EP4283408B1 - Verfahren zur herstellung einer uhrenkomponente - Google Patents

Verfahren zur herstellung einer uhrenkomponente

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Publication number
EP4283408B1
EP4283408B1 EP22174885.8A EP22174885A EP4283408B1 EP 4283408 B1 EP4283408 B1 EP 4283408B1 EP 22174885 A EP22174885 A EP 22174885A EP 4283408 B1 EP4283408 B1 EP 4283408B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
level
wafer
etching
mask
layer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP22174885.8A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP4283408A1 (de
Inventor
Marc-André Glassey
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sigatec SA
Original Assignee
Sigatec SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sigatec SA filed Critical Sigatec SA
Priority to EP22174885.8A priority Critical patent/EP4283408B1/de
Priority to EP25224257.3A priority patent/EP4707957A2/de
Publication of EP4283408A1 publication Critical patent/EP4283408A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP4283408B1 publication Critical patent/EP4283408B1/de
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B15/00—Escapements
    • G04B15/14—Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B15/00—Escapements
    • G04B15/06—Free escapements
    • G04B15/08—Lever escapements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04D—APPARATUS OR TOOLS SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR MAKING OR MAINTAINING CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04D3/00—Watchmakers' or watch-repairers' machines or tools for working materials
    • G04D3/0069—Watchmakers' or watch-repairers' machines or tools for working materials for working with non-mechanical means, e.g. chemical, electrochemical, metallising, vapourising; with electron beams, laser beams

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of watchmaking. More specifically, it concerns a method for manufacturing a watch component, in particular a silicon watch component.
  • a majority of watch components produced today are made from a SOI type substrate comprising a first silicon-based layer in which the components must be formed, a second layer called “support” also silicon-based and used to stiffen the substrate and, between these two layers, an intermediate layer also called “stop layer”, made of silicon oxide.
  • the components are cut from the first layer by deep ion reactive etching (DRIE) through a photosensitive resin mask formed by photolithography on said first layer.
  • DRIE deep ion reactive etching
  • the stop layer located behind the first layer being less sensitive to etching, it is not not damaged or only very slightly damaged during DRIE etching.
  • the substrate and stop layer are then locally removed, or completely removed, by chemical etching, so that a wafer from the first layer of the substrate and carrying the components or parts of components is released.
  • Silicon is a brittle material, making it difficult to use the previously mentioned press-fit assembly method. This method is particularly unsuitable for the industrial production of silicon components, as the proportion of components broken during assembly and subsequently discarded remains too high.
  • One aim of the present invention is to propose a method for manufacturing a silicon watch component, which makes it possible to overcome the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art and which can in particular be implemented on an industrial scale.
  • the process according to the invention makes it possible to produce one or more multilevel components in a simple way, by eliminating the prior art assembly step which, on the one hand, is laborious when it comes to manufacturing large series of components, and on the other hand, can prove complex due to the fragile nature of silicon.
  • the process allows for the rapid manufacture of a large number of components: Although the process aims to manufacture at least one component, in practice a plurality of components (identical or different) will generally be formed simultaneously in the same silicon wafer.
  • the process according to the invention can in particular, but not exclusively, be implemented for the manufacture of anchors or wheels or plates or needles or spirals or an element with flexible blade(s).
  • a complex or multilevel component is defined as a component on which it is possible to identify at least two parts superimposed in a so-called transverse direction (corresponding to the direction of the engraving which made it possible to form said component or to the direction of the thickness of the wafer in which the component is formed).
  • the resulting components can have only two levels.
  • they can also have an intermediate level between the first and second levels: in this case, the intermediate level has a common boundary plane with each of the other two levels.
  • first and second sides of the plate are opposite each other in the transverse direction.
  • the engraving on the first side of the plate is designated as the primary engraving, and that on the second side as the secondary engraving. More generally, the adjectives primary and secondary are used with reference to the first and second sides of the plate, respectively.
  • a primary surface is oriented towards the first side of the plate, and a secondary surface is oriented towards its second side.
