MEMS DEVICE INCLUDING SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING
First Claim
1. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprising:
- a top cap wafer and a bottom cap wafer;
a MEMS wafer disposed between the top cap wafer and the bottom cap wafer, the top cap wafer, the bottom cap wafer and the MEMS wafer defining sidewalls of a cavity;
a MEMS structure housed within the cavity and movable relative to the top and bottom caps;
at least one electrode provided in one of the top cap wafer, the MEMS wafer and the bottom cap wafer, said at least one electrode being operatively coupled to the MEMS structure to detect or induce a movement thereof; and
a support structure extending through the cavity from the top cap wafer to the bottom cap wafer to prevent bowing in the top cap wafer and bottom cap wafer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device and a manufacturing method are provided. The device includes top and bottom cap wafers and a MEMS wafer disposed between the top cap wafer and the bottom cap wafer. The top, bottom and MEMS wafers define sidewalls of a cavity. A MEMS structure is housed within the cavity and is movable relative to the top and bottom caps. At least one electrode is provided in one of the wafers, the electrode being operatively coupled to the MEMS structure to detect or induce a movement thereof. A support structure extends through the cavity from the top cap wafer to the bottom cap wafer to prevent bowing in the top cap and bottom cap wafers.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprising:
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a top cap wafer and a bottom cap wafer; a MEMS wafer disposed between the top cap wafer and the bottom cap wafer, the top cap wafer, the bottom cap wafer and the MEMS wafer defining sidewalls of a cavity; a MEMS structure housed within the cavity and movable relative to the top and bottom caps; at least one electrode provided in one of the top cap wafer, the MEMS wafer and the bottom cap wafer, said at least one electrode being operatively coupled to the MEMS structure to detect or induce a movement thereof; and a support structure extending through the cavity from the top cap wafer to the bottom cap wafer to prevent bowing in the top cap wafer and bottom cap wafer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for manufacturing a MEMS device, the method comprising the steps of:
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bonding a MEMS wafer to one of a top cap wafer and a bottom cap wafer, the top cap wafer having an inner side and an outer sides, patterning in the top cap wafer and bottom cap wafers, a cap portion and a base portion of a support structure to be formed and a top sidewall and a bottom sidewall of a cavity to be formed, and at least one electrode in one of the top cap wafer and bottom cap wafer; the MEMS wafer having a first side and a second side and patterning on one of the first side and the second sides at least a part of a MEMS structure and a part of a core portion of the support structure; bonding the patterned side of the MEMS wafer to the inner side of one of the top cap wafer and the bottom cap wafer by aligning the corresponding cap portion or base portion to the part of the core portion of the MEMS wafer; patterning on the second side of the MEMS wafer a further part of the MEMS structure, a further part of the core portion, and lateral sidewalls of the cavity; and bonding the second side of the MEMS wafer to the inner side of a further one of the top cap wafer and the bottom cap wafer by aligning the top sidewall, bottom sidewall and lateral sidewall to form the cavity housing the MEMS structure, the at least one electrode being operatively coupled to the MEMS structure, and by aligning a cap portion or base portion of said further cap wafer with a further part of the core portion, the support structure extending through the cavity from the bottom cap wafer to the top cap wafer to prevent bowing in the top cap wafer and bottom cap wafer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification