Micro-electromechanical system device

• US 6,384,353 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Ji-Hai, Parsey, Jr., John Michael, Huang, Jenn-Hwa, Coffman, Samuel L., Sun, Xi-Qing
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOMZA, LISA NHUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/495,786
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 200/181, 200/572, 335/78, 257/414, 257/411, 257/421, 257/531, 257/600
• US Class Current: 200/181
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/07 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/096 through the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/007 Interconnections between the MEMS and external electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00301 Connecting electric signal lines from the MEMS device with external electrical signal lines, e.g. through vias
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0109 Bonding an individual cap on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/58 Electric connections to or between contacts; Terminals for high tension switches H01H33/025; for electromagnetic relays H01H50/14; for circuit breakers H01H71/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/66 Contacts sealed in an evacuated or gas-filled envelope, e.g. magnetic dry-reed contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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

Abstract

A Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) device (100) having conductively filled vias (141). A MEMS component (124) is formed on a substrate (110). The substrate has conductively filled vias (140) extending therethrough. The MEMS component (124) is electrically coupled to the conductively filled vias (140). The MEMS component (124) is covered by a protective cap (150). An electrical interconnect (130) is formed on a bottom surface of the substrate (110) for transmission of electrical signals to the MEMS component (124), rather than using wirebonds.

Claims

1. A Micro-Electromechanical System (MEMS) device, comprising:

a substrate having first and second major surfaces;

a plurality of conductively filled vias located within a portion of the substrate;

a first conductive layer over the first major surface of the substrate, a first portion of the first conductive layer electrically connected to a first of the plurality of conductively filled vias; and

a monolithic MEMS component integral with the substrate having a control electrode formed on the substrate and extending from the substrate and overlying a second via of the plurality of conductively filled vias.

2. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer further comprises a second portion electrically isolated from the first portion.

3. The MEMS device of claim 2, wherein the first conductive layer further comprises a third portion electrically isolated from the first and second portions.

4. The MEMS device of claim 3, wherein the third portion is electrically connected to the second via of the plurality of conductively filled vias.

5. The MEMS device of claim 2, further including a protective cap coupled to the second portion.

6. The MEMS device of claim 5, wherein the protective cap comprises a base structure having a periphery, wherein walls extend from the periphery.

7. The MEMS device of claim 6, wherein a portion of the walls includes a protective cap bonding layer.

8. The MEMS device of claim 7, wherein a material of the protective cap bonding layer and a material of the second portion are the same.

9. The MEMS device of claim 7, wherein a material of the protective cap bonding layer is selected from the group of material consisting of aluminum, gold, copper, nickel, tin, an alloy of aluminum, an alloy of gold, an alloy of copper, an alloy of nickel, an alloy of tin, cobalt, chromium, a silicide of tungsten, a silicide of tantalum, filled epoxies, and filled silicones.

10. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the monolithic MEMS component is a switch having a shorting bar.

11. The MEMS device of claim 1, further including a second conductive layer over the second major surface, wherein a first portion of the second conductive layer is electrically connected to at least one of the conductively filled vias.

12. The MEMS device of claim 1, wherein the monolithic MEMS component is a sensor.

13. The MEMS device of claim 1, further including a travel stop on the first major surface.

14. A method for manufacturing a Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) device, comprising:

providing a substrate having first and second major surfaces;

fabricating a plurality of conductively filled vias extending from the first major surface to the second major surface;

fabricating a MEMS component on the first major surface, wherein the MEMS component comprises a control electrode, a control lead, and a transmission terminal formed on the first major surface; and

coupling a protective cap to the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, further including forming a substrate trace on the first major surface.

16. The method of claim 15, further including bonding the protective cap to the substrate trace.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein bonding the protective cap to the substrate trace includes forming a hermetic seal.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the protective cap is made from an electrically conductive material.

19. The method of claim 14, further including forming a travel stop on the first major surface.

20. The method of claim 14, further including forming an electrical interconnect on the second major surface, the electrical interconnect contacting one of the conductively filled vias.