Stress control during processing of a MEMS digital variable capacitor (DVC)

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9754724
APP PUB NO 20160126017A1
SERIAL NO

14898678

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Abstract

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The present invention generally relates to a MEMS digital variable capacitor (DVC) (900) and a method for manufacture thereof. The movable plate (938) within a MEMS DVC should have the same stress level to ensure proper operation of the MEMS DVC. To obtain the same stress level, the movable plate is decoupled from CMOS ground during fabrication. The movable plate is only electrically coupled to CMOS ground after the plate has been completely formed. The coupling occurs by using the same layer (948) that forms the pull-up electrode as the layer that electrically couples the movable plate to CMOS ground. As the same layer couples the movable plate to CMOS ground and also provides the pull-up electrode for the MEMS DVC, the deposition occurs in the same processing step. By electrically coupling the movable plate to CMOS ground after formation, the stress in each of the layers of the movable plate can be substantially identical.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
CAVENDISH KINETICS INC2960 NORTH 1ST STREET SAN JOSE CA 95134

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Knipe, Richard L McKinney, US 55 1559
Van, Kampen Robertus Petrus S-Hertogenbosch, NL 43 282

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