Method and system of releasing a MEMS structure

• US 7,250,353 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Nasiri, Steven S., Lim, Martin, Flannery, Anthony Francis Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nhu; David
• Application Number:
  US11/094,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20060228831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 438/460, 438/455, 438/612, 438/706, 438/712, 438/734, 438/745, 438/689
• US Class Current: 438/460
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00333 Aspects relating to packaging of MEMS devices, not covered by groups B81C1/00269 - B81C1/00325

Abstract

A MEMs (microelectromechanical systems) structure is provided. In one implementation, the MEMs structure includes a substrate wafer including a MEMs device formed on a surface of the substrate wafer, and a MEMs cover structure to cover the MEMs device formed on the surface of the substrate wafer. The MEMs cover structure comprises a first wafer bonded to a second wafer, in which only the first wafer of the MEMs cover structure is sawed through and not the second wafer of the MEMs cover structure during dicing of the MEMs structure.

Claims

1. A MEMs (microelectromechanical systems) structure comprising:

a substrate wafer including a MEMs device formed on a surface of the substrate wafer; and

a MEMs cover structure to cover the MEMs device formed on the surface of the substrate wafer, the MEMs cover structure comprising a first wafer bonded to a second wafer,

wherein only the first wafer of the MEMs cover structure is sawed through and not the second wafer of the MEMs cover structure during dicing of the MEMs structure.

2. The MEMs structure of claim 1, wherein the first wafer of the MEMs cover structure includes a plurality of release structures that each forms a cavity between the first wafer and the second wafer, the plurality of release structures being formed at dicing locations for a dicing saw.

3. The MEMs structure of claim 2, wherein the second wafer of the MEMs cover structure includes a plurality of notches to aid in break away of portions of the MEMs cover structure after dicing of the MEMs structure.

4. The MEMs structure of claim 3, wherein the plurality of notches in the second wafer of the MEMs cover are located adjacent to the plurality of release structures in the first wafer of the MEMs cover structure.

5. The MEMs structure of claim 4, wherein the first wafer of the MEMs cover structure is thicker than the second wafer of the MEMs cover structure.

6. The MEMs structure of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of bond pads on the surface of the substrate wafer, wherein the second wafer of the MEMs cover structure protects the bond pads from saw slurry of the dicing saw during dicing of the MEMs structure.

7. The MEMs structure of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of standoffs between the substrate wafer and the second wafer of the MEMs cover structure.

8. The MEMs structure of claim 7, wherein the MEMs device formed on the surface of the substrate wafer is one of an inertial sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an optical device, or a pressure sensor.