Method for integrated MEMS packaging

• US 20070099327A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hartzell, John, Brownlow, Michael, Walton, Harry
• Granted Patent: US 7,569,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/51
• 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: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs

Abstract

An integrated MEMS package and associated packaging method are provided. The method includes: forming an electrical circuit, electrically connected to the first substrate; integrating a MEMS device on a first substrate region, electrically connected to the first substrate; providing a second substrate overlying the first substrate; and, forming a wall along the first region boundaries, between the first and second substrate. In one aspect, the electrical circuit is formed using thin-film processes; and, wherein integrating the MEMS device on the first substrate region includes forming the MEMS using thin-film processes, simultaneous with the formation of the electrical device. Alternately, the MEMS device is formed in a separate process, attached to the first substrate, and electrical interconnections are formed to the first substrate using thin-film processes.

Claims

1. A method for packaging a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, the method comprising:

providing a first substrate having a first region with boundaries;

forming an electrical circuit on a second region of the first substrate, electrically connected to the first substrate;

integrating a MEMS device on the first region, electrically connected to the first substrate;

providing a second substrate overlying the first substrate; and

,

forming a wall along the first region boundaries, between the first and second substrates.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the electrical circuit includes forming an electrical device using thin-film processes;

and,

wherein integrating the MEMS device on the first region includes forming the MEMS using thin-film processes, simultaneous with the formation of the electrical device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein integrating the MEMS device on the first region includes:

forming the MEMS device;

attaching the MEMS device to the first substrate first region; and

,

using thin-film processes, forming electrical interconnections between the MEMS device and the first substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes enclosing the MEMS device between the wall, the first substrate, and the second substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes hermetically enclosing the MEMS device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the second substrate overlying the first substrate includes providing a second substrate having an opening overlying the first substrate first region;

wherein integrating the MEMS device on the first region includes integrating a MEMS environmental sensor; and

,

wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes;

isolating the MEMS device from the electrical circuit; and

,

exposing the MEMS device to a first environment via the second substrate opening.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein integrating the MEMS environmental sensor includes integrating a micro-fluidic MEMS;

and,

wherein exposing the MEMS device to a first environment via the second substrate opening includes exposing the micro-fluidic MEMS to a fluid environment.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein forming an electrical circuit on a second region of the first substrate includes forming an active circuit including a TFT, electrically connected to the MEMS;

and,

wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes;

exposing the MEMS to a first environment; and

,

exposing the TFT to a second environment.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes:

applying a sealant along the first region boundaries; and

,

bonding the first substrate to the second substrate.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes:

applying uniformly shaped spacers to the first substrate;

applying the sealant along the first region boundaries;

bonding the first substrate to the second substrate with the sealant; and

,

maintaining a uniform distance between the first and second substrates in response to the spacers.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the first substrate includes supplying a liquid crystal display (LCD) display substrate with an perimeter;

wherein providing the second substrate includes providing a color filter substrate with a perimeter;

the method further comprising;

sealing the display substrate to the color filter substrate along the perimeters to form a cavity.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

filling the cavity with a liquid crystal material.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein providing the color filter substrate includes providing a color filter substrate having an opening through the substrate, overlying the first substrate first region;

wherein integrating the MEMS device on the first region includes integrating a MEMS microphone.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the first substrate includes providing a first substrate with a plurality of regions with boundaries;

wherein integrating the MEMS device includes integrating a plurality of MEMS devices on the first substrate, each in a corresponding region; and

,

wherein forming the wall along the first region boundaries includes forming a wall around the boundaries of each region of the first substrate.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein integrating the MEMS device includes integrating a MEMS device selected from the group including an acoustic speaker, a microphone, a radio frequency (RF) filter, an RF antenna, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a chemical sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, an infrared sensor, and an actuator.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes:

forming a groove in the first substrate along the first region boundaries;

forming a groove in the second substrate, opposite the groove in the first substrate; and

,

seating an O-ring in the first and second substrate grooves.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a wall along the first region boundaries includes:

providing a boundary assembly having a shape matching the first region boundaries and a height; and

,

attaching the boundary assembly to the first substrate, overlying the first region boundaries, separating the first substrate from the second substrate by the boundary assembly height.

18-32. -32. (canceled)