Latching micro magnetic relay packages and methods of packaging

• US 6,778,046 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Magfusion, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Stafford, John, Shen, Jun, Tam, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuyen T.
• Application Number:
  US10/126,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20030151479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 335/78, 335/80, 200/181, 200/572, 257/414, 257/421, 257/531
• US Class Current: 335/78
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0077 Other packages not provided for in groups B81B7/0035 - B81B7/0074
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2036/0093 Micromechanical switches actuated by a change of the magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2050/007 Relays of the polarised type, e.g. the MEMS relay beam having a preferential magnetisation direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/0006 Permanent magnet actuating reed switches H01H35/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/005 using micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/10 characterised by the material or arrangement of seals between parts, e.g. between cap and base of the container or between leads and walls of the container
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/97 the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 : MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 : Capacitance

Abstract

A method of forming a hermetically sealed MEMS package includes a step of providing a supporting GaAs substrate with at least one contact for the MEMS device on the surface of the supporting substrate and forming a cantilever on the surface of the supporting substrate positioned to come into electrical engagement with the contact in one orientation. A metal seal ring is fixed to the surface of the supporting substrate circumferentially around the contact and the cantilever. A cavity is etched in a silicon chip to form a cap member. A metal seal ring is fixed to the cap member around the cavity. The package is hermetically sealed by reflowing a solder alloy, positioned between the two seal rings, in an inert environment without the use of flux.

Claims

1. A sealed package including a MEMS device comprising:

a supporting substrate with a surface;

at least one contact for the MEMS device on the surface of the supporting substrate with an external connection to the contact and a cantilever on the surface of the supporting substrate, the cantilever being positioned to come into electrical engagement with the contact in one orientation;

a substrate metal seal ring fixed on the surface of the supporting substrate circumferentially around the contact and the cantilever, the substrate metal seal ring comprising an adhesion portion including at least one metal layer selected to adhere to the substrate and a sealing portion including at least one metal layer selected as a junction material;

a cap member with a cavity and a continuous edge circumferentially around the cavity, the cavity being designed to receive the cantilever and contact therein with the continuous edge in mating engagement with the metal seal ring on the surface of the supporting substrate;

a cap metal seal ring fixed on the continuous edge of the cap member, the cap metal seal ring comprising an adhesion portion including at least one metal layer selected to adhere to the cap member and a sealing portion including at least one metal layer selected as a junction material; and

the junction material of the cap metal seal ring on the continuous edge of the cap member sealingly engaged with the junction material of the substrate metal seal ring on the surface of the supporting substrate.

2. A sealed package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supporting substrate and the cap member each include one of GaAs, glass, silicon, quartz, ceramic, organic material, and magnetic material.

3. A sealed package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adhesion portions of the substrate metal seal ring and the cap metal seal ring each include one of tungsten, titanium, and combinations thereof.

4. A sealed package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing portions of the substrate metal seal ring and the cap metal seal ring each include one of nickel, gold, chrome, and alloys thereof.

5. A sealed package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing portion of the cap metal seal ring on the continuous edge of the cap member is sealingly engaged with the sealing portion of the substrate metal seal ring on the surface of the supporting substrate by a solder alloy.

6. A sealed package as claimed in claim 5 wherein the colder alloy includes a solder alloy of 80/20 Au/Sn.

7. A package with a MEMS device hermetically sealed in the package comprising:

a supporting GaAs substrate with a surface;

at least one contact for the MESS device on the surface of the supporting substrate with an external connection to the contact;

a cantilever on the surface of the supporting substrate, the cantilever being positioned to move into electrical engagement with the contact in a first orientation and out of electrical engagement with the contact in a second orientation in response to activation of the MEMS device;

a substrate metal seal ring fixed on the surface of the supporting substrate circumferentially around the contact and the cantilever, the substrate metal seal ring including an adhesion portion adhered to the surf ace of the supporting substrate and a sealing portion adhered to the adhesion portion;

a silicon chip forming a cap member and defining a cavity with a continuous edge circumferentially around the cavity, the cavity being designed to receive the cantilever and contact therein;

a cap member metal seal ring fixed on the continuous edge of the cap member, the cap member metal seal ring including an adhesion portion adhered to the surface of the continuous edge of the cap member and a sealing portion adhered to the adhesion portion;

a permanent magnet affixed to the cap member;

a solder alloy sealingly engaging the sealing portion of the cap member metal seal ring on the continuous edge of the cap member to the sealing portion of the substrate metal seal ring on the surface of the supporting substrate; and

a permaloy magnetic flux concentrator affixed to the supporting substrate in a position to cooperate with the permanent magnet to hold the cantilever in either of the first and second orientations.

8. A package as claimed in claim 7 wherein the package is hermetically sealed by ref lowing the solder alloy in an inert environment without the use of flux.