Abstract: Disclosed herein are MEMS resonator device designs and fabrication techniques that provide protection against electrostatic charge imbalances. In one aspect, a MEMS resonator device includes a substrate, an electrode including a first microstructure supported by the substrate, a resonant element including a second microstructure spaced from the first microstructure by a gap for resonant displacement of the second microstructure within the gap during operation, and a disabled shunt coupled to the electrode or the resonant element. The disabled shunt is disabled to enable the resonant displacement but otherwise configured to protect against damage from an electrostatic charge imbalance before the operation of the MEMS resonator device.

Abstract: A technique for determining the temperature of a sample including a semiconductor film 20 having a measurable optical absorption edge deposited on a transparent substrate 22 of material having no measurable optical absorption edge, such as a GaN film 20 deposited on an Al2O3 substrate 22 for blue and white LEDs. The temperature is determined in realtime as the film 20 grows and increases in thickness. A spectra based on the diffusely scattered light from the film 20 is produced at each incremental thickness. A reference division is performed on each spectra to correct for equipment artifacts. The thickness of the film 20 and an optical absorption edge wavelength value are determined from the spectra. The temperature of the film 20 is determined as a function of the optical absorption edge wavelength and the thickness of the film 20 using the spectra, a thickness calibration table, and a temperature calibration table.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are MEMS resonator device designs and fabrication techniques that provide protection against electrostatic charge imbalances. In one aspect, a MEMS resonator device includes a substrate, an electrode including a first microstructure supported by the substrate, a resonant element including a second microstructure spaced from the first microstructure by a gap for resonant displacement of the second microstructure within the gap during operation, and a disabled shunt coupled to the electrode or the resonant element. The disabled shunt is disabled to enable the resonant displacement but otherwise configured to protect against damage from an electrostatic charge imbalance before the operation of the MEMS resonator device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are MEMS resonator device designs and fabrication techniques that provide protection against electrostatic charge imbalances. In one aspect, a MEMS resonator device includes a substrate, an electrode including a first microstructure supported by the substrate, a resonant element including a second microstructure spaced from the first microstructure by a gap for resonant displacement of the second microstructure within the gap during operation, and a disabled shunt coupled to the electrode or the resonant element. The disabled shunt is disabled to enable the resonant displacement but otherwise configured to protect against damage from an electrostatic charge imbalance before the operation of the MEMS resonator device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (20) used in connection with the manufacture of thin film semiconductor materials (26) deposited on generally transparent substrates (28), such as photovoltaic cells, for monitoring a property of the thin film (26), such as its temperature, surface roughness, thickness and/or optical absorption properties. A spectral curve (44) derived from diffusely scattered light (34, 34?) emanating from the film (26) reveals a characteristic optical absorption (Urbach) edge. Among other things, the absorption edge is useful to assess relative surface roughness conditions between discrete material samples (22) or different locations within the same material sample (22). By comparing the absorption edge qualities of two or more spectral curves, a qualitative assessment can be made to determine whether the surface roughness of the film (26) may be considered of good or poor quality.

Abstract: A temperature monitoring technique for collecting radiation intensity (blackbody emission) across a broad wavelength range. A solid state spectrometer (26) acquires spectra from a sample (10) in real time and resolves the spectra to a radiation intensity (I) versus wavelength (?) curve. This curve is fitted to Planck's equation using a non-linear least squares fitting analysis. The system can be configured to self-calibrate and then lock in an amplitude value (A) which is used in subsequent temperature measurements by fitting to the blackbody emission curve. Preferably, the spectrometer (26) is flat field corrected (36) in an initial step to counteract variations in the spectrometer response with wavelength.

Abstract: A technique for determining the temperature of a sample including a semiconductor film 20 having a measurable optical absorption edge deposited on a transparent substrate 22 of material having no measurable optical absorption edge, such as a GaN film 20 deposited on an Al2O3 substrate 20 for blue and white LEDs. The temperature is determined in real-time as the film 20 grows and increases in thickness. A spectra based on the diffusely scattered light from the film 20 is produced at each incremental thickness. A reference division is performed on each spectra to correct for equipment artifacts. The thickness of the film 20 and an optical absorption edge wavelength value are determined from the spectra. The temperature of the film 20 is determined as a function of the optical absorption edge wavelength and the thickness of the film 20 using the spectra, a thickness calibration table, and a temperature calibration table.

Abstract: A temperature monitoring technique for collecting radiation intensity (blackbody emission) across a broad wavelength range. A solid state spectrometer (26) acquires spectra from a sample (10) in real time and resolves the spectra to a radiation intensity (I) versus wavelength (?) curve. This curve is fitted to Planck's equation using a non-linear least squares fitting analysis. The system can be configured to self-calibrate and then lock in an amplitude value (A) which is used in subsequent temperature measurements by fitting to the blackbody emission curve. Preferably, the spectrometer (26) is flat field corrected (36) in an initial step to counteract variations in the spectrometer response with wavelength.

