Micromachined silicon devices integrated with standard IC processes

The technology of silicon micromechanics for the fabrication of sensors and actuators offers the unique possibility of creating microsystems by monolithic integration of such micromachined devices with integrated circuits for signal processing. In this paper we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such types of smart sensors and actuators. The main technological problems regarding monolithic integation of micromechanical devices in IC processes are shown. Most of them are related to the wet anisotropic selective etching of silicon. Also the advantages and disadvantages of developing a completely new process or using standard IC processes are presented. A process based on a standard IC process is briefly described and preliminary results are presented.