Fabrication of multilayered carbon MEMS devices
| DWPI Title: Formation of carbon micromechanical system used in harsh environment, involves forming sacrificial layer over patterned carbon layer which is formed by pyrolyzing photoresist layer causing material, and removing sacrificial layer |
| Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to formation of carbon micromechanical systems (CMEMS), wherein the CMEMS comprise multiple layers of carbon structures and are formed using a plurality of photoresist precursors that are processed to form carbon. The various embodiments can be utilized in producing a plurality of CMEMS with full production level fabrication, e.g., 6 inch wafers can be processed. A pyrolyzed layer of carbon is lithographically defined after pyrolysis, wherein the post-pyrolysis etch process can produce carbon structures having repeatable and accurate device geometries, with straight sidewalls. A sacrificial layer can be applied to facilitate separation of a first carbon layer from a second carbon layer, wherein, upon pyrolysis to form the second carbon layer and lithography thereof, the sacrificial layer is removed to form a CMEMS comprising a first carbon layer (e.g., comprising bottom contacts) located beneath a second carbon layer (e.g., a mechanical layer). |
| Use: Formation of carbon micromechanical system used in harsh environment e.g. encountering high temperature, γ -radiation, x-ray exposure, and neutron affluence exposure. |
| Advantage: The carbon micromechanical system has excellent dimensional accuracy, and reduced susceptibility to torsional bending modes. The carbon layer has excellent stability. |
| Novelty: Formation of carbon micromechanical system (CMEMS) involves forming a sacrificial layer (150C) over a patterned carbon layer (A) which is formed by pyrolyzing a photoresist layer causing material (I) in the photoresist layer (A') to decompose to form the carbon layer (i), forming the sacrificial layer over the patterned carbon layer (A), patterning the sacrificial layer, depositing a photoresist layer (B') over the patterned sacrificial layer, subsequent to depositing and pyrolyzing the layer (B') to form a carbon layer (ii), after pyrolyzing the layer (B'), patterning the carbon layer (ii), and removing the sacrificial layer leaving the patterned carbon layer (B) located over the patterned carbon layer (A). The removal of the sacrificial layer causes a region that is previously filled with the sacrificial layer to form an opening between the patterned carbon layers (A) and (B). The carbon layer (i) is patterned after pyrolysis of the photoresist layer (A'). |
| Filed: 6/16/2017 |
| Application Number: US15624928A |
| Tech ID: SD 13748.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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