Abstract: A slider for carrying and finely adjusting both a radial position and a flying height of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc includes a stator portion carried by a support structure such as a flexure of a disc drive system. A plurality of springs extend from the stator portion and are flexible in a lateral direction (for radial positioning) and in a vertical direction (for flying height control). A rotor portion is connected to the stator portion by the plurality of springs. The rotor portion carries the transducing head. The stator portion includes a plurality of stator electrodes, and the rotor portion includes a plurality of rotor electrodes suspended between the stator electrodes. Selected voltages are applied to the stator electrodes and the rotor electrodes to create a selected force in the lateral and vertical directions for moving the rotor portion with respect to the stator portion to finely adjust the radial position and flying height of the transducing head.

Abstract: A method of handling a wafer for through-wafer plasma etching includes lateral support provided between a handle wafer and a product wafer without wafer bonding or an adhesive film using mating mechanical structures. The product wafer is easily separated from the handle wafer following etching without stripping or cleaning. Because the connection between the wafers is mechanical, not from an adhesive layer/bonded layer, a wafer can be etched, inspected, and subsequently continue to be etched without the hindrance of repeated bonding, separation, and cleaning. A non-bonded support for released devices following a through-etch process is also provided.

Abstract: A slider assembly is operable to selectively alter a position of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks. The slider assembly includes a slider wafer arranged to be supported by a disc drive support structure. A stator is bonded to the slider wafer, with the stator including at least one electrode. A rotor is bonded to the stator, with the rotor having a frame portion bonded to the stator and a head-carrying portion attached to the frame portion by a flexible beam structure. The head-carrying portion of the rotor carries the transducing head, supports at least one rotor electrode adjacent to the at least one stator electrode, and is movable with respect to the frame portion of the rotor in response to a voltage difference between the at least one rotor electrode and the at least one stator electrode.

Abstract: A microactuator is built at the slider level to achieve high resolution positioning of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks in a disc drive system. The slider includes a main body carried by a flexure. A stator portion extends from the main body, and a plurality of beams extend from the stator portion, the beams being flexible in a lateral direction. A rotor portion is connected to the stator portion by the plurality of beams, forming a gap between the stator portion and the rotor portion. The rotor portion carries the transducing head. A plurality of stator electrodes are formed on the stator portion, and a plurality of rotor electrodes are formed on the rotor portion to confront the stator electrodes across the gap.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated coil-on-keeper assembly for use in a magnetic circuit to actuate a microactuator. The assembly is formed on a keeper substrate by patterning an insulator layer, plating at least one coil layer and patterning another insulator layer on top of each coil layer. The keeper substrate is etched to form the top keeper of the coil-on-keeper assembly.

Abstract: A transducer assembly in which an electric current is passed through plating solution in recesses of a metal substrate to plate electrical contact bumps having bump fronts in the recesses and exposed bump backs. The transducer is partially formed on the substrate, sealing the exposed bump backs. One or more vacuum processes are performed to complete formation of the transducer. At least a portion of the metal substrate is etched away to expose the bump fronts of the electrical contact bumps.

Abstract: A method for filling a trench extending through a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device patterned on a wafer is disclosed. The method involves simultaneously depositing a trench-fill layer of insulating material over a first side of the wafer, over a second side of the wafer, and into the trench extending from the first side to the second side. Further, the width of the trench at the first side of the wafer and/or the second side of the wafer is variable to adjust the rate at which the trench fills.

Abstract: Utilizing reactive ion etching (RIE) lag, tethers are fabricated that reliably hold devices in place during processing and storage, yet are easily broken to remove the parts from the wafer as desired, without requiring excessive force that could damage the devices. The tethers are fabricated by slightly narrowing the periphery etch feature at several places. By adjusting the ratio of the main periphery width to the necked width at the tethers, the final thickness of the tether can be controlled to a small fraction of the wafer thickness, so that tethers defined by readily achievable feature sizes will reliably hold the parts in place until removal is desired. Since the tethers are now only a fraction of the wafer thickness, they will reliably break to release the part at a force level that will not damage the part.

Abstract: A microactuator suspension supports a slider. The microactuator suspension has at least a first resilient support extending from a slider attachment pad to a suspension arm attachment pad. The slider attachment pad forms a clip which contacts the slider on side faces of the slider, and the microactuator adds little or nothing to the vertical thickness of the head gimbal assembly. The suspension arm attachment pad attaches to the gimbal with an attachment bridge which is longitudinally balanced relative to the gimbal point and relative to the air bearing centroid of the slider. The resilient supports may be beams having ends which are longitudinally spaced relative to the gimbal point, to the air bearing centroid, and to the attachment bridge to minimize moments and localized stresses on the beams. Dual beam and multiple beam arrangements are provided.

Abstract: A microactuator finely positions a transducing head carried by a slider adjacent a select radial track of disc. A frame of the microactuator includes a motor for altering the position of the slider and a closed bonding tub extending upward from the bottom of the microactuator having a bonding surface to engage the top surface of the slider. The closed bonding tub is formed from the microactuator frame such that there is a tub bottom having a bonding surface, sidewalls and an open sidewall.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated coil-on-keeper assembly for use in a magnetic circuit to actuate a microactuator. The assembly is formed on a keeper substrate by patterning an insulator layer, plating at least one coil layer and patterning another insulator layer on top of each coil layer. The keeper substrate is etched to form the top keeper of the coil-on-keeper assembly.