JP5477711B2 - Method for manufacturing MEMS device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a MEMS device such as a probe.

MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology is used as one method for producing probes and the like (see Patent Document 1). The method is a method in which a sacrificial layer such as copper is formed on a base substrate, a resist layer having an opening in the shape of the device is provided on the sacrificial layer, and the opening is filled with a conductive material to form the device. Accordingly, a plurality of the conductive materials are stacked to form a device.

When the lamination of the conductive material is completed, the resist layer and the sacrificial layer are removed using a method such as immersion in an etching solution, so that only the device remains on the base substrate, and the manufacture of the device is completed.

JP 2007-171138 A

As described above, when the resist layer and the sacrificial layer are removed, the device remains on the base substrate. At this time, the orientation of the device formed in an aligned state on the substrate at the manufacturing stage is dispersed and aligned. Is disturbed.

Therefore, in the state as it is, sorting at the time of shipping inspection is difficult, and further, handling is difficult. As a method for solving such a problem, a method of attaching a magnet sheet to the bottom surface of the base substrate is used. However, even if the device can be kept in an aligned state to some extent, this prevents the displacement. It was insufficient. In particular, in the case of a probe that has been miniaturized, it is difficult to respond by adjusting the pitch of the probe or the magnet pitch of the magnet sheet, and it is difficult to maintain the alignment state by the magnet sheet.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a MEMS device that can maintain an orderly aligned state when the sacrificial layer is finally removed when the MEMS device is manufactured.

The MEMS device manufacturing method of the present invention includes a step of forming a sacrificial layer on a base substrate, a step of forming a resist layer on the sacrificial layer, an opening corresponding to the shape of the device in the resist layer, and the device Forming an opening corresponding to the shape of the frame surrounding the device, filling the opening corresponding to the shape of the device provided in the resist layer and the opening corresponding to the shape of the frame with a conductive metal material, and Forming the frame; removing the resist layer formed on the sacrificial layer; removing the sacrificial layer; removing the sacrificial layer; and moving the device onto the base substrate. The device is located in the frame when the device is moved, and horizontal movement of the device is restricted by the frame.

Further, a magnet sheet may be mounted on the back surface of the base substrate.

The MEMS device manufacturing method of the present invention includes a step of forming a sacrificial layer on a base substrate, a step of forming a resist layer on the sacrificial layer, an opening corresponding to the shape of the device in the resist layer, and the device Forming an opening corresponding to the shape of the frame surrounding the device, filling the opening corresponding to the shape of the device provided in the resist layer and the opening corresponding to the shape of the frame with a conductive metal material, and Forming the frame; removing the resist layer formed on the sacrificial layer; removing the sacrificial layer; removing the sacrificial layer; and moving the device onto the base substrate. The device is located within the frame, and the device is restricted from moving in the horizontal direction by the frame. There when formed, can be maintained a state aligned on the base substrate, it is easy to sort the factory inspection, also the handling easy.

Furthermore, by mounting a magnet sheet on the back surface of the base substrate, it is possible to maintain a state in which devices are further formed.

It is sectional drawing which shows the manufacturing process of a MEMS device. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing process of the MEMS device, which is a continuation of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing step of the MEMS device and is a continuation of FIG. 2. It is a top view which shows the manufacturing process of a MEMS device. It is sectional drawing which shows a state when manufacture of the MEMS device at the time of using a magnet sheet is completed. It is sectional drawing which shows the manufacturing process of the MEMS device in the case of leaving the sacrificial layer under a flame | frame.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the steps of the method for manufacturing a MEMS device of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the device and the frame.

In the description of the method for manufacturing a MEMS device according to the present invention, the probe 10 having a three-layer structure is used here as the MEMS device. The number of layers and the shape and type of the device are not limited to those described here, and various types can be used. First, a base substrate 1 made of a silicon or alumina wafer is prepared first. Then, a seed layer 2 is formed on the base substrate 1. As the seed layer 2, a sacrificial layer formed by sputtering is used.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1A, a conductive metal material layer 3 is formed on the seed layer 2 using a plating method. The conductive metal material layer 3 is a sacrificial layer like the seed layer 2. Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, a photoresist layer made of a photosensitive organic material is applied on the conductive metal material layer 3 to form a resist layer 4.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1C, an opening 8 for forming the probe 10 in the resist layer 4 and an opening 6 for forming the frame 5 surrounding the probe 10 are formed by performing exposure and development processing. To do. Then, as shown in FIG. 1D, the opening 8 and the opening 6 are filled with a conductive metal material using a plating method, and the first layer 11 of the probe 10 and the first layer 21 of the frame 5 are filled. Form.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1 (e), the resist layer 4 is removed, and then, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the conductive metal material layer 3 exposed by removing the resist layer 4, Photoresist is applied to cover the first layer 11 of the probe 10 and the first layer 21 of the frame 5 to form a resist layer 7 again, and an opening 9 that matches the shape of the second layer 12 of the probe 10 is formed. And the opening 14 matched with the shape of the second layer 22 of the frame 5 is provided at a predetermined location.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the opening 9 is filled with nickel alloy by electroplating to form the second layer 12 of the probe 10, and the nickel alloy is filled into the opening 14 by electroplating, A second layer 22 of the frame 5 is formed. If polishing adjustment is necessary, the resist layer 7, the second layer 12 of the probe 10, and the second layer 22 of the frame 5 are polished to flatten the surface.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2C, the resist layer 7 is removed, and subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2D, the second layer 12 of the probe 10, the second layer 22 of the frame 5, and the conductive metal. Photoresist is applied again on the material layer 3 to form a resist layer 15, an opening 17 is provided at a predetermined location in accordance with the shape of the third layer 13 of the probe 10, and the third layer 23 of the frame 5 is formed. An opening 18 matching the shape is provided at a predetermined location. Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (e), the nickel alloy is filled into the opening 17 by electroplating to form the third layer 13 of the probe 10, and the nickel alloy is filled into the opening 18 by electroplating, A third layer 23 of the frame 5 is formed.

