INTEGRATED MEMS SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An integrated MEMS system comprising:
- at least one MEMS chip comprising;
a first cap layer including a first set and a second set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts;
a second cap layer comprising second cap MEMS electrical contacts;
a central MEMS layer located between the first cap layer and the second cap layer;
at least one transducer formed in the first cap layer, the central MEMS layer and the second cap layer, the at least one transducer producing motion or sensing at least one parameter;
first insulated conducting pathways connecting said at least one transducer to the first set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts, the first insulated conducting pathways conducting electrical MEMS signals between said at least one transducer and the first set of the first cap MEMS electrical contacts; and
second insulated conducting pathways connecting the second set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts to at least one of the second cap MEMS electrical contacts, the second insulated conducting pathways extending through the first cap layer, the central MEMS layer, and the second cap layer, for conducting further signals through the MEMS chip; and
at least one signal IC chip comprising;
a first set and a second set of IC electrical contacts, the first set of IC electrical contacts being bonded to the first set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts and the second set of IC electrical contacts being bonded to the second set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts;
MEMS signal processing circuitry, operatively connected to the first set of IC electrical contacts, the MEMS signal processing circuitry configured to process the electrical MEMS signals; and
second signal processing circuitry, operatively connected to the second set of IC electrical contacts, the second signal processing circuitry configured to process the further signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a 3D System (“3DS”) MEMS architecture that enables the integration of MEMS devices with IC chips to form a System on Chip (SoC) or System in Package (SiP). The integrated MEMS system comprises at least one MEMS chip, including MEMS transducers, and at least one IC chip, including not only MEMS processing circuitry, but also additional/auxiliary circuitry to process auxiliary signals. The MEMS chip can include first and second insulated conducting pathways. The first pathways conduct the MEMS-signals between the transducers and the IC chip, for processing; and the second conducting pathways can extend through the entire thickness of the MEMS chip, to conduct auxiliary signals, such as power, RF, I/Os, to the IC chip, to be processed the additional circuitry.
23 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. An integrated MEMS system comprising:
-
at least one MEMS chip comprising; a first cap layer including a first set and a second set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts; a second cap layer comprising second cap MEMS electrical contacts; a central MEMS layer located between the first cap layer and the second cap layer; at least one transducer formed in the first cap layer, the central MEMS layer and the second cap layer, the at least one transducer producing motion or sensing at least one parameter; first insulated conducting pathways connecting said at least one transducer to the first set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts, the first insulated conducting pathways conducting electrical MEMS signals between said at least one transducer and the first set of the first cap MEMS electrical contacts; and second insulated conducting pathways connecting the second set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts to at least one of the second cap MEMS electrical contacts, the second insulated conducting pathways extending through the first cap layer, the central MEMS layer, and the second cap layer, for conducting further signals through the MEMS chip; and at least one signal IC chip comprising; a first set and a second set of IC electrical contacts, the first set of IC electrical contacts being bonded to the first set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts and the second set of IC electrical contacts being bonded to the second set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts; MEMS signal processing circuitry, operatively connected to the first set of IC electrical contacts, the MEMS signal processing circuitry configured to process the electrical MEMS signals; and second signal processing circuitry, operatively connected to the second set of IC electrical contacts, the second signal processing circuitry configured to process the further signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An integrated MEMS system comprising:
-
at least one MEMS chip comprising; a first cap layer including a first set and a second set of first cap MEMS electrical contacts; a second cap layer comprising second cap MEMS electrical contacts; a central MEMS layer located between the first cap layer and the second cap layer; at least one transducer formed in the first cap layer, the central MEMS layer and the second cap layer, the at least one transducer having a moveable mass in a range of 0.1-15 milligrams. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
-
-
28. A method of operating a MEMS transducer device comprising:
-
operating a MEMS transducer device including a first cap layer having first cap electrical contacts, a second cap layer having second cap electrical contacts, and a central MEMS layer including a first moveable mass in a range of 0.1 to 15 milligrams and a second moveable mass in a range of 0.1 to 15 milligrams; and transmitting electrical signals between the MEMS transducer device and an integrated circuit (IC) chip such that the device operates in an antiphase drive mode.
-
-
29. The method of claim 29 wherein at least the first moveable mass is in a range of 0.5-1.5 milligrams, or is in a range of 1.5-3 milligrams, or is in a range of 3-6 milligrams.
Specification