  • edges of the first and second levels refer to the edges of said levels, excluding any attachment zone retained to maintain a bond between the component and the rest of the wafer during manufacturing and which can be broken at the end of the process to release the component.
  • This zone may be located on the first level, on the second level, or may extend across the entire thickness of the component and therefore across both levels, as long as it ultimately allows the component to be detached (for this, it should normally be on the outermost contour of the component).
  • the wafer is preferably polished on both sides.
  • the primary and/or secondary etching is typically a deep reactive ion etching (DRIE).
  • DRIE deep reactive ion etching
  • the primary etching performed through at least one opening of the first mask is intended to form at least some edges, preferably all the edges, of the first level of the component(s). In some cases, it may also form some edges of an intermediate level, and/or a primary surface of the second level facing the first side of the wafer.
  • the primary surface of the second level of the component, formed by primary etching is, at least in a boundary area, delimited by an edge of the second level.
  • the opening of the first mask covers said enlarged primary surface, at said boundary area, by a safety distance greater than 10 microns, preferably between 10 and 100 microns. Enlarging the opening of the first mask prevents the edge of the secondary etching—forming said edge of the second level—from interfering with the secondary etching. level - coincides with the edge of the primary etch.
  • the safety distance ensures that the edge of the secondary etch, forming the edge of the second level, intersects the stop layer at the desired depth and prevents the formation of an undesirable material residue at this edge.
  • the secondary surface of the first level of the component, formed by secondary etching is, at least in a boundary area, delimited by an edge of the first level.
  • the opening of the second mask covers this enlarged secondary surface, at the boundary area, by a safety distance greater than 10 microns, preferably between 10 and 100 microns. Again, enlarging the opening to a safety distance prevents material residue from remaining at the edge of the secondary surface of the first level, thus preventing the component from detaching later and/or the secondary etching from damaging the first level of the component.
  • At least part of an opening in the first mask, or the second mask respectively, defining a contour of the first level, or the second level respectively has a width between 20 and 200 microns, preferably constant. Since the inclination of the etching flanks depends on the width of the etched surface, it is preferable, to ensure that the inclination (relative to the transverse direction) of the edges or as many edges as possible of the component is constant, that the width of a border of engraving around a level of said component is constant in places where this is possible.
  • the secondary etching mask can also be created either before or after the primary etching mask.
  • the secondary etching mask can be made before or after the deposition/creation of at least one stop layer, or be made in conjunction with such a stop layer.
  • the process may include, during the creation of one of the first and second masks, identifying the position of an existing etch on the opposite side and indexing the mask to be created to that position. For example, alignment marks are made on one side of the wafer and aligned with marks on a photolithography mask used for etching on the other side, possibly using a camera-based referencing system.
  • the creation of the primary etching mask and/or the creation of the secondary etching mask includes the structuring by photolithography of a layer of resin deposited on the first side, respectively the second side, of the wafer, to form openings defining the edges of the first level, respectively the second level, of the component.
  • the resin layer can be deposited directly onto the silicon wafer (i.e. on the primary surface, respectively the secondary surface of the wafer).
  • a layer of silicon oxide can be deposited onto the silicon wafer (notably by Physical Vapor Deposition) or obtained by silicon oxide growth (in other words, by thermal oxidation of the wafer).
  • silicon oxide growth the oxidation, carried out in a thermal oxidation furnace, occurs equally over the entire wafer and, consequently, simultaneously on the first and second sides of the wafer.
  • the process includes, after etching the wafer through the primary etching mask, oxidizing the wafer so that the oxide layer resulting from this oxidation forms a stop layer on the first etched side of the wafer, and then forming the secondary etching mask from said oxide layer on the second side of the wafer.
  • At least one additional stop layer can be made on the first etched side of the wafer, after the oxidation of the wafer: in this case, there are finally two stop layers on the first side at the time of secondary etching: an oxide layer and the additional stop layer.
  • At least one stop layer deposited or formed on the first side of the wafer conforms to the surfaces and parts of the component defined during the primary etching.
