Micromachining

Dr. Lakshmi S
Associate Professor,
Department of E&C,
RIT
Micromachining

Microfabrication or micromachining or micromanufacturing is the use of

a set of manufacturing tools based on batch thin and thick film
fabrication techniques commonly used in the electronics industry.
It is also a technology for creating small three dimensional structures with
dimensions ranging from sub centimeters to sub micrometers
Fabrication techniques for MEMS Devices
 Surface micromachining
 Surface micro machining (SM) build structures on the surface of the silicon
 SM Involves
 Deposition of thin film of sacrificial & structural layer
 Removal of sacrificial layer to release the mechanical structure
 Micro structure fabricated using SM are usually planar structure
 Dimensions of the SM structures can be several orders of magnitude smaller
than bulk machined structure
 Bulk micromachining
 Allows selective removal of significant amounts of silicon from a substrate to
form
 membranes on one side of the wafer
 A variety of holes
 Or other structures
 BM can be divided into two;
 Wet etching
 Liquid etchant (aqueous chemicals)
 Dry etching
 Vapor and plasma etchant
Bulk micromachining

• Majority of MEMS structures fabricated using this

process.
• Three dimensional structures such as beams,
cantilevers, cavities, through wafer holes are formed.
• Can be applied to silicon, glass, gallium arsenide.
• Thickness of structures from a few micrometers to
200millimeters.
• Dimensions are much larger compared to surface
micromachining process.
Types of etching

• Wet etching- wet chemical etchants used to fabricate structures on

silicon wafer by undercutting.
Undercutting- it is the process by which the etching action is not confined
to the region exposed by the mask but may occur underneath masked
areas.
• The type shape and size of the devices fabricated using wet chemical
etching are severely limited.
• The etch stop may be crystal orientation dependent or dopant
concentration dependent.
Process steps for a Cantilever fabrication
• Material used- Silicon dioxide
Process steps
• Grow thick Silicon dioxide layer
• Coat a photoresist all over the Silicon dioxide layer
• Photolithography to define cantilever geometry and oxide etch.
Contd.

• Etch out oxide in unwanted area to form a cantilever beam and expose
silicon surface for cavity formation by an isotropic etching.
• Strip photo resist layer from oxide surface.
• Anisotropic etching to form a cavity in silicon wafer.
Bulk micromachining for a cantilever
Top view of substrate Side view

SiO2
Si

Oxidized silicon wafer

photo
resist

Oxide etched by BHF

Photolithography to define cantilever
dimensions and oxide etching

Cantilever structure
Bulk micromachining
Surface Micromachining

• Builds microstructures by adding layer by layer on top of the substrate.

• Polysilicon used.
• Silicon dioxide used as sacrificial layer.
• Easy integration with IC components
• Possibility of realizing monolithic MEMS
Surface Micromachining
 Structural layer
A layer of thin film material that comprises a mechanical
device.
This layer is deposited on the sacrificial layer, and then
released by etching it away.
 Sacrificial Layer
A layer of material that is deposited between the
structural layer and the substrate to provide mechanical
separation and isolation between them.
This is removed after the mechanical components on the
structural layer are fully formed, by release etch. This
approach facilitates the free movement of the structural
layer with respect to the substrate.
Sacrificial Layer

• made up of silicon dioxide or phosphosilicate.

• deposited on the substrate by low pressure chemical vapour deposition.
• Thickness of the layer can be 0.1 to 5 micrometers.
• Etch rate of sacrificial layer more than other layers.
Process steps for Sacrificial layer
• Deposition and patterning of sacrificial layer
• Deposition and patterning of polysilicon layer.
• Removal of sacrificial layer by etching away the oxide beneath the
polysilicon.
Material Pairs for Sacrificial layer technology
Poly/SiO2
LPCVD deposited poly as structural layer;
Thermal or LPCVD oxide as sacrificial layer
Oxide dissolves in HF, and not poly.
Both materials are used in IC fabrication.
Deposition and etching technologies are matured
Material systems are compatible with IC processing
Poly has good mechanical properties. Its electrical properties can
be improved by doping
Nitride can be used in this system for insulation
Silicon Nitride/Poly-Silicon
LPCVD nitride is used as structural layer; Poly Si as sacrificial
layer
EDP or KOH to dissolve poly.
 Tungsten/SiO2
CVD tungsten as the structural layer; Oxide as sacrificial
layer
HF for etchant
 Polyimide/Aluminum
Polyimide as structural layer, aluminum as sacrificial layer
Acid based etchants to etch aluminum
Polyimide has small elastic modulus
Can take large strains
Both can be fabricated at low temperatures <400C
 Other possible structural materials :
Al, SiO2, Si3N4, Silicon oxynitride, polyimide, diamond, SiC,
sputtered Si, GaAs, Tungsten, α-Si:H, Ni, W, Au
Cantilever structure using Surface
Micromachining
 IC fabrication steps used.
 Silicon dioxide as sacrificial layer.
 Polysilicon as structural layer.
Process steps
- Grow thick silicon dioxide layer on the top surface of Si wafer.
- Coat with photoresist , expose, develop.
- Etch the oxide from those areas at which the cantilever beam
anchors on the Si wafers
- dissolve the photoresist.
- Deposit polysilicon all over with CVD process.
- Dope, pattern and harden polysilicon layer to form cantilever
beam.
- Remove Silicon dioxide layer by release etch.
Surface micromachining

