Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multi-substrate semiconductor package. The method includes providing a first substrate with a plurality of first dies present thereon and forming a plurality of electrical contacts on an upper surface of a lateral extension portion of at least one of the plurality of first dies on the first substrate. The method also includes providing a second substrate, the second substrate comprising a plurality of second dies, at least one of the plurality of second dies comprising an interconnect region. Further, the method includes forming a sandwich structure by bonding the second substrate to an upper surface of the first substrate to form an intermediate level within the sandwich structure and separating the dies. The method also includes coupling an electrically conductive structure through the interconnect region of the one second dies to the lateral extension portion of the one first die.

Abstract: A system for hermetically sealing devices. The system includes a substrate, which includes a plurality of individual chips. Each of the chips includes a plurality of devices and each of the chips are arranged in a spatial manner as a first array. The system also includes a transparent member of a predetermined thickness, which includes a plurality of recessed regions arranged in a spatial manner as a second array and each of the recessed regions are bordered by a standoff region. The substrate and the transparent member are aligned in a manner to couple each of the plurality of recessed regions to a respective one of said plurality of chips. Each of the chips within one of the respective recessed regions is hermetically sealed by contacting the standoff region of the transparent member to the plurality of first street regions and second street regions using at least a bonding process to isolate each of the chips within one of the recessed regions.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator includes a first substrate and a standoff structure coupled to the first substrate. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror structure coupled to the standoff structure. The mirror structure includes a mirror body comprising at least one edge region and at least one end region, a reflective layer coupled to the mirror body, and a flexible member coplanar with the mirror body. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mirror structure rotates about the flexible member to an activated position. In the activated position, the at least one edge region of the mirror body makes contact with the standoff structure while maintaining the at least one end region free from contact with the first substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated spatial light modulator with contact structures. The method includes providing a first substrate having a bonding surface, providing a device substrate having a device surface, and depositing a first layer on the device surface, the first layer having an upper surface opposite the device surface. The method also includes patterning the first layer to define a plurality of contact structure openings, depositing a conductive layer on the upper surface of the first layer, reducing the thickness of the conductive layer, and removing at least a portion of the first layer to expose a plurality of contact structures. The method further includes depositing a standoff layer on the first layer, forming standoff structures from the standoff layer, and joining the bonding surface of the first substrate to the standoff structures to form a bonded substrate structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated spatial light modulator. The method includes providing a first substrate including a bonding surface, processing a device substrate to form at least an electrode layer, the electrode layer including a plurality of electrodes, and depositing a standoff layer on the electrode layer. The method further includes forming standoff structures from the standoff layer and joining the bonding surface of the first substrate to the standoff structures on the device substrate. In a particular embodiment, the method further includes, after the step of depositing a standoff layer, performing chemical mechanical polishing of the standoff layer to planarize an upper surface of the standoff layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a standoff structure for packaging devices, e.g., optical devices, integrated circuit devices. The method includes providing a substrate, e.g., silicon wafer. The substrate includes a first surface region, a second surface region, and a thickness defined between the first surface region and the second surface region. The method includes protecting selected portions of the first surface region using a masking layer while leaving a plurality of unprotected regions. Preferably, each of the unprotected regions is to be associated with an opening through the thickness of the substrate. The method causes removal of the plurality of unprotected regions to form a plurality of openings through the thickness of the substrate to provide a resulting patterned substrate. Each of the openings is bordered by a portion of the selected portions of the first surface region. Preferably, etching techniques, such as wet etch or dry etching, can be used, depending upon the embodiment.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator includes a first substrate and a standoff structure coupled to the first substrate. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror structure coupled to the standoff structure. The mirror structure includes a mirror body comprising at least one edge region and at least one end region, a reflective layer coupled to the mirror body, and a flexible member coplanar with the mirror body. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mirror structure rotates about the flexible member to an activated position. In the activated position, the at least one edge region of the mirror body makes contact with the standoff structure while maintaining the at least one end region free from contact with the first substrate.

Abstract: A system for hermetically sealing devices. The system includes a substrate, which includes a plurality of individual chips. Each of the chips includes a plurality of devices and each of the chips are arranged in a spatial manner as a first array. The system also includes a transparent member of a predetermined thickness, which includes a plurality of recessed regions arranged in a spatial manner as a second array and each of the recessed regions are bordered by a standoff region. The substrate and the transparent member are aligned in a manner to couple each of the plurality of recessed regions to a respective one of said plurality of chips. Each of the chips within one of the respective recessed regions is hermetically sealed by contacting the standoff region of the transparent member to the plurality of first street regions and second street regions using at least a bonding process to isolate each of the chips within one of the recessed regions.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated spatial light modulator with contact structures. The method includes providing a first substrate having a bonding surface, providing a device substrate having a device surface, and depositing a first layer on the device surface, the first layer having an upper surface opposite the device surface. The method also includes patterning the first layer to define a plurality of contact structure openings, depositing a conductive layer on the upper surface of the first layer, reducing the thickness of the conductive layer, and removing at least a portion of the first layer to expose a plurality of contact structures. The method further includes depositing a standoff layer on the first layer, forming standoff structures from the standoff layer, and joining the bonding surface of the first substrate to the standoff structures to form a bonded substrate structure.