  • a stop layer is made of a material less sensitive to etching, especially DRIE etching, so that it is suitable for stopping secondary etching (while being itself little or not at all damaged) if it comes into contact with it.
  • the arrest layer prevents process gases from passing between the two sides of the wafer, which would lead to degradation of the etching.
  • At least one arrest layer may also include a silicon oxide layer and/or an aluminum layer.
  • It includes a layer of parylene and may, for example, include a layer of parylene with a thickness between 1 and 5 microns and/or a layer of silicon oxide. with a thickness of between 0.5 and 5 microns, and/or an aluminum layer with a thickness of between 0.1 and 5 microns.
  • a single arrest layer can be used.
  • several arrest layers can be deposited and/or formed so that they are superimposed on the first side of the wafer.
  • the target engraving depths on the first and second sides are the theoretically desired depths for the engraving.
  • a skilled professional can determine, for example by calculation or empirically, an engraving time or a number of engraving cycles (DRIE engraving being carried out in successive stages/layers) to achieve these depths.
  • the effective etching depth at a given point may differ from the target depth when, during the etching time or the aforementioned sequence of etching cycles, the cavity or part of the etching cavity encounters the stop layer.
  • a target depth greater than the effective depth should be chosen to avoid rounded etching edges.
  • the target depth of secondary etching is such that, at least locally, the secondary etching reaches the stop layer.
  • the sum of the target depths of primary and secondary etching is at least equal to the wafer thickness (measured in the transverse direction).
  • the sum of the target depths of primary and secondary etching is strictly greater than a thickness of the wafer (measured in the transverse direction), so as to guarantee the crossing of the primary and secondary etches.
  • the sum of the target depths of primary and secondary engraving is understood here as the sum of said depths in absolute value, without taking into account the direction of engraving.
  • the sum of the first and second target etching depths is such that the component formed at the end of the secondary etching has, between the first and second level, an intermediate level some of whose edges are in continuation of edges of the first level and other edges are in continuation of edges of the second level.
  • the process also includes, after secondary etching, the removal of the stop layer(s).
  • the process further includes, after secondary etching and possibly the removal of the stop layer(s), at least one oxidation and deoxidation sequence of the wafer bearing at least one component, in order to smooth the surfaces of the component(s) and/or modify their dimensions.
  • the process further includes, after secondary etching and possibly the removal of the stop layer and/or said at least one oxidation-deoxidation sequence, at least one oxidation (called final) of the wafer bearing the at least one component, in order to improve its mechanical characteristics.
  • the process further comprises, after secondary etching and optionally removal of the stop layer and/or of said at least one oxidation-deoxidation sequence and/or of said final oxidation of the wafer, a step in which said at least one component is detached from the wafer.
  • the invention relates to a watch component, in particular obtained by implementing the process as defined above, in particular an anchor or a wheel or a plate or a hand or a spiral or an element with flexible blade(s), said component comprising at least a first level and a second level at least partially superimposed in a transverse direction of said component, and said component being a monolithic component.
  • FIG. 1 represents a multilevel anchor 10 that can be manufactured by implementing the process according to the invention.
  • Such an anchor 10 is intended to equip an escapement of a clock movement (not shown).
  • the illustrated anchor 10 includes a fixing part 30, pierced with a hole 37 intended to receive a pivot pin for the anchor (not shown).
  • the fastening part 30 has an overall T-shape with a central rod 30a and, at one end of said rod 30a, a head 30b extending substantially orthogonally to the rod 30a.
  • the hole 37 is located here at the junction between the rod 30a and the head 30b.
  • the anchor 10 also includes two pallets 31, 32, connected to the mounting part 30, and designed to cooperate with an escape wheel (not shown). As illustrated, each pallet 31, 32 is respectively fixed to one end of the head 30b.
  • the anchor 10 further includes a fork 33 intended to cooperate with a regulating organ (not shown) of the movement, for example a balance wheel and hairspring.
  • the base 33a of the fork 33 is connected to the fixing part 30, here at the end of the rod 30a opposite the head 30b.
