Compression and cold weld sealing methods and devices

• US 20060115323A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DARE MB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Inventors: Sheppard, Norman F. Jr., Coppeta, Jonathan R., Shelton, Kurt, Snell, Douglas, Santini, Catherine M. B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/270
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0244 Micromachined materials, e.g. made from silicon wafers, microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] or comprising nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/02 by means of a press ; Diffusion bonding B23K20/001, B23K20/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/06 Bio-MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00047 Cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00095 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00269 Bonding of solid lids or wafers to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0109 Bonding an individual cap on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/019 characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/038 Bonding techniques not provided for in B81C2203/031 - B81C2203/037
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 11/004 by cold pressure welding
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 4/004 Press fits, force fits, interference fits, i.e. fits without heat or chemical treatment F16B4/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/08 by means of welds or the like welding B23K
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05001 Internal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05023 the whole internal layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/051 with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/056 : with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16237 : the bump connector connecting to a bonding area disposed in a recess of the surface of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81193 : wherein the bump connectors are disposed on both the semiconductor or solid-state body and another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/10 : characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts, e.g. between cap and base of the container or between leads and walls of the container
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3142 : Sealing arrangements between parts, e.g. adhesion promotors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01322 : Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 : MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16315 : Shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/477 : Fusion bond, e.g., weld, etc.

Abstract

Compression cold welding methods, joint structures, and hermetically sealed containment devices are provided. The method includes providing a first substrate having at least one first joint structure which comprises a first joining surface, which surface comprises a first metal; providing a second substrate having at least one second joint structure which comprises a second joining surface, which surface comprises a second metal; and compressing together the at least one first joint structure and the at least one second joint structure to locally deform and shear the joining surfaces at one or more interfaces in an amount effective to form a metal-to-metal bond between the first metal and second metal of the joining surfaces. Overlaps at the joining surfaces are effective to displace surface contaminants and facilitate intimate contact between the joining surfaces without heat input. Hermetically sealed devices can contain drug formulations, biosensors, or MEMS devices.

Claims

1. A method of hermetically sealing at least two substrates together, the method comprising:

providing a first substrate having at least one first joint structure which comprises a first joining surface, which surface comprises a first metal;

providing a second substrate having at least one second joint structure which comprises a second joining surface, which surface comprises a second metal; and

compressing together the at least one first joint structure and the at least one second joint structure to locally deform and shear the joining surfaces at one or more interfaces in an amount effective to form a metal-to-metal bond between the first metal and second metal of the joining surfaces.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning the at least one first joint structure above the at least one second joint structure before the compressing step so as to impart one or more overlaps of the at least one first joint structure over the at least on second joint structure,

wherein the one or more overlaps create the one or more interfaces of the joining surfaces during the compressing step.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more overlaps are effective to displace surface contaminants and facilitate intimate contact between the joining surfaces without heat input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first joint structure comprises at least one tongue structure and the at least one second joint structure comprises at least one groove structure, and wherein the compressing together the at least one first joint structure and the at least one second joint structure comprises compressing the at least one tongue structure at least partially into the at least one groove structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one tongue structure has a tongue height ranging from 1 micron to 100 microns and a tongue width ranging from 1 micron to 100 microns and wherein the at least one groove structure has a groove depth ranging from 1 micron to 100 microns and a groove width ranging from 1 micron to 100 microns.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metal, the second metal, or both, comprise gold or platinum.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metal, the second metal, or both, comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, indium, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, silver, palladium, cadmium, titanium, tungsten, tin, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metal and the second metal are different metals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate, the second substrate, or both, comprise a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, glasses, ceramics, polymers, metals, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first joint structure, the second joint structure, or both, comprise a material selected from the group consisting of metals, ceramics, glasses, silicon, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first joint structure, the second joint structure, or both, comprise indium, aluminum, gold, chromium, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first joint structure is formed by bonding at least one pre-formed structure to the first substrate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first joining surface is formed by an electroplating process, evaporation, a chemical vapor deposition process, sputtering, electron beam evaporation, or a wet etch process.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing one or more pre-forms between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the step of compressing together the at least one first joint structure and the at least one second joint structure further comprises deforming and shearing the one or more pre-forms at pre-form interfaces with the substrates or the joining surfaces.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pre-forms comprise a metal, a polymer, or a metallized polymer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first joint structure and first joining surface are a layer of metal covering at least part of a surface of the first substrate.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the joining surfaces at the one or more interfaces.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the compressing step and the heating step occur substantially simultaneously.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the heating of the joining surfaces occurs with a microheater.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an ultrasonic energy to the joining surfaces at the one or more interfaces.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising clamping or soldering together the first substrate and the second substrate.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonded substrates comprise at least one cavity defined therein.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least first substrate comprises a plurality of discrete reservoirs containing reservoir contents, each reservoir being hermetically sealed from each other and from an exterior environment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the reservoir contents comprise a bio sensor or other secondary device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the reservoir contents comprise a drug formulation.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the reservoir contents comprise fragrance or scent compounds, dyes or other colorants, sweeteners, or flavoring agents.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the deformation is conducted under vacuum or in an inert gas atmosphere effective to reduce oxidation of the joint structure relative to that which would occur if conducted in atmospheric air.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises a cavity in which a third substrate is located before the first and second joint structures are compressed together.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the third substrate comprises a sensor, a MEMS device, or combination thereof.