Oxidation of Si wafer Oxide etching

Device to be fabricated

Poly silicon deposition, doping,

patterning, hardening

lithography Removal of oxide (sacrificial layer)

Stiction
Sacrificial layer removal accomplished using wet
chemical solutions.
Top surface drying straightforward.
Liquid underneath suspended structure trapped.
This creates surface tension and causes appreciable
deformation of the microstructure.
Substrate and structure contact can lead to
irreversible damage.
This failure mode is called Stiction
Sticking + friction = Stiction
Illustration of stiction
Antistiction Methods

• Adverse Surface tension can be circumvented by using supercritical fluid

drying method.
• Use hydrophobic coating on microstructres.
• Carry out release etch after the completion of all wet processes.
• Dry out with carbondioxide at 350celsius at 1100 psi
Compatibility

• Surface micromachining requires a compatible set of structural

materials, sacrificial layers and etchants.
• Structural materials must have high yield, fracture strength, minimum
creep, low fatigue and good wear strength.
• Etchants must have excellent etch selectivity
Specialized materials for Microsystems
Polymers-They are large, usually chain like molecules
that are built from small molecules. The physical
characteristics depend on it molecular weight the
make-up of polymer chains and the ways the chains
are arranged.
-Epoxy resins and adhesives.
Features of Polymers
-Mouldability
-Conformability
-ease of deposition as thick and thin films.
- Pyroelectric effect.
Uses
Etch stop layers
Prime molds in LIGA process.
As sources of actuation for micropumping
Coating substances for capillary to enhance electro-
osmotic flow in microfluids
Shielding against EMI/RFI
Encapsulation of microsensors and packaging.
Polymer classification
1) Structural polymers
-used as a structural element
-ex urethane acrylate, epoxy acrylate, acryloxy silane
-have low viscosity therefore can be processed with
automated or manual processes without additional
heat or solvents.
-has requisite flexibility and resistance to solvents,
chemicals and water.
-used as both sensing and actuating components in
MEMS.
2)Sacrificial Polymers
-an acrylic resin containing 50% silicon and modified by
crystal violet.
-used as a sacrificial layer only.
Functional polymers used for MEMS wherein several
atoms or group of atoms form a conglomeration. Ex
alkenes, amino group, carboxyl group.
Most polymers are biocompatible and hence are used
in medical devices.
PDMS

• Polymethylsiloxane
-silicone based organic polymer.
-inert non-toxic with high viscoelasticity.
-Shear modulus ranges from 10KPa to MPa.
-dielectric loss tangent is less than 0.0001.
-widely used as a stamp material in soft lithography. Also used in flow
delivery and microfluidic systems.
Ceramic materials

• High hardness and high temperature strength.

• Thick ceramic films and 3D structures used for special applications.
example-ceramic pressure microsensors have been used for high
temperature environments.
• ZnO and PZT have also been incorporated into smart systems.
Ferroelectric Thin films

• Combined with micro devices and microstructures to have new

functional sensors
• Example Barium strontium titanate (BST)
Used for RF MEMS, bypass capacitors, dynamic random acess memories,
phase shifters
Wafer Bonding Techniques

Part of device fabricated in different wafers and

combined at the wafer level by bonding often on
dissimilar wafers.
Bonding makes use of mirror finish of the surface of
silicon with aids such as heating, electrostatic fields,
hydration etc.
Since MEMS are 3D structures bonding more
complex than microelectronic components.
Helps achieve hermetic sealing and flexibility and
also low mounting stress and sensitivity
 Eutectic Bonding

Au-Si system with a eutectic temperature of 363oC and eutectic

composition of 97.1 Wt % Au : 2.85 Wt % Si.

strong and hermetic

Adhesive bonding :

Various adhesives (epoxies, silicones, photoresists, polyimides, etc.) can be

used to form wafer bonds .