  • the fork 33 comprises two horns 34, 35 delimiting between them a housing 36.
  • the housing 36 is surmounted by a dart 20 integral with a dart support 21 surmounting the base 33a of the fork 33.
  • the aforementioned elements form a three-level assembly 11, 13, 12 superimposed in that order along a transverse direction Z, as illustrated on the figure 2 , which is a cross-sectional view according to plane P1.
  • a first side 10a of the anchor 10 is defined as the side on which the dart 20 is located, in the transverse direction Z.
  • the second side 10b is defined as the side opposite this first side.
  • a boundary plane, a surface or a primary part of an element or a level is located towards the first side of the anchor, in the transverse direction Z.
  • a boundary plane, a surface or a secondary part of an element or a level is located towards the second side of the anchor, in the transverse direction Z.
  • a thickness or depth will be measured along the transverse direction Z, while a width will be measured in a plane orthogonal to said transverse direction Z.
  • a first level 11 of the anchor is delimited by the primary boundary planes PL1 and secondary boundary planes PL2 of the dart 20.
  • the thickness of this first level 11 is the thickness of the dart 20, that is to say z1.
  • a second level 12 of the anchor is delimited by the primary boundary planes PL3 and secondary boundary planes PL4 of the fixing part 30, the pallets 31, 32 and the fork 33.
  • the thickness of this second level 12 is z2.
  • the thickness z3 of the dart support 21 is greater than the thickness z1 of the dart 20.
  • the primary surfaces of the dart 20 and the dart support 21 are defined in the same boundary plane PL1, while the secondary surfaces of the dart 20 and the dart support 21 are located in the plane PL2 and the plane PL3, respectively.
  • the dart 20 is thus offset by a distance z4 equal to z3 - z1 from the fork 33, in the transverse direction Z of the anchor.
  • An intermediate level 13 of the anchor is thus delimited by the planes PL2 and PL3 and formed by the part 23 of the dart support 21, hereafter called secondary part of the dart support, of thickness z4.
  • step a) of the process a monolithic silicon wafer 100 is supplied.
  • the wafer is advantageously made of monocrystalline silicon and doped, in particular doped with phosphorus.
  • the silicon is doped to have a resistivity less than or equal to 0.1 ⁇ .cm-1, for example, a resistivity of 0.05 ⁇ .cm-1.
  • Doped silicon, being electrically conductive, is more dimensionally stable and has better mechanical strength.
  • the silicon used is of ⁇ 1,1,1 ⁇ orientation.
  • any suitable silicon may be used, in particular polycrystalline and/or undoped and/or of a different orientation than ⁇ 1,1,1 ⁇ .
  • the plate 100 has a primary surface 100a, which is flat, on a first side 101 and a secondary surface 100b, which is flat and parallel to the primary surface 100a, on its second side 102.
  • the primary and secondary surfaces 100a, 100b are preferably polished.
  • a first primary engraving mask 200 is made, for each anchor to be manufactured, having at least one opening 210 such that a primary engraving made through this opening 210 forms the edges of the first level 11 of the anchor 10, part of the edges of the intermediate level 13, as well as the primary surface 12a of the second level 12.
  • the first engraving mask 200 has, for each anchor 10 to be manufactured, an opening 210.
  • the figure 5 illustrates a portion of the first mask 200 including such an opening 210.
  • the primary engraving is intended to form the edges of the dart 20 and the dart support 21 which form the first level 11.
  • the mask 200 is therefore open to a first zone 211 having a border, here internal 2111, delimiting the contour of the first level 11.
  • a width L1 of this first zone 211 is advantageously between 20 and 200 microns and preferably constant, to guarantee an adequate inclination of the etching flanks.
  • the primary engraving is also intended to form the primary surface 12a of the second level 12.
  • the mask 200 is also open onto a second area 212 covering this planned primary surface of the second level 12 (delimited by dotted lines on the figure 5 ).
  • the second zone 212 is advantageously wider than the said forecast surface, where the latter is delimited by an edge of the second level 12.
