Procedia Engineering · 2010 · 15 citations · 4 references
EngineeringElectrical EngineeringMechanical EngineeringActuatorsMicroelectromechanical SystemsSensorsMems ActuatorsMems FabricationMems PackagingMems SensorsMicroelectromechanical SensorsWafer BondingAccelerometersDry Release ProcessesEtchingFabricationMems Device PackagingMicrofabricated SensorsWafer DicingWafer-level Release Processes
This paper presents a full wafer, dicing free, dry release process using hydrofluoric acid (HF) vapour phase etching (VPE) for MEMS sensors and actuators fabricated using silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers. It is particularly beneficial to MEMS sensors whose performance benefits from a large proof mass, for example accelerometers and gyroscopes. Such a fabrication method was first proposed by Overstolz et al. where the wafer level release steps for a tilting platform measuring 2×2 mm2 were presented Overstolz et al. (2004) . In the work described here, the process is extended to the full wafer release of an accelerometer with a large proof mass measuring 4×7 mm2. The sensor was successfully fabricated with a yield of over 95%.
4