Abstract:
A system and method for a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) device including a substrate and a free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure formed on the substrate. The free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure includes a metal mechanical element mechanically coupled to the substrate and a seed layer mechanically coupled to and in electrical communication with the mechanical element, the seed layer comprising at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy, wherein a thickness of the mechanical element is substantially greater than a thickness of the seed layer such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the material properties of the mechanical element.
Abstract:
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device may include a MEMS structure above a first substrate. The MEMS structure comprising a central static element, a movable element, and an outer static element. A portion of bonding material between the central static element and the first substrate. A second substrate above the MEMS structure, with a portion of a dielectric layer between the central static element and the second substrate. A supporting post comprises the portion of bonding material, the central static element, and the portion of dielectric material.
Abstract:
A sensor chip combining a substrate comprising at least one CMOS circuit, a MEMS substrate and another substrate comprising at least one CMOS circuit in one package that is vertically stacked is disclosed. The package comprises a sensor chip further comprising a first substrate with a first surface and a second surface comprising at least one CMOS circuit; a MEMS substrate with a first surface and a second surface; and a second substrate comprising at least one CMOS circuit. Where the first surface of the first substrate is attached to a packaging substrate and the second surface of the first substrate is attached to the first surface of the MEMS substrate. The second surface of the MEMS substrate is attached to the second substrate. The first substrate, the MEMS substrate, the second substrate and the packaging substrate are mechanically attached and provided with electrical inter-connects.
Abstract:
An integrated MEMS device comprises two substrates where the first and second substrates are coupled together and have two enclosures there between. One of the first and second substrates includes an outgassing source layer and an outgassing barrier layer to adjust pressure within the two enclosures. The method includes depositing and patterning an outgassing source layer and a first outgassing barrier layer on the substrate, resulting in two cross-sections. In one of the two cross-sections a top surface of the outgassing source layer is not covered by the outgassing barrier layer and in the other of the two cross-sections the outgassing source layer is encapsulated in the outgassing barrier layer. The method also includes depositing conformally a second outgassing barrier layer and etching the second outgassing barrier layer such that a spacer of the second outgassing barrier layer is left on sidewalls of the outgassing source layer.
Abstract:
System and methods for highly integrated optical readout MEMS sensors are provided. In one embodiment, a method for an integrated waveguide optical-pickoff sensor comprises: launching a laser beam generated by a laser light source into an integrated waveguide optical-pickoff monolithically fabricated within a first substrate, the integrated waveguide optical-pickoff including an optical input port, a coupling port, and an optical output port; and detecting an amount of coupling of the laser beam from the coupling port to a sensor component separated from the coupling port by a gap by measuring an attenuation of the laser beam at the optical output port.
Abstract:
A package device for a microelectromechanical inertial sensor comprises a ceramic substrate having an upper accommodation space and a lower accommodation and having a plurality of interconnect metal lines thereinside; a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) chip mounted inside the upper accommodation of the ceramic substrate and electrically connected with the interconnect metal lines; a top cover arranged on the ceramic substrate and sealing the upper accommodation space; and an integrated circuit (IC) chip mounted inside the lower accommodation space and electrically connected with the interconnect metal lines. The present invention can improve the reliability of components, increase the yield and decrease the fabrication cost.
Abstract:
A structure (100) for encapsulating at least one microdevice (104) produced on and/or in a substrate (102) and positioned in at least one cavity (110) formed between the substrate and a cap (106) rigidly attached to the substrate, in which the cap includes at least: one layer (112) of a first material, one face of which (114) forms an inner wall of the cavity, and mechanical reinforcement portions (116) rigidly attached at least to the said face of the layer of the first material, partly covering the said face of the layer of the first material, and having gas absorption and/or adsorption properties, and in which the Young's modulus of a second material of the mechanical reinforcement portions is higher than that of the first material.
Abstract:
A transportation device is provided having multiple sensors configured to detect and measure different parameters of interest. The transportation device includes at least one monolithic integrated multi-sensor (MIMS) device. The MIMS device comprises at least two sensors of different types formed on a common semiconductor substrate. For example, the MIMS device can comprise an indirect sensor and a direct sensor. The transportation device couples a first parameter to be measured directly to the direct sensor. Conversely, the transportation device can couple a second parameter to be measured to the indirect sensor indirectly. Other sensors can be added to the transportation device by stacking a sensor to the MIMS device or to another substrate coupled to the MIMS device. This supports integrating multiple sensors such as a microphone, an accelerometer, and a temperature sensor to reduce cost, complexity, simplify assembly, while increasing performance.
Abstract:
A micromechanical structure includes a substrate, a micromechanical functional structure, and a conductor track arrangement. The substrate has a top side, and the micromechanical functional structure is formed in the substrate on the top side. The conductor track arrangement is formed above the top side of the substrate, and the conductor track arrangement includes at least two insulation layers of non-conductive material and a conductor track layer of conductive material located between the at least two insulation layers.
Abstract:
Methods for making thin silicon layers suspended over recesses in glass wafers or substrates are disclosed. The suspended silicon wafers can be thin and flat, and can be made using methods not requiring heavy doping or wet chemical etching of the silicon. Devices suitable for production using methods according to the invention include tuning forks, combs, beams, inertial devices, and gyroscopes. One embodiment of the present invention includes providing a thin silicon wafer, and a glass wafer or substrate. Recesses are formed in one surface of the glass wafer, and electrodes are formed in the recesses. The silicon wafer is then bonded to the glass wafer over the recesses. The silicon wafer is them etched to impart the desired suspended or silicon wafer structure. In another embodiment of the present invention, the silicon wafer has a patterned metal layer. The silicon wafer is bonded to the glass wafer, with the patterned metal layer positioned adjacent the recesses in the glass wafer. The silicon wafer is selectively etched down to the metal layer, which serves as an etch stop. The metalized layer can provide sharper feature definition at the silicon-metalization layer interface, and may also serve to seal gasses within the recessed cavities of the glass wafer during the silicon etching process. The metal layer can then be subsequently removed.