  • the widening of the opening, or safety distance S is constant or not and preferably greater than 10 microns, more preferably between 10 and 100 microns (measured orthogonally to the contour of the forecast primary surface).
  • the first and second zones 211, 212 partially overlap, together they form the opening 210 of the first mask 200.
  • the first engraving mask 200 equipped with its opening 210 for each anchor 10, is, for example, made in the manner described below. Although, for the sake of simplicity, the description and drawings refer to a single anchor 10, each step is in practice carried out simultaneously for each anchor or component manufactured in the same wafer.
  • a layer of silicon oxide 230 is grown over the entire surface of the wafer 100.
  • a layer of photosensitive resin 240 is deposited on this layer of silicon oxide 230, on the first side 101 of the wafer (substep b2).
  • the resin layer 240 is exposed to light radiation R from a light source (not shown), through a photolithographic mask 250 equipped with a window 251 corresponding to the desired primary etching contours.
  • the radiation R may, in particular, be radiation including UV, i.e., ultraviolet radiation, or even consist of UV radiation.
  • the irradiated photosensitive resin is locally removed by solubilizing it in an appropriate chemical bath, to form an opening 241 corresponding to the desired primary etching contours.
  • the silicon oxide layer 230 is then etched under the opening 241 of the resin, in particular by plasma etching, forming a corresponding opening 231.
  • step b5) the resin layer 240 is removed, notably by plasma etching.
  • the mask 200 is then formed only by the silicon oxide layer 230, whose opening 231 forms the opening 210 of the mask.
  • the resin layer 240 can be retained for primary etching.
  • the etching mask 200 is formed from the resin layer 240 and the silicon oxide layer 230, whose openings 231 and 241 respectively coincide to form the opening 210 of the mask 200.
  • the silicon oxide layer could also be omitted.
  • the mask 200 is formed solely by the resin layer 240, whose opening 241 forms the opening of the mask 200.
  • the plate 100 is engraved through the opening 210 of the mask 200 to form the first level 11 of the anchor 10, the primary surface 12a of the second level 12, and the edges of the intermediate level 13.
  • the etching is a deep reaction ion etching, also called DRIE etching (acronym for "deep reaction ion etching", which is the English designation for deep reaction ion etching) or etching according to the Bosch process.
  • the target depth d1 of the primary etching is less than a wafer thickness d corresponding to the silicon thickness between surfaces 100a and 100b, in a Z direction transverse to said faces, at the time of etching. Thus, the primary etching does not penetrate the wafer 100.
  • the target depth d1 here corresponds to the sum z3 of the thicknesses z1 and z4 respectively of the first level 11 and the intermediate level 13.
  • the first side 101 of the wafer 100, thus engraved, is covered with at least one stop layer 400.
  • stop layer we mean a layer made of a material that is not very sensitive to etching, especially DRIE etching, so that it is suitable for stopping such etching (with little or no deterioration) if it comes into contact with it.
  • a layer of photosensitive resin 240 has been retained to form the first etching mask 200, this layer is previously removed, notably by plasma, before the arrest layer is made.
  • a layer of silicon 230 oxide has been formed as described previously, it can also be removed at this stage, or it can be retained, as in the illustrated example.
  • the 400 stop layer conforms to the surfaces and parts of the component defined during the primary etching of step c).
  • a single 400 layer can be created, as shown in the figure 3d , or we can successively create several layers one on top of the other.
  • a 400 arrest layer can be, for example, a silicon oxide layer, in particular with a thickness between 0.5 and 5 microns, or an aluminum layer, in particular with a thickness between 0.1 and 5 microns, or a parylene layer, in particular with a thickness between 1 and 5 microns.
  • the arrestor layer 400 can be deposited, for example by vacuum deposition, especially if it is made of parylene or aluminum, as in the illustrated example. When depositing such an arrestor layer, the opposite side can be masked beforehand.
  • the arrest layer can also be obtained by growth, particularly in the case of a silicon oxide layer.
  • the silicon oxide 230 layer can be removed, and the wafer oxidized again.
