Injection-molded package for MEMS inertial sensor
First Claim
1. A method of packaging a MEMS device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate having an inertial sensor, provided therein or thereon;
providing a cap, having a number of openings formed through the cap;
attaching the cap to the substrate and sealing the inertial sensor within an interior cavity at least partially formed by the cap and substrate, wherein the cap openings provide a passageway to the interior cavity;
inserting the capped substrate into a vacuum chamber and evacuating gasses and/or contaminants contained within the interior cavity out through the cap openings to form a reduced pressure or vacuum-filled reference cavity therein;
injection molding a package about the capped substrate while under a reduced or vacuum pressure within said vacuum chamber; and
providing a lead frame including one or more conductive leads; and
attaching the capped substrate to the lead frame and electrically connecting the inertial sensor to the one or more conductive leads,wherein attaching the capped substrate to the lead frame is performed prior to inserting the capped substrate into the vacuum chamber and evacuating gasses and/or contaminants contained within the interior cavity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of packaging devices such as MEMS devices are disclosed. An illustrative method of packaging a device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention can include the steps of providing a substrate having an device provided therein or thereon, attaching a cap to the substrate and sealing the device within an interior cavity of the capped substrate, inserting the capped substrate into a vacuum chamber and evacuating gasses and/or contaminants contained within the interior cavity, and then injection molding a package about the capped substrate in the vacuum chamber. A number of small-sized openings disposed through the cap can be utilized to create a controlled vacuum pressure within the interior cavity of the device when the device is in the vacuum chamber, prior to injection molding the package about the capped substrate. In some embodiments, an inert gas can be injected into the evacuated interior cavity to create a partial pressure for the inertial sensor, prior to injection molding the package about the capped substrate.
67 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of packaging a MEMS device, comprising the steps of:
providing a substrate having an inertial sensor, provided therein or thereon; providing a cap, having a number of openings formed through the cap; attaching the cap to the substrate and sealing the inertial sensor within an interior cavity at least partially formed by the cap and substrate, wherein the cap openings provide a passageway to the interior cavity; inserting the capped substrate into a vacuum chamber and evacuating gasses and/or contaminants contained within the interior cavity out through the cap openings to form a reduced pressure or vacuum-filled reference cavity therein; injection molding a package about the capped substrate while under a reduced or vacuum pressure within said vacuum chamber; and providing a lead frame including one or more conductive leads; and
attaching the capped substrate to the lead frame and electrically connecting the inertial sensor to the one or more conductive leads,wherein attaching the capped substrate to the lead frame is performed prior to inserting the capped substrate into the vacuum chamber and evacuating gasses and/or contaminants contained within the interior cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
14. A method of packaging a device, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a substrate having a device provided therein or thereon; providing a cap having a number of openings formed through the cap; attaching the cap to the substrate and sealing the device within an interior cavity at least partially formed by the cap and substrate, wherein the cap openings provide a passageway to the interior cavity; inserting the capped substrate into a vacuum chamber and drawing gasses and/or contaminants contained within the interior cavity out through the cap openings to form a controlled vacuum pressure within the interior cavity; and injection molding a package about the capped substrate; and injecting an inert gas into the interior cavity and forming a partial pressure therein, wherein injecting an inert gas into the interior cavity and forming a partial pressure therein is performed after drawing gasses and/or contaminants contained within the interior cavity out through the openings. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification