less than that of AT and a low thermal A generalised MEMS consists of mechanical coefficient of expansion4. The evolution of MEMS components, sensors, actuators, and electronics, will depend largely on the advancement of all-integrated in the same environment. The microfabrication technology. MEMS fabrication information provided by the sensors would be will require advanced technique for high-aspect processed by the electronics whose output is fed to ratio and three-dimensional lithography, the actuators to manipulate the environment for the planarisation, backside alignment and bonding Received 11 June 1997 5 DEF SCI I, VOL 48, NO JANUARY 1998 alignment. The micromachining processes required foI microengineering and for the successful realisation of MEMSs on Si, some applications of microengineering as well as its future trends and market potentials are presented. (a) 2. MICROMACHINING Si micromachining-the fashioning of microscopic mechanical parts from or on Si substrate-is an extension of integrated circuit (IC) ~~ fabrication technology. Naturally, the standard IC fabrication equipment are used for this purpose. Surface micromachining, bulk micromachining as well as substrate bonding al}d electroforming in (b) <100> SURFACE NORMAL conjunction with X-ray lithography form the integral components of Si micromachining. <111> 2.1 Bulk Micromachining Te~hnology ~=XJ'-- 54.75° Bulk micromachining of Si uses wet and dry etching techniques in conjunction with etch-masks and etch-stops to sulpt micromechanical devices from Si substrate. There are two key factors that (0) make bulk micromachining of Si a viable technology. The first is thp availability of isotropic etchants of Si, such as ethylenediamine pyrocatecol (EDP), KOH and H2N NH2 which preferentially etch single crystal of Si with the given crystal planes. The second is the availability of etch-masks and etch-stop techniques which can be used in conjunction with Si-anisotropic enchants to selectively prevent regions of Si from being etched. Figure 1. Summary of wet chemically-etched hole geometries As a result. it is possible to fabricate microstructure commonly used in micromechanical devices: in a Si substrate by appropriately combining (a) isotropic etching without agitation, (b) isotropic etch-masks and etch-stop patterns with anisotropic etching with agitation, (c) anisotropic etching on surfaces.(100) surfaces, (d) anisotropic etching. on (110) enchants. One of the most import~nt characteristics of respectively. The etching of single crystal Si, or the etching process is the directionality ( or profile ) polycrystalline and amorphous Si in HNA (HF. of the etching process. This characteristic is defined HNO3 and CH3COOH) etchant systems wi~1 result in Fig. 1, where the lithographic pattern is in the x-y in these profiles. Etch processes whi-ch are plane and the direction is normal to this plane. If the anisotropic or directional, have etch rates in the z etch rate in the x and y directions is equal to that in direction that are larger than the lateral (x or y the z direction, the etch process is said to be direction) etch rate, as seen in Fig. l(c). An example isotropic' or 'non-directional,' and the shape of the of this etch profile is the etching of ( 100) single side wall of the etched feature is shown in Fig.l(a) crystal of Si in KOHIH20 or EDP/H2O enchants. & (b) for weak and strong agitation levels, The extreme case of directional etching in which 6, BRAT: MICROMACRINING FOR MICROELECTROMECRANICAL SYSTEMS the lateral etch rate is zero (referred to here as a vertical profile) is also shown in Fig. I(d). This profile can be achieved by etching ( 110) single crystal of Si with KOHIH20 or any Si substrate by ion bombardment-assisted plasma etching ( reactive ion etching or ion beam milling). B - a' (b) 2.1.1 Anisotropic Etching of Silicon Anisotropic enchants of Si, such as EDP, KOH, .ETCH STOP (p +) and H2N NH2 are orientation dependent. This ~ SILICON means that they etch different crystal orientations TOP HOLE DIAPHRAGM (100) O ETCH MASK with different etch rates. Anisotropic enchants of Si PLANES etch ( lOO) and ( 110) crystal planes significantly A I A' faster than the ( 111) crystal p)anes. Etch rate ratios (c) (111) PLANES (111) PLANES of about 400: I for ( lOO) to ( 111) orientations have CAVITY been publisheds. The etch rate for ( 110) surfaces TOP CANTILEVER lies between those for (100) and (111) surfaces. B ~/'\ CAV~Y /7/A B' SiO2, SiJN4, and some metallic. thin films (Cr, Au, r111) pLANE~ ;7;; )/ //J (d) etc.) provide good etch-masks for typical Si- anisotropic enchants. These films are used to mask Figure 2. Schematic drawing ofbulk microm.achining: (a) bottom plan view of anisotropically etched wafer showing areas of Si that are to be protected from etching and the fabrication of cavities, diaphragms and holes, to define the initial geometry of the regions to be (b) top plan view of anisotropically etched wafer etched. In terms of etch-stops, two techniques have showing the fabrication of a cantilever beam using etch-stop layers. (c) cross.section, AA' showing the been widely used in conjunction with Si-anisotropic hole, diaphragm and cavity of (a), (d) cross section, etching. Heavily -boron-doped Si (above 7 )( 1019 BB' showing the cantilever beam of(b). cm-J), referred to as p+ etch-stop, is effective in practically stopping the etch. Alternatively, the p-n junction technique can be used to stop the eptch the etch-mask feature takes place, assuming that the when one side of a reverse-biased junction-diode is etch rate of ( 111) planes is negligible. A bulk etched away. Si etch-stops often form the micromachined Si diaphragm (defined by a p+ micromechanical device that is eventually etch-s.top) is fabri9ated by etching from the back delineated by the etch (Fig. 2). side ofa wafer (Fig. 2(a) and (c). The width of the Figure 2 demonstrates the basic concepts of bottom surface (or diaphragm) is given by bulk micromachining by anisotropic etching of a (100) Si substrate. For example, for a (100) Si w b = Wo 21cot (54.75°) substrate, etching proceeds along the ( lOO) planes where while it is practically stopped along the ( 111) planes. Since the (111) planes make a 54.7 angle Wo is the width of the etch-mask window pn with the (100) planes, the slanted walls shown in the wafer back surface, and I is the etched depth. If Fig. 2( c ) and ( d) result. Due to the slanted ( III ) (110)-oriented Si is etched in KOH-H2O etchant, planes, the size of the etch-mask opening essentially straigh-walled grooves with sides of determines the final etch result ( e.g., a hole or a (111) planes can be formed (Fig. l(d». cavity). If the etch-mask openings are rectangular For convex corners, misalignment with (110) (or square) and the sides are aligned to (110) direction, and curved edges in the etch-mask direction (i.e., the direction of the intersection line openings, significant under-etching may occur until between (100) and (111) planes), no undercutting of the etch is limited by ( 111) planes. In anisotropic 7 DEF SCI VOl 48, NO I, JANUARY 1998 etching, the alignment of mask-to-crystal On the other hand, anisotropic etchants such as orientation is important. Misalignment will change EDp8,9 and KOH10 exhibit a different preferential the etch rate significantly6. A-one degree etching behaviour. Si heavily-doped with B (27x misalignment on (111) direction may increase the 1019 cm-3) will reduce the etch rate by about 5 to etch rate on (near) ( 111) surface by 300 per cent. 100 when -etching with KOH; when etching with Figures 2(b) and (d) show the under-etching EDP, the factor is about 250.