  • a new silicon oxide layer is then formed over the entire wafer, and in particular on its first side, forming the arrest layer.
  • This silicon oxide layer can then be used to create the secondary etching mask, in a manner similar to that described below.
  • a second engraving mask 300 is made on the second side 102 of the plate 100, having at least one opening 310, 320 such that a secondary engraving made through this opening forms the edges of the second level 12 of the anchor 10 as well as the secondary surface 11b of the first level 11.
  • the plate is usually returned between steps d) and e).
  • the second engraving mask 300 has, for each anchor 10 to be manufactured, two openings 310, 320, defined as follows.
  • the secondary engraving is intended to form the edges of the second level 12.
  • these edges include the edges of hole 37, as well as the (external) edges of the pallets 31, 32, the fork 33 and the fixing part 30, except in one area - referenced 324 in the example of the figure 6 - forming an attachment intended to maintain a link between the component and the rest of the wafer.
  • the mask must therefore at least be open on areas bordering said edges, with a width of said areas advantageously between 20 and 200 microns and preferably constant, to guarantee an adequate inclination of the engraving sides.
  • the mask 300 is opened on a first area 311, delimiting the hole 37.
  • the area forms a first circular opening 310 of the mask, the diameter of the hole 37 being too small for the realization of an engraving border of constant width.
  • the mask 300 is also open to a second zone 321 whose border, here inner 3211, delimits the contour of the fixing part 30, the pallets 31, 32 and the fork 30 of the anchor 10 and of constant width L2, between 20 and 200 microns.
  • the second mask 200 is also open to a third zone 322 covering this secondary surface 11b.
  • the third zone 322 is advantageously widened by a safety distance S, preferably greater than 10 microns, and even more preferably between 10 and 100 microns.
  • the second and third zones 321, 322 partially overlap, together they form a second opening 320 of the mask 300.
  • the production of the second engraving mask 300, equipped with its openings 310, 320, includes, for example, sub-steps e1 to e4, similar respectively to steps b2 to b5 described previously and detailed below:
  • a layer of silicon oxide 230 is already present on the second side 102 of the wafer 100, as a result of step b1 carried out previously.
  • a layer of photosensitive resin 340 is deposited on said layer of silicon oxide 230.
  • the resin layer 340 is exposed to the light radiation R from a light source (not shown), through a photolithographic mask 350 equipped with windows 351, 352 corresponding to the desired secondary etching contours.
  • an additional referencing step (not shown) can be performed at this stage.
  • This step involves indexing the position of the photolithographic mask 350 to alignment marks engraved during the primary etching process. For example, these alignment marks can be aligned with marks on the photolithographic mask 350, possibly using a camera-based referencing system.
  • the irradiated photosensitive resin is locally removed by dissolving it in an appropriate chemical bath, to form openings 341, 342 corresponding to the desired secondary etching contours.
  • the silicon oxide layer 230 is etched under the openings 341, 342 of the resin 340, in particular by plasma etching, to form corresponding openings 232, 233.
  • step e4 the resin layer 340 is removed, notably by plasma etching.
  • the mask 300 is formed only by the silicon oxide layer 230, whose openings 232, 233 form the openings 310, 320 of the second mask 300.
  • the 340 resin layer could be retained for etching.
  • the 230 silicon oxide layer could also be omitted.
  • the plate 100 is engraved through the openings 310, 320 of the mask 300 to form the second level 12 of the anchor 10, the secondary surface 11b of the first level 11, and the edges of the intermediate level 13.
  • the etching is once again typically a deep reactive ionic etching.
  • the secondary engraving is only stopped at the target depth d2.
  • the bottom surface of the engraving forms, in this case, the secondary surface 11b of the first level 11.
  • the secondary etching edges forming the edges of the second level 12 intersect the stop layer 400 cleanly at the depth d2', thus avoiding the formation of excess material.