30. A method of hermetically sealing at least two substrates together, the method comprising:

providing a first substrate having at least one first joint structure which comprises a first joining surface, which surface comprises a first compliant polymer, which has been metallized with a thin layer of a metal;

providing a second substrate having at least one second joint structure which comprises a second joining surface, which surface comprises a second compliant polymer, which has been metallized with a thin layer of a metal;

compressing together the at least one first joint structure and the at least one second joint structure to locally deform the joining surfaces at one or more interfaces in an amount effective to form a bond between the first and second the joining surfaces.

32. A containment device comprising:

a first substrate having a front side and a back side, and including at least one first joint structure which comprises a first joining surface, which surface is a first metal;

a second substrate having at least one second joint structure which comprises a second joining surface, which surface is a second metal;

a hermetic seal formed between and joining the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the hermetic seal is made by compression cold welding the first joining surface to the second joining surface at one or more interfaces; and

at least one containment space being defined between the first substrate and the second substrate within the hermetic seal such that the containment space is hermetically sealed an exterior environment.

31. The method of claim 40, wherein the layer of metal of the first or second metallized polymer, or both, comprises gold, platinum or a combination thereof.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the at least one containment space comprises a plurality of discrete reservoirs in the at least first substrate positioned between the front side and the back side.

34. The device of claim 32, wherein the at least one containment space comprises a sensor, a MEMS device, or a combination thereof.

35. The device of claim 32, wherein the at least one containment space comprises a drug formulation.

36. The device of claim 32, wherein the joining surfaces are joined together by a metal-to-metal bond formed without heat input.

37. The device of claim 32, wherein the at least one first joint structure and the at least one second joint structure comprise a tongue and groove joint.

38. The device of claim 32, wherein the first metal, the second metal, or both, metals comprise gold, platinum, or a combination thereof.

39. The device of claim 32, wherein the substrates comprise a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, metals, ceramics, polymers, glasses, and combinations thereof.

40. The device of claim 32, wherein a pre-form structure is deformed between the first and second joint structures.

41. The device of claim 32, wherein the first joint structure or the second joint structure comprises a microheater.

42. The device of claim 41, further comprising an intermediate layer adjacent to the microheater.

43. The device of claim 41, wherein the first joint structure or second joint structure comprises a magnetic material effective to heat the structure via an external induction heater.

44. The device of claim 32, further comprising a clamp for joining the substrates together.

45. The device of claim 32, further comprising a solder material securing the first substrate and the second substrate together.

46. The device of claim 32, wherein the first substrate further comprises a plurality of discrete openings in communication with the at least one containment space, and said openings are closed by a plurality of discrete reservoir caps.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the reservoir caps comprise a metal film and the device includes means for selectively disintegrating the reservoir caps.

48. An implantable medical device for the controlled exposure or release of contents located in hermetically sealed reservoirs comprising:

a first substrate;

a plurality of discrete reservoirs disposed in the first substrate, the reservoirs having first openings and second openings distal the first openings;

reservoir contents located inside the reservoirs, wherein the reservoir contents comprises a drug or a biosensor;

a plurality of discrete reservoir caps closing the first openings;

means for selectively disintegrating the reservoir caps; and

a second substrate and a hermetic joint sealing and closing the second openings, wherein the hermetic joint is made by compression cold-welding.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the hermetic joint comprises a tongue and groove interface.

50. A method of forming an electrical via connection comprising:

providing a first non-conductive substrate having an aperture therethrough, wherein the interior surface of said first substrate defining said aperture comprises a layer of a first electrically conductive material;

providing a second non-conductive substrate having a projecting member extending from a surface of said second substrate, wherein said member is formed of or coated with a second electrically conductive material; and

compressing the projecting member of said second substrate into the aperture of said first substrate, to locally deform and shear the first and/or second electrically conductive layers, in an amount effective to form a bond and electrical connection between the first and second electrically conductive layers.