AVS 45th International Symposium
    The Science of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Topical Conference Monday Sessions
       Session MM+VT-MoA

Paper MM+VT-MoA3
Wafer Level Vacuum Packaging for MEMS

Monday, November 2, 1998, 2:40 pm, Room 324/325

Session: Vacuum MEMS and Microanalysis
Presenter: R.W. Gooch, Raytheon Systems Co.
Authors: R.W. Gooch, Raytheon Systems Co.
T.R. Schimert, Raytheon Systems Co.
W.R. McCardel, Raytheon Systems Co.
B.A. Ritchey, Raytheon Systems Co.
Correspondent: Click to Email
Many types of MEMS devices require a vacuum environment for operation. Some such as uncooled bolometer IR detectors and imagers, and resonant reed devices require 10 mTorr or lower for optimal performance. Packaging cost associated with traditional materials, packages, and processes needed to achieve the vacuum requirements remains the primary barrier to high volume products. Wafer level vacuum packaging transfers the packaging operation into the wafer fab. It is a product neutral enabling technology for commercialization of MEMS for home, industry, automotive, and environmental monitoring applications. Proof of principle has been demonstrated with bolometer IR detectors on 1- inch piece parts sawed from Si wafers. The lid part contained an etched cavity and was joined to the device part with a solder seal. Less than 10mTorr pressure was measured in a cell volume of 4 cubic mm. A 120x160 IR bolometer array and a resonant reed MEMS device are being designed to be packaged in wafer form using this process. Progress toward these goals will be described. This work is supported in part by DARPA/ ETO, Elias Towe program manager and Al Pisano MEMS program manager.