  • FIG 4 This illustrates the secondary etching edges delimiting the lugs 34 and 35 of the fork 33. Due to the safety distance S established during primary etching, these edges clearly intersect the stop layer 400. In the example shown, the safety distance S is equal to the width L2 of a secondary etching border. This example is not exhaustive, however, and the safety distance S could be smaller while still remaining non-zero.
  • the stop layer(s) 400 are removed.
  • the wafer 100 is immersed in a suitable chemical bath, typically a hydrofluoric acid bath. If it includes an aluminum layer, the wafer 100 is also immersed in a suitable liquid to dissolve the aluminum. Finally, an oxygen plasma can be used to remove a parylene layer.
  • one or more oxidation and deoxidation sequences of the plate 100 can then be carried out, in order to smooth the surfaces of the anchors 10 and/or modify their dimensions.
  • step i) of oxidation of the plate in order to improve the mechanical characteristics of the anchors 10.
  • step j we detach the anchors 10 from the plate (step j), by breaking the fasteners 324 holding them to the rest of the plate.
  • step e) can be carried out before step d) and even possibly before step c) or before step b).
  • the process is not limited to a particular sequence of steps, and can be carried out according to any suitable sequence of steps allowing primary etching and then secondary etching to be performed, using, to stop at least locally the secondary etching, at least one stop layer made beforehand on the first side of the wafer once etched.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Micromachines (AREA)
  • Weting (AREA)

Claims (16)

  1. Verfahren zur Herstellung mindestens eines Uhrenbauteils (10), wobei das Verfahren mindestens die folgenden Schritte umfasst:
    - Bereitstellen eines monolithischen Siliziumwafers (100),
    - auf einer ersten Seite des Wafers (101), Herstellen einer ersten Maske (200) für eine Primärätzung, aufweisend mindestens eine Öffnung (210),
    - Ätzen des Wafers (100) durch die mindestens eine Öffnung (210) der ersten Maske (200) für eine Primärätzung, um Kanten einer ersten Ebene (11) des Bauteils zu bilden, wobei die Zieltiefe (d1) der Primärätzung (101) so bemessen ist, dass die Primärätzung den Wafer nicht durchdringt,
    - Aufbringen mindestens einer Sperrschicht (400) auf die erste gravierte Seite (101) des Wafers (100),
    - auf der zweiten Seite des Wafers (102), die der ersten Seite (101) gegenüberliegt, Herstellen einer zweiten Maske (300) für eine Sekundärätzung, aufweisend mindestens eine Öffnung (310, 320),
    - Ätzen der Platte (100) durch die mindestens eine Öffnung (310, 320) der zweiten Maske (300), um Kanten einer zweiten Ebene (12) des Bauteils zu bilden, wobei die Zieltiefe (d2) der Sekundärätzung derart ist, dass die Sekundärätzung mindestens lokal die mindestens eine Sperrschicht erreicht,
    wobei das Verfahren dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass die mindestens eine Sperrschicht (400) eine Parylenschicht umfasst.
  2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Summe der Zieltiefen (d1, d2) der Primärätzung und Sekundärätzung deutlich grösser ist als eine Dicke (d) des Wafers.
  3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei die Summe der Zieltiefen (d1, d2) der Primärätzung und Sekundärätzung derart ist, dass das nach der Sekundärätzung gebildete Bauteil zwischen der ersten und der zweiten Ebene (11, 12) eine Zwischenebene (13) aufweist, wobei gewisse Ränder der Zwischenschicht in der Verlängerung von Ränder der ersten Ebene und andere Ränder der Zwischenschicht in der Verlängerung von Ränder der zweiten Ebene liegen.
  4. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei die mindestens eine Sperrschicht (400) eine Siliziumoxidschicht und/oder eine Aluminiumschicht umfasst.
  5. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, wobei die Primärätzung des Wafers (100) durch die mindestens eine Öffnung (210) der ersten Maske (200) zusätzlich eine Primäroberfläche (12a) der zweiten Ebene (12) bildet, die zur ersten Seite (101) hin ausgerichtet ist, und gegebenenfalls mindestens einen Randbereich einer Zwischenebene des Bauteils bildet.
