MEMS control chip integration

• US 20040016995A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Denton, Heidi, Foerstner, Juergen A., Frear, Darrel, Amrine, Craig, Markgraf, Steven, Springer, Stephen B., De Silva, Ananda P., Hughes, Henry G., Kuo, Shun Meen
• Application Number:
  US10/202,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20040016995A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/678
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0023 Packaging together an electronic processing unit die and a micromechanical structure die MEMS packages B81B7/0032; MEMS packaging processes B81C1/00261
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0118 Bonding a wafer on the substrate, i.e. where the cap consists of another wafer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

An exemplary method and apparatus for MEMS device control-chip integration and packaging comprises inter alia: a device substrate (300) comprising at least one MEMS device element (315) and at least a first interconnect pad (350); and a control-chip lid substrate (460) comprising at least a second interconnect pad (410), wherein the first interconnect pad (350) is suitably adapted for substantial engagement with the second interconnect pad (410) in order to communicably connect an integrated control chip (400) to a MEMS device element (315). Disclosed features and specifications may be variously controlled, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to improve component density and/or form factor for any MEMS device. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention representatively provides for HV control-chip driver integration and packaging of RF MEMS switches.

Claims

1. A MEMS device package suitably adapted for control-chip integration, comprising:

a device substrate comprising a MEMS device element and a first interconnect pad, said first interconnect pad communicably connected to said MEMS device element;

a control-chip substrate comprising a control element, said control element suitably adapted for controlling said MEMS device element, said control-chip substrate further comprising a second interconnect pad communicably connected to said control element, said control-chip substrate further comprising a lid, said control-chip lid disposed substantially over and affixed to said device substrate, said control-chip lid effectively enclosing said MEMS device element; and

said first interconnect pad suitably adapted for substantial engagement with said second interconnect pad to communicably connect said control element to said MEMS device element.

2. The MEMS device package of claim 1, wherein the MEMS device element is at least one of:

embedded in said device substrate and surface-mounted on said device substrate.

3. The MEMS device package of claim 1, wherein said MEMS device element comprises an RF MEMS switch and said control element comprises an HV driver.

4. The MEMS device package of claim 1, further comprising a seal between said control-chip lid and said device substrate;

said seal comprising at least one of a hermetic seal, solder, epoxy and adhesive.

5. The MEMS device package of claim 1, further comprising a conductive path for making at least one of an external connection to said MEMS device element, a connection to ground and a connection to a device common ground.

10. A method of making the MEMS device package of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

providing the device array package of claim 6;

dicing said array package into device element packages; and

singulating said device element packages from said array package.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of at least partially etching a sacrificial layer disposed on at least one of said device substrate and said control-chip substrate

6. A MEMS device array package suitably adapted for control-chip integration, comprising:

a device substrate comprising a plurality of MEMS device elements and a plurality of first interconnect pads, said first interconnect pads communicably connected to said MEMS device elements;

a control-chip substrate comprising a plurality of control elements suitably adapted for controlling said MEMS device elements, said control-chip substrate further comprising a plurality of second interconnect pads communicably connected to said control elements, said control-chip substrate further comprising a plurality of lid regions, said control-chip lid regions disposed substantially over said device substrate, said control-chip substrate substantially affixed to said device substrate, said control-chip lid regions effectively enclosing said MEMS device elements; and

said first interconnect pads suitably adapted for substantial engagement with said second interconnect pads to communicably connect said control elements to said MEMS device elements.

7. The MEMS device array package of claim 6, wherein said MEMS device elements are at least one of:

embedded in said device substrate and surface-mounted on said device substrate.

8. The MEMS device array package of claim 6, wherein said MEMS device elements comprise RF MEMS switches and said control elements comprise HV drivers.

9. The MEMS device array package of claim 6, further comprising at least a plurality of seals between the MEMS device substrate regions and said control-chip lids, said seals comprising at least one of hermetic seals, solder, epoxy and adhesive.

12. A MEMS device package suitably adapted for control-chip integration, comprising:

a device substrate comprising a MEMS device element and a recess for receiving a control-chip die, said recess substantially disposed on a surface of said device substrate substantially opposing said MEMS device element;

a control-chip comprising a control element for controlling said MEMS device element, said control-chip substantially disposed within said control-chip die recess;

said device substrate further comprising an interconnect via for communicably connecting said MEMS device element to said control element; and

means for substantially enclosing said MEMS device element from the external environment.

13. The MEMS device package of claim 12, wherein said means for enclosing said MEMS device element comprises a flip-chip lid.

14. The MEMS device package of claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

a conductive path for making an external connection to said control-chip;

a conductive path for making an external connection to said MEMS device element;

a conductive path for making a connection to ground; and

a conductive path for making a connection to a device common ground.

17. A method of making the MEMS device package of claim 12, comprising the steps of:

providing the MEMS device array package of claim 15;

dicing said array package into device element packages; and

singulating said device element packages from said array package.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of at least partially etching a sacrificial layer disposed on said device substrate.

15. A MEMS device array package suitably adapted for control-chip integration, comprising:

a device substrate comprising a plurality of MEMS device elements and a plurality of recesses for receiving a plurality of control-chip dies, said recesses substantially disposed on a surface of said device substrate substantially opposing said plurality of MEMS device elements;

a plurality of control-chips comprising a plurality of control elements for controlling said plurality of MEMS device elements, said plurality of control-chips substantially disposed within said plurality of control-chip die recesses;

said device substrate further comprising a plurality of interconnect vias for communicably connecting said plurality of MEMS device elements to said plurality of control elements; and

said MEMS device elements substantially enclosed from the external environment.

16. The MEMS device array package of claim 15, further comprising at least one of:

a plurality of conductive paths for making external connections to said control-chips;

a plurality of conductive paths for making external connections to said MEMS device elements;

a plurality of conductive paths for making connections to ground; and

a plurality of conductive paths for making connections to a device common ground.