0-level Vacuum Packaging RT Process for MEMS Resonators

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel room temperature vacuum packaging process for MEMS resonators using amorphous silicon and SiO2, compatible with existing fabrication methods and suitable for mass production.

Contribution

It presents a new RT vacuum packaging technique that is compatible with MEMS fabrication processes and addresses issues like releasing time and packaging stress.

Findings

Releasing hole dimensions affect releasing time and clogging.

Process is compatible with IC-processed wafers and mass production.

Packaging at room temperature prevents degradation of active devices.

Abstract

A new Room Temperature (RT) 0-level vacuum package is demonstrated in this work, using amorphous silicon (aSi) as sacrificial layer and SiO2 as structural layer. The process is compatible with most of MEMS resonators and Resonant Suspended-Gate MOSFET [1] fabrication processes. This paper presents a study on the influence of releasing hole dimensions on the releasing time and hole clogging. It discusses mass production compatibility in terms of packaging stress during back-end plastic injection process. The packaging is done at room temperature making it fully compatible with IC-processed wafers and avoiding any subsequent degradation of the active devices.