Patent US5962081A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5962081A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for the manufacture of a membrane-containing microstructure
Assignee: LAGRUMMET DECEMBER 1047 AB
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Filing: 1996-06-17
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Granted: 1999-10-05
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Expires: 2016-06-17
Abstract
Abstract A method for the manufacture of a microstructure having a top face and a bottom face, at least one hole or cavity therein extending from the top face to the bottom face, and a polymer membrane which extends over a bottom opening of said hole or cavity, which method comprises the steps of: providing a substrate body having said top and bottom faces, optionally forming at least part of said at least one hole or cavity in the substrate body, providing a membrane support at the bottom face opening of said at least one hole or cavity, depositing a layer of polymer material onto the bottom face of said substrate body against said membrane support, if required, completing the formation of the at least one hole or cavity, and, if not done in this step, selectively removing said membrane support to bare said polymer membrane over the bottom opening of the at least one hole or cavity.
Inventors
- 👤 Ove Ohman
- 👤 Christian Vieider
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:14
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04B; F04B43/00; F04B43/02; F04B43/04; F04B43/043; F15; F15C; F15C5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for the manufacture of a microstructure having a top face and a bottom face, at least one hole therein extending from the top face to the bottom face, and a polymer membrane which extends over a bottom opening of said hole, which method comprises the steps of: a) providing a substrate body (2; 21) having said top and bottom faces, b) forming at most part of said at least one hole (9; 24) in the top face of the substrate body, c) providing a membrane support layer (13; 25) (i) in said part of said at least one hole formed in step (b) and completing said at least one hole from the bottom face of said substrate body, or (ii) on the bottom face of said substrate body, d) depositing a layer of polymer material onto the bottom face of said substrate body (2; 21) against said membrane support layer (13; 25) to form a polymer membrane (15; 26), e) completing the formation of the at least one hole (9; 24) if step (c) is according to alternative (ii), and f) selectively removing said membrane support layer (13; 25) to bare said polymer membrane (15; 26) over the bottom opening of the at least one hole.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for the manufacture of a microstructure having a top face and a bottom face, at least one hole therein extending from the top face to the bottom face, and a polymer membrane which extends over a bottom opening of said hole, which method comprises the steps of: a) providing a substrate body (2; 21) having said top and bottom faces, b) forming at most part of said at least one hole (9; 24) in the top face of the substrate body, c) providing a membrane support layer (13; 25) (i) in said part of said at least one hole formed in step (b) and completing said at least one hole from the bottom face of said substrate body, or (ii) on the bottom face of said substrate body, d) depositing a layer of polymer material onto the bottom face of said substrate body (2; 21) against said membrane support layer (13; 25) to form a polymer membrane (15; 26), e) completing the formation of the at least one hole (9; 24) if step (c) is according to alternative (ii), and f) selectively removing said membrane support layer (13; 25) to bare said polymer membrane (15; 26) over the bottom opening of the at least one hole.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate body (2, 21) is of etchable material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1 or 2, which comprises forming a part of said at least one hole and subsequently applying membrane support layer (25).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein step (a) comprises providing the substrate body (21) in a form having a protective layer (22; 23) on the bottom face thereof; step (b) comprises etching said part of said at least one hole (24) from the top face of the substrate body to the protective layer (22; 23); and step (c) is according to alternative (i) with completing of said at least one hole by removing said protective layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein step (c) is according to alternative (ii) and step (e) comprises etching said at least one hole to the polymer material layer applied in step (d).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein the etching is performed by a dry etch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein a part of said holes or cavities, are preformed by laser drilling.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said substrate body is from silicon, glass or quartz.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein said substrate is a silicon wafer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said polymer material is an elastomer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 2, wherein said membrane support layer (13) is silicon oxide or silicon nitride or a combination thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein said membrane support layer (25) is a photoresist material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the deposition of said polymer is performed by spin deposition.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said dry etching is a reactive ion etch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7, wherein a majority of said holes or cavities are laser etched.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said elastomer is a silicone rubber.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for the manufacture of a microstructure having a top face and a bottom face, at least one hole therein extending from the top face to the bottom face, and a polymer membrane which extends over a bottom opening of said hole, which method comprises the steps of: a) providing a substrate body (2; 21) having said top and bottom faces and having a membrane support layer (13; 25) on the bottom face of said substrate body, b) forming at most part of said at least one hole (9; 24) in the top face of the substrate body, c) depositing a layer of polymer material onto the bottom face of said substrate body (2; 21) against said membrane support layer (13; 25) to form a polymer membrane (15; 26), d) completing the formation of the at least one hole (9; 24) to the layer of polymer material applied in step (c), and e) selectively removing said membrane support layer (13; 25) to bare said polymer membrane (15; 26) over the bottom opening of the at least one hole.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for the manufacture of a microstructure having a top face and a bottom face, at least one hole therein extending from the top face to the bottom face, and a polymer membrane which extends over a bottom opening of said hole, which method comprises the steps of: a) providing a substrate body (2; 21) having said top and bottom faces and having a membrane support layer (13; 25) on the bottom face of said substrate body, b) forming at most part of said at least one hole (9; 24) in the top face of the substrate body, c) depositing a layer of polymer material onto the bottom face of said substrate body (2; 21) against said membrane support layer (13; 25) to form a polymer membrane (15; 26), d) completing the formation of the at least one hole (9; 24) to the layer of polymer material applied in step (c), and e) selectively removing said membrane support layer (13; 25) to bare said polymer membrane (15; 26) over the bottom opening of the at least one hole.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 17, wherein step (b) is comprises etching down to said membrane support layer and step (d) comprises removing the membrane support layer to bare the polymer membrane in said at least one hole formed in step (b).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-10-04 | 2003-04-05 | 2003-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-10-04 | 2007-04-05 | 2007-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-10-04 | 2011-04-05 | 2011-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |