Abstract: Disclosed is a device comprising a substrate carrying a microscopic structure in a cavity capped by a capping layer including a material of formula SiNxHy, wherein x>1.33 and y>0. A method of forming such a device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a Bulk Acoustic Wave device by providing an active layer formed of an electro-mechanical transducer material, providing a first electrode on the active layer, defining a first electrode portion of the device, whereby a remaining portion of the device is defined around the first electrode, providing a stop-layer on the first electrode, depositing a first dielectric layer on the resultant structure, and planarizing the first dielectric layer until the stop-layer on the first electrode is exposed.

Abstract: A method of packaging a micro electro-mechanical structure comprises forming said structure on a substrate; depositing a sacrificial layer over said structure; patterning the sacrificial layer; depositing a SIPOS (semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon) layer over the patterned sacrificial layer; treating the SIPOS layer with an etchant to convert the SIPOS layer into a porous SIPOS layer, removing the patterned sacrificial layer through the porous layer SIPOS to form a cavity including said structure; and sealing the porous SIPOS layer. A device including such a packaged micro electro-mechanical structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: A resonator comprising a beam formed from a first material having a first Young's modulus and a first temperature coefficient of the first Young's modulus, and a second material having a second Young's modulus and a second temperature coefficient of the second Young's modulus, a sign of the second temperature coefficient being opposite to a sign of the first temperature coefficient at least within operating conditions of the resonator, wherein the ratio of the cross sectional area of the first material to the cross sectional area of the second material varies along the length of the beam, the cross sectional areas being measured substantially perpendicularly to the beam.

Abstract: A microphone comprises a substrate (20), a microphone membrane (10) defining an acoustic input surface and a backplate (11) supported with respect to the membrane with a fixed spacing between the backplate (11) and the membrane (10). A microphone periphery area comprises parallel corrugations (24) in the membrane (10) and backplate (11). By using the same corrugated suspension for both the membrane and the backplate, the sensitivity to body noise is optimally suppressed.

Abstract: A MEMS resonator, comprising a planar resonator body formed of two different materials with opposite sign temperature coefficient of Young's modulus. A first portion of one material extends across the full thickness of the resonator body. This provides a design which allows reduced temperature drift.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a Bulk Acoustic Wave device by providing an active layer formed of an electro-mechanical transducer material, providing a first electrode on the active layer, defining a first electrode portion of the device, whereby a remaining portion of the device is defined around the first electrode, providing a stop-layer on the first electrode, depositing a first dielectric layer on the resultant structure, and planarizing the first dielectric layer until the stop-layer on the first electrode is exposed.

Abstract: A method of irradiating to pattern a photosensitive layer such as a resist (L2) immersed in a fluid (L3), involves applying a removable transparent layer (L4, L5), projecting the radiation onto the resist through the immersion fluid and through the transparent layer, such that imperfections in the fluid are out of focus as projected on the surface, and subsequently removing the transparent layer. The transparent layer can help distance such imperfections from the focus of the radiation on the surface and so can reduce or eliminate shadowing. Hence the irradiation can be more complete, and defects reduced. It can be particularly effective for imperfections in the form of small bubbles or particles in the immersion fluid especially at the fluid/surface interface for example. The radiation can be for any purpose including inspection, processing, patterning and so on. The removal of the transparent layer can be combined with a step of developing the resist layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device comprising a substrate carrying a microscopic structure in a cavity capped by a capping layer including a material of formula SiNxHy, wherein x>1.33 and y>0. A method of forming such a device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of packaging a micro electro-mechanical structure comprises forming said structure on a substrate; depositing a sacrificial layer over said structure; patterning the sacrificial layer; depositing a SIPOS (semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon) layer over the patterned sacrificial layer; treating the SIPOS layer with an etchant to convert the SIPOS layer into a porous SIPOS layer, removing the patterned sacrificial layer through the porous layer SIPOS to form a cavity including said structure; and sealing the porous SIPOS layer. A device including such a packaged micro electro-mechanical structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: A resonator comprising a beam formed from a first material having a first Young's modulus and a first temperature coefficient of the first Young's modulus, and a second material having a second Young's modulus and a second temperature coefficient of the second Young's modulus, a sign of the second temperature coefficient being opposite to a sign of the first temperature coefficient at least within operating conditions of the resonator, wherein the ratio of the cross sectional area of the first material to the cross sectional area of the second material varies along the length of the beam, the cross sectional areas being measured substantially perpendicularly to the beam.

