METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PACKAGING MEMS DEVICES WITH INCORPORATED GETTER

• US 20090189230A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IDC, LLC
• Inventors: Palmateer, Lauren, Chui, Clarence, Cummings, William J., Kothari, Manish, Gally, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,735,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/415
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0038 using materials for controlling the level of pressure, contaminants or moisture inside of the package, e.g. getters
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/019 characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26

Abstract

Methods and systems for packaging MEMS devices such as interferometric modulator arrays are disclosed. One embodiment of a MEMS device package structure includes a seal with a chemically reactant getter. Another embodiment of a MEMS device package comprises a primary seal with a getter, and a secondary seal proximate an outer periphery of the primary seal. Yet another embodiment of a MEMS device package comprises a getter positioned inside the MEMS device package and proximate an inner periphery of the package seal.

Claims

1. An electromechanical system device package, comprising:

a substrate;

an electromechanical device formed on the substrate;

a backplane; and

a seal positioned proximate to a perimeter of the electromechanical device, wherein the seal is in contact with the substrate and the backplane, and wherein the seal comprises glass.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises substrate material and backplane material fused together via laser welding.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a glass frit.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises liquid spin-on glass.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the substrate and the backplane comprises a semi-transparent or transparent substance.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the semi-transparent or transparent substance comprises glass.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the electromechanical device is a microelectromechanical systems device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the microelectromechanical systems device is an interferometric modulator.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the seal is a substantially hermetic seal.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the seal is one of a closed seal or an open seal.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the system device package comprises at least one of a getter or a desiccant.

12. The device of claim 3, wherein the glass frit is applied to at least one of the substrate and the backplane.

13. A method of sealing an electromechanical system device package, comprising:

forming a seal between a substrate and a backplane, wherein the substrate comprises an electromechanical device formed thereon and the seal is formed proximate to a perimeter of the electromechanical device, and wherein the seal comprises glass; and

attaching the substrate, the seal, and the backplane, thereby encapsulating the electromechanical device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the seal comprises substrate material and backplane material fused together via laser welding.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein attaching the substrate, the seal, and the backplane further comprises:

applying glass frit to at least one of the substrate and the backplane;

disposing the substrate and backplane in close proximity to each other; and

laser welding the backplane to the substrate.

16. A system for sealing an electromechanical system device package, comprising:

a substrate;

an electromechanical device formed on the substrate;

a backplane; and

seal means positioned proximate to a perimeter of the electromechanical device, wherein the seal means is in contact with the substrate and the backplane, and wherein the seal means comprises glass.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the seal means comprises substrate material and backplane material fused together via laser welding.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the seal means comprises a glass frit.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the seal means comprises liquid spin-on glass.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the substrate and the backplane comprises a semi-transparent or transparent substance.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the semi-transparent or transparent substance comprises glass.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein attaching the substrate, the seal means, and the backplane comprises laser welding.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the electromechanical device is a microelectromechanical systems device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the microelectromechanical systems device is an interferometric modulator.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the seal means is a substantially hermetic seal.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the seal means is one of a closed seal or an open seal.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the device package further comprises at least one of a getter or a desiccant.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the seal means further comprises:

glass frit applied to at least one of the substrate and the backplane, wherein the substrate, the backplane, and the glass frit are disposed within close proximity of each other and laser welded together.