Enhanced Bulk Micromachining Based on MIS Process
Summary
Borrowing ideas from medical minimally invasive surgery (MIS), Xinxin Li et al. developed a micro-holes interetch and sealing process for micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensors. Unlike its silicon-on-nothing process counterparts of empty-space-in-silicon and advanced porous silicon in membrane where only one-layer diaphragm-cavity structure can be built, the MIS steps can be repeatedly employed to form more complex multilayer 3D structures. Multiple operation of the MIS process cycle can be used to monolithically fabricate composite sensors in one chip. A typical example is integrated P+G sensor for automotive tire pressure monitoring system application, where a pressure sensor and an accelerometer are normally needed for monitoring tire pressure and wheel rotation. The basic concept of the MIS process can be flexibly employed with suitable modification to fabricate various types of MEMS device structures.