Unique Method for Manufacturing a Digital Micromirror Device and a Method of Manufacturing a Projection Display System Using the Same

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a digital micromirror device and a method for manufacturing a projection display system. The method for manufacturing the digital micromirror device, without limitation, may include providing a material stack, the material stack including a spacer layer having one or more openings therein and located over control circuitry located on or in a semiconductor substrate, a layer of hinge material located over the spacer layer and within the one or more openings, and a layer of hinge support material located over the layer of hinge material and within the one or more openings. The method may further include patterning the layer of hinge support material using photoresist, patterning the layer of hinge material using the patterned layer of hinge support material as a hardmask, and removing the patterned layer of hinge support material from over an upper surface of the patterned layer of hinge material.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A digital micromirror device, comprising:
 a layer of hinge material located over control circuitry located on or in a semiconductor substrate, the layer of hinge material having one or more vias located therein;   a layer of hinge support material located along sidewalls and a bottom surface of the one or more vias; and   a layer of reflective material located over the layer of hinge material.   
   
   
       22 . The digital micromirror device as recited in  claim 21  wherein the layer of hinge support material is a thin layer of oxide. 
   
   
       23 . The digital micromirror device as recited in  claim 22  wherein the thin layer of oxide has a thickness ranging from about 50 nm to about 500 nm. 
   
   
       24 . The digital micromirror device as recited in  claim 21  further including photoresist within the one or more vias. 
   
   
       25 . The digital micromirror device as recited in  claim 24  further including a filling material located over the photoresist and within the one or more vias. 
   
   
       26 . The digital micromirror device as recited in  claim 25  further including a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer located within the one or more vias and between at least a portion of the layer of hinge support material and the photoresist. 
   
   
       27 . A digital micromirror device, comprising:
 a spacer layer having one or more openings therein and located over control circuitry located on or in a semiconductor substrate;   a layer of hinge material located over the spacer layer and within the one or more openings; and   a layer of hinge support material located over the layer of hinge material and within the one or more openings,   wherein the layer of hinge support material is patterned using photoresist and the layer of hinge material is patterned using the patterned layer of hinge support material as a hardmask.   
   
   
       28 . The digital micromirror device as recited in  claim 27  wherein the material stack further includes a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer located over the layer of hinge support material and within the one or more openings. 
   
   
       29 . The digital micromirror device as recited in  claim 27  further including a filling material within the one or more openings and in at least a portion of an etched region of the spacer layer after the patterned layer of hinge support material is removed. 
   
   
       30 . The method as recited in  claim 27  wherein the spacer layer is a photoresist spacer layer, the layer of hinge material is an aluminum containing layer of hinge material, and the layer of hinge support material is a layer of oxide. 
   
   
       31 . A projection display system, comprising:
 a light source configured to produce a beam of light along a first light path;   optics in the first light path, the optics configured to provide one or more color light beams;   one or more digital micromirror devices configured to receive the color light beams from the optics, modulate the light on a pixel-by-pixel basis and reflect light from ON pixels along a second light path, including:   a material stack, the material stack including a spacer layer having one or more openings therein and located over control circuitry located on or in a semiconductor substrate, a layer of hinge material located over the spacer layer and within the one or more openings, and a layer of hinge support material located over the layer of hinge material and within the one or more openings;   patterning the layer of hinge support material using photoresist;   patterning the layer of hinge material using the patterned layer of hinge support material as a hardmask; and   removing the patterned layer of hinge support material from over an upper surface of the patterned layer of hinge material; control electronics for receiving image data and controlling the light source and the modulation of the digital micromirror devices; and   projection optics placed in the second light path magnifying and projecting an image on to a viewing screen.   
   
   
       32 . The projection display system as recited in  claim 31  wherein the material stack further includes a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer located over the layer of hinge support material and within the one or more openings. 
   
   
       33 . The projection display system as recited in  claim 31  wherein the spacer layer is a first spacer layer and further including forming a second spacer layer over the patterned layer of hinge material, the second spacer layer having an opening therein, and forming a layer of reflective material over the second spacer layer and within the opening. 
   
   
       34 . The projection display system as recited in claim  11  wherein the spacer layer is a photoresist spacer layer, the layer of hinge material is an aluminum containing layer of hinge material, and the layer of hinge support material is a layer of oxide.