In this way, when the resist layer 15 is removed after the shape of the probe 10 having the three-layer structure and the formation of the frame 5 are completed, the state shown in FIG. Thereafter, the seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 which are sacrificial layers are removed using an etching solution. FIG. 3B shows a state where the seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 which are sacrificial layers are being removed by the etching solution.

As shown by arrows in FIG. 3B, the etching solution isotropically etches the seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 which are sacrificial layers while penetrating below the frame 5 and the probe 10. Go. The seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 below the probe 10 and the frame 5 are all removed by etching as shown in FIG.

When etching is completed in this way, the probe 10 and the frame 5 move downward as indicated by arrows as shown in FIG. 3C, and both are placed on the base substrate 1. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the probe 10 is surrounded by the fixed frame 5.

Here, a plurality of probes 10 are arranged in one frame 5, but one device can also be arranged in one frame. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the movement of the probe 10 can be further restricted by providing a plurality of branch portions 16 corresponding to the planar shape of the probe 10 inside the frame 5.

In this way, the completed probe 10 is surrounded by the frame 5, and the horizontal movement of the probe 10 is limited by the frame 5, so that the completed probe 10 is in the frame 5. Are kept aligned. Even if the frame 5 is misaligned on the base substrate, all the probes 10 move together with the frame 5, and the probes 10 are kept aligned in the frame 5, and the probes 10 are aligned. There will be no major disruption.

As a result, in the present invention, when the device is finally formed by using the frame 5 when manufacturing the MEMS device, the device can be kept in an aligned state. Therefore, at the time of shipping inspection after the device is completed. Sorting becomes easy and handling is also improved. In particular, in order to increase the efficiency of the mounting work like a probe, when the work of putting the devices in the same direction and putting them in the tray is performed, it is more effective for shortening the working time.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, when the magnet sheet 20 is attached to the back surface of the base substrate 1, the probe 10 is constantly pressed downward by the magnet sheet 20 when removing the sacrificial layer. Can be prevented, and can be kept close to the initial alignment.

In particular, if a single-sided multipolar magnet is used as the magnet sheet 20 and the pitch of the probes 10 is aligned with the pitch of the S-pole and N-pole of the single-sided multipole magnet, the sacrificial layer is removed. The disturbance of the probe 10 can be further reduced.

When the seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 which are sacrificial layers below the frame 5 and the probe 10 are isotropically etched, as shown in FIG. The seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 below the frame 5 are all removed, but a part of the seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 below the frame 5 may be left.

Since the etching solution etches the sacrificial layer isotropically as described above, the etching time is adjusted so that the surface area of the frame 5 is larger than the surface area of the probe 10 so that the sacrificial layer below the probe 10 When the etching is finished when all the layers are removed, the etching is finished before all the sacrificial layers under the frame 5 are removed. As described above, the seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material under the frames 5 are finished. A part of the layer 3 is left.

In this way, by adjusting the surface area of the frame 5 and the etching time, a part of the sacrificial layer below the frame 5 can be left. When the etching is completed, as shown in FIG. 6, the probe 10 moves downward as indicated by an arrow and is placed on the base substrate 1. At this time, the frame 5 is fixed on the base substrate 1 by the seed layer 2 and the conductive metal material layer 3 that are partially left, and the probe 10 is fixed to the fixed base substrate 1. The frame 5 is surrounded. In this way, by arranging the frame 5 to be fixed to the base substrate 1, the alignment state of the probes 10 can be maintained more accurately.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base substrate 2 Seed layer 3 Conductive metal material layer 4 Resist layer 5 Frame 6 Opening 7 Resist layer 8 Opening 9 Opening 10 Probe 11 First layer 12 Second layer 13 Third layer 14 Opening 15 Resist layer 16 Branching part 17 Opening 18 Opening 20 Magnet sheet 21 1st layer 22 2nd layer 23 3rd layer

Claims (1)

Forming a sacrificial layer on the base substrate;
Forming a resist layer on the sacrificial layer;
Forming an opening corresponding to a shape of a device in the resist layer and an opening corresponding to a shape of a frame surrounding the device;
Filling the opening corresponding to the shape of the device and the opening corresponding to the shape of the frame provided in the resist layer with a conductive metal material, and forming the device and the frame;
Removing a resist layer formed on the sacrificial layer, and removing the sacrificial layer;
When the sacrificial layer is removed and the device is moved onto the base substrate, the device is located in the frame, and the device is limited in horizontal movement by the frame. A method for manufacturing a MEMS device.