  6. Verfahren nach Anspruch 5, wobei die Primäroberfläche der zweiten Ebene (12) des Bauteils (10) zumindest in einem Randbereich durch eine Kante der zweiten Ebene begrenzt ist, und die Öffnung der ersten Maske (200) die vorläufige Primäroberfläche, vergrössert an der Grenze des Randbereichs um einen Sicherheitsabstand (S) von mehr als 10 Mikrometern, vorzugsweise zwischen 10 und 100 Mikrometern, überdeckt.
  7. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, wobei die Sekundätzung des Wafers (100) durch die mindestens eine Öffnung (310, 320) der zweiten Maske (300) zusätzlich eine Sekundäroberfläche (11b) der ersten Ebene (11) bildet, die zur zweiten Seite (102) hin ausgerichtet ist, und gegebenenfalls mindestens einen Randbereich einer Zwischenebene des Bauteils bildet.
  8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 7, wobei die Sekundäroberfläche der ersten Ebene (11) des Bauteils (10) zumindest in einem Randbereich durch eine Kante der ersten Ebene begrenzt ist, und die Öffnung der zweiten Maske (200) die Sekundärfläche, erweitert an der Grenze des Randbereichs um einen Sicherheitsabstand (S) von mehr als 10 Mikrometern, vorzugsweise zwischen 10 und 100 Mikrometern, überdeckt.
  9. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 8, wobei mindestens ein Teil einer Öffnung der ersten Maske (200) bzw. der zweiten Maske (300), die eine Kontur der ersten Ebene bzw. der zweiten Ebene definiert, eine Breite zwischen 20 und 200 Mikrometern aufweist.
  10. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 9, wobei die Herstellung der Maske für eine Primäratzung und/oder die Herstellung der Maske für eine Sekundärätzung die photolithografische Strukturierung einer auf der ersten Seite (101) bzw. der zweiten Seite (102) des Wafers (100) aufgebrachten Harzschicht umfasst, um Öffnungen zu bilden, die die Kanten der ersten Ebene (11) bzw. der zweiten Ebene des Bauteils definieren.
  11. Verfahren nach Anspruch 10, wobei die Herstellung der Maske für eine Primärätzung und/oder die Herstellung der Maske für eine Sekundärätzung umfasst:
    - das Aufbringen einer Harzschicht auf eine zuvor auf der ersten Seite bzw. der zweiten Seite des Wafers aufgebrachte Oxidschicht,
    - die Strukturierung der Harzschicht durch Photolithografie um Öffnungen zu bilden, die mindestens die Ränder der ersten Ebene (11) bzw. der zweiten Ebene des Bauteils definieren.
    - das Öffnen der Oxidschicht an den genannten Öffnungen,
    und gegebenenfalls das Entfernen der Harzschicht.
  12. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 11, wobei das Verfahren, nach dem Ätzen des Wafers durch die Maske für eine Primärätzung, eine Oxidation des Wafers umfasst, derart, dass die aus dieser Oxidation resultierende Oxidschicht eine Sperrschicht auf der ersten geätzten Seite des Wafers bildet, und anschliessend die Bildung der Maske für eine Sekundärätzung aus der genannten Oxidschicht auf der zweiten Seite des Wafers umfasst.
  13. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 12, wobei die mindestens eine Uhrenkomponente (10) ein Anker oder ein Rad oder ein Plateau oder ein Zeiger oder eine Spirale oder ein Element mit flexibler(n) Klinge(n) ist.
  14. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 13, wobei der Wafer (100) auf seinen beiden Seiten (101, 102) poliert ist.
  15. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 14, des Weiteren umfassend das Entfernen der mindestens einen Sperrschicht (400).
  16. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 15, des Weiteren umfassend nach dem Sekundärätzen, eine Oxidation des das mindestens eine Bauteil (100) tragenden Wafers.
EP22174885.8A 2022-05-23 2022-05-23 Verfahren zur herstellung einer uhrenkomponente Active EP4283408B1 (de)

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