Methods and systems for providing MEMS devices with a top cap and upper sense plate

• US 7,396,698 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Ridley, Jeffrey A., Horning, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada; Michelle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singal; Ankush K
• Application Number:
  US11/323,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20060110854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 438/48
• US Class Current: 438/48
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0242 Gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/007 Interconnections between the MEMS and external electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0118 Bonding a wafer on the substrate, i.e. where the cap consists of another wafer

Abstract

A method for fabricating a MEMS device having a top cap and an upper sense plate is described. The method includes producing a device wafer including an etched substrate, etched MEMS device components, and interconnect metal, a portion of the interconnect metal being bond pads and adding a metal wraparound layer to a back side, edges, and a portion of a front side of the device wafer. The method also includes producing an upper wafer including an etched substrate and interconnect metal, bonding the device wafer and the upper wafer, and dicing the bonded upper wafer and device wafer into individual MEMS devices.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device having a top cap and an upper sense plate, said method comprising:

producing a device wafer including an etched substrate, etched silicon, and interconnect metal, a portion of the interconnect metal being bond pads;

adding a metal wraparound layer to a back side, edges, and a portion of a front side of the device wafer;

producing an upper wafer including an etched substrate and interconnect metal;

bonding the device wafer and the upper wafer; and

dicing the bonded upper wafer and device wafer into individual MEMS devices,

wherein producing the device wafer includes forming a support ring around a perimeter of the MEMS device components, the support ring arranged to support the upper wafer.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein producing a device wafer comprises:

forming recesses on a glass substrate where conductive paths are to pass into the cavity;

forming conductive leads in and around the recesses;

depositing a glass layer into the recesses such that the glass layer is substantially level with a surface of the substrate.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein adding a metal wraparound layer comprises:

setting the device wafer in a fixture;

applying a bias voltage to the substrate of the device wafer; and

sputtering the wrap around metal layer onto the substrate.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

adding recesses to the upper wafer, at positions above the bond pads after the bonding of the device wafer and the upper wafer; and

cutting into the upper wafer at the recesses.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein cutting into the upper wafer at the recesses comprises sawing part way through the top cap to expose the bond pads on the device wafer.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein producing an upper wafer including an etched substrate and interconnect metal comprises configuring a portion of the interconnect metal as an upper sense plate.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the etched MEMS device components include at least one proof mass and wherein producing an upper wafer including an etched substrate and interconnect metal comprises:

determining a distance between the proof mass and the interconnect metal in the device wafer configured as a sense plate;

controlling a depth of the etching in the upper wafer such that the interconnect metal in the upper wafer to be configured as an upper sense plate will be substantially the same distance from the proof mass, after bonding, as the interconnect metal in the device wafer configured as a sense plate; and

configuring a portion of the interconnect metal in the upper wafer as an upper sense plate.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising depositing anti-stick metal on at least a portion of the interconnect metal on the device wafer and the upper wafer.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising insulating the support ring from the interconnect metal.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein insulating comprises forming a protective shield in the MEMS device to substantially prevent any particulates from electrically contacting the support ring.

11. A method for preventing electrical shorts in a MEMS device including at least one electrical interconnection passing under a support ring, the electrical interconnection being in a recessed trench and a material filling the trench onto which the support ring is mounted, said method comprising forming a protective shield near the support ring, the shield substantially preventing incidents of particles shorting the support ring to the electrical interconnection.