US 11,908,782 B2
Spacers formed on a substrate with etched micro-springs
Christopher L. Chua, San Jose, CA (US); Qian Wang, Mountain View, CA (US); Yu Wang, Union City, CA (US); and Eugene M. Chow, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/208,332.
Prior Publication US 2022/0301996 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 23/498 (2006.01); H01L 23/00 (2006.01); H01L 23/31 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 23/49811 (2013.01) [H01L 23/3157 (2013.01); H01L 24/66 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
depositing a release layer on a substrate;
depositing an elastic metal on the release layer, the elastic metal having an intrinsic stress profile;
etching through the layer of the elastic metal to form one or more elastic members;
coating a spacer material onto the substrate;
patterning the spacer material to form one or more spacers at least partially surrounding the elastic members, wherein the one or more spacers comprise:
a main structure elongated along a first direction; and
tabs extending from the main structure at an angle to the first direction, the tabs preventing delamination of the main structure; and
undercut etching the release layer to release a free end of the elastic member from the substrate while leaving an anchor portion of each of the elastic members fixed to the substrate, the intrinsic stress profile in the elastic member biasing the free end of the elastic member away from the substrate to form an out of plane structure upon release of the free end.