Abstract: A method for bonding substrate structures. The method includes providing a transparent substrate structure, the transparent substrate structure comprising a face region and an incident light region, providing a spacer structure, the spacer structure comprising a selected thickness of material, the spacer structure having a spacer face region and a spacer device region, and providing a device substrate structure, the device substrate having a device face region and a device backside region. The method further includes applying a first glue material to the spacer face region and bonding the spacer face region to the face region of the transparent substrate structure. The method also includes applying a second glue material to the spacer device region and bonding the spacer device region to the device face region.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator is provided. The spatial light modulator includes a first substrate comprising a plurality of electrically activated electrodes and a bias grid and a standoff structure coupled to the first substrate. The standoff structure includes a central portion projecting to a first height above the first substrate and an extension portion projecting to a second height above the first substrate, the second height being less than the first height. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror plate comprising a central contact structure integrally formed with the central portion of the standoff structure, a torsion beam coplanar with the central contact structure and free from contact with the standoff structure, and a reflective surface coupled to the plurality of torsion arms and free from contact with the standoff structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a spatial light modulator. The method includes providing a first substrate having a mirror layer, the mirror layer having an upper surface and a lower surface. The method also includes forming a standoff structure from the first substrate, the standoff structure having an integrated surface coupled to the lower surface of the mirror layer and a bonding surface opposite the integrated surface. The standoff structure includes a centrally located base section extending from the integrated surface to the bonding surface along a first axis and a plurality of lateral extension arms extending from the base section along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The method further includes providing a second substrate having a bonding surface and a support surface, joining the bonding surface of the standoff structure to the bonding surface of the second substrate, and releasing a portion of the first substrate to form a torsion spring hinge coplanar with the mirror layer.

Abstract: A method for aligning multiple substrates. The method includes providing a handle substrate, providing a spacer substrate, and forming a plurality of first alignment marks on a first surface of the handle substrate. The method also includes forming a plurality of self-limiting alignment marks on a first surface of the spacer substrate and forming a plurality of openings in the spacer substrate, each of the plurality of openings surrounded by standoff regions. The method further includes aligning the first surface of the handle substrate and the first surface of the spacer substrate using the first alignment marks and the self-limiting alignment marks and bonding the handle substrate to the spacer substrate to form a composite substrate structure. In a specific embodiment, the plurality of self-limiting alignment marks and the plurality of openings are formed using an anisotropic wet etching process that preferentially etches the spacer substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multi-substrate semiconductor package. The method includes providing a first substrate with a plurality of first dies present thereon and forming a plurality of electrical contacts on an upper surface of a lateral extension portion of at least one of the plurality of first dies on the first substrate. The method also includes providing a second substrate, the second substrate comprising a plurality of second dies, at least one of the plurality of second dies comprising an interconnect region. Further, the method includes forming a sandwich structure by bonding the second substrate to an upper surface of the first substrate to form an intermediate level within the sandwich structure and separating the dies. The method also includes coupling an electrically conductive structure through the interconnect region of the one second dies to the lateral extension portion of the one first die.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator is provided. The spatial light modulator includes a first substrate, the first substrate comprising a plurality of electrodes adapted to receive control signals, and a bias grid coupled to the first substrate and electrically isolated from the plurality of electrodes. The spatial light modulator also includes a mirror plate electrically coupled to the bias grid and adapted to rotate from a first orientation to a second orientation in response to the control signals received by the plurality of electrodes. The spatial light modulator further includes a landing post support structure coupled to the first substrate and electrically coupled to the bias grid and a landing post coupled to the landing post support structure. The landing post is electrically coupled to the bias grid and adapted to make contact with the mirror plate positioned at the first orientation.

Abstract: A micro-mirror array that is useful, for example, in a reflective spatial light modulator. In one embodiment, the micro mirror array includes spacer support walls, a vertical torsion hinge, and a mirror plate, all being fabricated from a single wafer. The micro-mirror array has a large fill ratio.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a spatial light modulator. The method includes forming cavities in a first substrate and fabricating electrodes on a second substrate. The method also includes bonding the first substrate to the second substrate and forming a mirror plate from a portion of the first substrate. The mirror plate has an upper surface and a lower surface. The method further includes forming a hinge coupled to the mirror plate and forming a reflective surface coupled to the upper surface of the mirror plate.

Abstract: A method for forming a patterned silicon bearing material, e.g., silicon substrate. The method includes providing a silicon substrate, which has a surface region and a backside region. The method includes forming a plurality of recessed regions on the surface region. Each of the plurality of recessed regions has a border region. Preferably, the plurality of recessed regions forms a patterned surface region. The method includes bonding (e.g., hermetic bonding or on-hermetic seal) the patterned surface region to a handle surface region of a handle substrate, e.g., glass substrate. Each of the border regions, which protrude outwardly from the recessed regions, is bonded to the handle surface region, while each of the recessed regions remain free from attachment to any surface of the handle surface region. The method includes etching selected regions on the backside to remove a thickness of silicon substrate overlying each of the recessed regions.

Abstract: A method for forming a standoff structure for devices, e.g., optical devices, integrated circuit devices, micro-electrical mechanical systems (i.e., MEMS). The method includes providing a substrate (e.g., silicon wafer), which has a first surface region characterized by a <100> crystal orientation, a second surface region, and a thickness defined between the first surface region and the second surface region. The method includes protecting selected portions of the first surface region using a masking layer while leaving a plurality of unprotected regions. Each of the unprotected regions is to be associated with an opening through the thickness of the substrate. The method includes immersing the substrate into an etching solution. The method also includes causing removal of the plurality of unprotected regions to form a plurality of openings through the entirety of the thickness of the substrate using the etching solution.

Abstract: An electromechanical system comprising a substrate including a surface region and a flexible member coupled at a first end to the surface region. The system further comprises a base region and a tip region. The system also comprises a reflective member coupled to the flexible member, including a reflective surface and a backside region, the backside region being coupled to the second end of the flexible member, the reflective surface being substantially parallel to the surface region while the reflective member is in a first state and being substantially non-parallel to the surface region while the reflective member is in a second state. The flexible member moves from a first position characterized by the first state to a second position characterized by the second state and the angle between the first state and the second state is greater than 12°.