Abstract: For lithographically manufacturing a device with a very high density, a design mask pattern (120) is distributed on a number of sub-patterns (120a, 120b, 120c) by means of a new method. The sub-patterns do not comprise “forbidden” structures (135) and can be transferred by conventional apparatus to a substrate layer to be patterned. For the transfer, a new stack of layers is used, which comprise a pair of a processing layer (22; 26) and an inorganic anti-reflection layer (24; 28) for each sub-pattern. After a first processing layer (26) has been patterned with a first sub-pattern, it is coated with a new resist layer (30) which is exposed with a second sub-pattern, and a second processing layer (22) under the first processing layer is processed with the second sub-pattern.

Abstract: A MEMS resonator, comprising a planar resonator body formed of two different materials with opposite sign temperature coefficient of Young's modulus. A first portion of one material extends across the full thickness of the resonator body. This provides a design which allows reduced temperature drift.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with precision patterning is disclosed. A structure of a small dimension is created in a material, such as a semiconductor material, using a first and a second pattern, the patterns being identical but displaced over a distance with respect to each other. Two mask layers are used, wherein the first pattern is etched into the upper mask layer with a selective etch, and the second pattern is created on the upper mask layer or on the lower mask layer at locations where the upper mask layer has been removed. A part of the lower mask layer and/or the upper mask layer is etched according to the second pattern, resulting in a mask formed by remaining parts of the lower and upper mask layers, the mask having a structure with a dimension determined by a displacement of the second pattern with respect to the first pattern.

Abstract: A method of irradiating to pattern a photosensitive layer such as a resist (L2) immersed in a fluid (L3), involves applying a removable transparent layer (L4, L5), projecting the radiation onto the resist through the immersion fluid and through the transparent layer, such that imperfections in the fluid are out of focus as projected on the surface, and subsequently removing the transparent layer. The transparent layer can help distance such imperfections from the focus of the radiation on the surface and so can reduce or eliminate shadowing. Hence the irradiation can be more complete, and defects reduced. It can be particularly effective for imperfections in the form of small bubbles or particles in the immersion fluid especially at the fluid/surface interface for example. The radiation can be for any purpose including inspection, processing, patterning and so on. The removal of the transparent layer can be combined with a step of developing the resist layer.

Abstract: For determining best process variables (E, F, W) setting that provide optimum process window for a lithographic process for printing features having critical dimensions (CD) use is made of an overall performance characterizing parameter (Cpk) and of an analytical model, which describes CD data as a function of process parameters, like exposure dose (E) and focus (F). This allows calculating of the average value (?CD) and the variance (?CD) of the statistical CD distribution (CDd) and to determine the highest Cpk value and the associated values of process parameters, which values provide the optimum process window.

Abstract: For lithographically manufacturing a device with a very high density, a design mask pattern (120) is distributed on a number of sub-patterns (120a, 120b, 120c) by means of a new method. The sub-patterns do not comprise “forbidden” structures (135) and can be transferred by conventional apparatus to a substrate layer to be patterned. For the transfer, a new stack of layers is used, which comprise a pair of a processing layer (22; 26) and an inorganic anti-reflection layer (24; 28) for each sub-pattern. After a first processing layer (26) has been patterned with a first sub-pattern, it is coated with a new resist layer (30) which is exposed with a second sub-pattern, and a second processing layer (22) under the first processing layer is processed with the second sub-pattern.

Abstract: For lithographically manufacturing a device with a very high density, a design mask pattern (120) is distributed on a number of sub-patterns (120a, 120b, 120c) by means of a new method. The sub-patterns do not comprise “forbidden” structures (135) and can be transferred by conventional apparatus to a substrate layer to be patterned. For the transfer, a new stack of layers is used, which comprise a pair of a processing layer (22; 26) and an inorganic anti-reflection layer (24; 28) for each sub-pattern. After a first processing layer (26) has been patterned with a first sub-pattern, it is coated with a new resist layer (30) which is exposed with a second sub-pattern, and a second processing layer (22) under the first processing layer is processed with the second sub-pattern.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the provision of a substrate with a layer of silicon thereon, an inorganic anti-reflective layer applied to the layer of silicon, and a resist mask applied to the inorganic anti-reflective layer, which method comprises the steps of: patterning the inorganic anti-reflective layer by means of the resist mask, patterning the layer of silicon, removing the resist mask, and removing the inorganic anti-reflective layer by means of etching with an aqueous solution comprising hydrofluoric acid in a low concentration, which aqueous solution is applied at a high temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the step of removing a silicon and nitrogen containing material by means of wet etching with an aqueous solution comprising hydrofluoric acid in a low concentration, the aqueous solution being applied under elevated pressure to reach a temperature above 100° C.