The technique is tolerant to particles and is useful when the wafers have
a severe temperature limitation.

Courtesy: Prof Mohan Rao, ISU

Anodic Bonding
 Also called field-assisted thermal bonding, electrostatic bonding, etc.
 Typically done between a sodium glass and silicon for MEMS.
 Cathode: glass (or silicon with glass thin coating)
 Anode: silicon wafer
 Voltages: 200 to 1000 V.
 Anode is put on a heater: 180-500C.
 During the bonding, oxygen ions from the glass migrate into the silicon resulting in
the formation of silicon dioxide layer between silicon wafer and glass wafer and form
a strong and hermetic chemical bond.
 Advantage: low temperature used can ensure the metallization layer (Aluminum)
could withstand without degradation.

 Anodic bonding is also used to seal two silicon wafers together by using a thin
sputter-deposited glass layer.

Cathode
-

V Glass
+
Silicon

Anode
(heater)
 Glass Si

Cross sectional SEM of bonded materials

Courtesy: Prof Mohan Rao, ISU

Direct Bonding

• Also called fusion bonding achieved due to the chemical reaction

between Hydorxyl groups present on the surface of silicon .
• Three steps:-
1. Surface preparation- surface cleaned to form hydrated surface.
Required to have mirror finish <10 Angstrom.
2) Contacting- Wafers aligned and contacted by gently pressing them in
the central position. Contact over the entire surface due to surface
attraction of two hydrated surfaces. hydrogen bridge bonds help in
adhesion.
3)Thermal annealing-Bond strength increased by annealing at 450 to
1200O C.
Intermediate Layer Assisted Bonding
• Intermediate layer such as metal, polymer, solder, glass.
• Stress developed during bonding
• Reasonably high strength and low stress obtained by using polymers as
intermediate layers.
• A layer of glass is screen printed on silicon wafer prior to bonding.
Problems in bonding

Presence of non-contact areas called voids.

Voids formed due to presence particles, residues,
surface defects and inadequate surface contact.
Voids avoided if surfaces are smooth and clean and
mechanically controlled and aligning of surfaces in
clean room environment.
Because of dissimilar material characteristics yield of
void free wafer is reduced.
Limitations of Silicon microfabrication
Techniques
• Processes evolved out of conventional microelectronics technologies.
• Much of the equipments used based on microelectronics production.
• But these processes have the disadvantages of (i) low geometric
aspect ratio and (ii) use of silicon based processes.
Special MEMS fabrication Techniques

LIGA Process- is exclusively for MEMS and is radically different from

these two manufacturing techniques.
-has overcome the mentioned disadvantages.
-non-silicon based microstructures can also be made.
-can produce thick microstructures with flat parallel surfaces.
• LIGA is the acronyms for the German terms

Lithography- Lithographie
Electroforming-Galvanoformung
Molding-Abformung
Developed first in Karlsruhe Nuclear research centre, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Limitations of photolithography

-poorly suited for non-planar surfaces.

Only two dimensional structures possible.
Limited set of photosensitive materials.
Inflexible.
Photosensitive materials cannot be patterned.
Soft lithography

• An elastomeric stamp with patterned relief structures on its surface is

used to generate structures.
• Examples microcontact printing, replica molding microtransfer
molding, micromolding in capillary and solvent assisted
micromolding.
• Fig1
Figure 1 - "Inking" a stamp. PDMS stamp with
pattern is placed in Ethanol and ODT solution
Figure 2 - ODT from the solution settles down onto
the PDMS stamp. Stamp now has ODT attached to
it which acts as the ink.
Figure 3 - The PDMS stamp with the ODT is placed
on the gold substrate. When the stamp is
removed, the ODT in contact with the gold stays
stuck to the gold. Thus the pattern from the stamp
is transferred to the gold via the ODT "ink
Lift-OFF

Lift-off" is a simple, easy method for patterning

films that are deposited. A pattern is defined on a
substrate using photoresist. A film, usually
metallic, is blanket-deposited all over the
substrate, covering the photoresist and areas in
which the photoresist has been cleared. During
the actual lifting-off, the photoresist under the film
is removed with solvent, taking the film with it,
and leaving only the film which was deposited
directly on the substrate.
 Lift-off Technique
UV light
mask

Oxide

Spin coating of positive Resist exposure Pattern developing

photoresist with mask

Metal
layer

Metallization on the
patterned substrate Removal of resist
Lift Off Contd.

• The basic criterion for lift-off is that the thickness for deposited film
should be less than that of photoresist.
• Metal layers with high resolution can be patterned using liftoff
technique.
example: gold