Methods of manufacture of top port surface mount MEMS microphones
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a plurality of solder reflow surface mount microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphones, the microphone comprising:
- providing an unsingulated panel comprised of a plurality of individual rectangular substrates, each rectangular substrate comprising;
a base layer comprised of at least one layer of non-conductive material, wherein the base layer has a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface, the top surface having an interior region and an attachment region, the attachment region disposed between the interior region and the edges of the base layer, and completely bounding the interior region;
a first plurality of metal pads disposed on the top surface of the base layer;
a second plurality of flat metal pads disposed on the bottom surface of the base layer, the second plurality of metal pads arranged to be within a perimeter of the bottom surface of the base layer; and
one or more electrical pathways disposed completely within the base layer, wherein the pathways electrically couple one or more of the first plurality of metal pads on the top surface of the base layer to one or more of the second plurality of metal pads on the bottom surface of the base layer;
mounting a MEMS microphone die to the top surface of each individual substrate in the panel of unsingulated substrates, and electrically coupling the MEMS microphone die to at least one of the first plurality of metal pads on the top surface of its respective substrate;
providing a plurality of single-piece rectangular covers, wherein each individual rectangular cover is formed from a solid material and has a top portion and a sidewall portion, the sidewall portion supporting the top portion and adjoining the top portion at a substantially perpendicular angle and having a predetermined height, an exterior surface, an interior surface, an attachment surface, and an acoustic port disposed in the top portion of the rectangular cover and passing completely through the rectangular cover, wherein the acoustic port is disposed in a position offset from a centerpoint of the rectangular cover;
attaching a single-piece rectangular cover to each individual substrate on the panel of unsingulated substrates, one cover to each individual substrate,wherein the attachment surface of the sidewall portion of the rectangular cover is aligned with and attached to the attachment region of the top surface of its respective individual substrate, andwherein the predetermined height and interior surface of the sidewall portion of the rectangular cover, and the interior surface of the top portion, in cooperation with the interior region of the top surface of its respective individual substrate, forms a protective enclosure for the MEMS microphone die to reduce electromagnetic interference and to define an acoustic chamber for the MEMS microphone die; and
singulating the substrate panel into individual MEMS microphones.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for manufacturing multiple top port, surface mount microphones, each containing a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone die, are disclosed. Each surface mount microphone features a substrate with metal pads for surface mounting the package to a device'"'"'s printed circuit board and for making electrical connections between the microphone package and the device'"'"'s circuit board. The surface mount microphones are manufactured from a panel of unsingulated substrates, and each MEMS microphone die is substrate-mounted. Individual covers, each with an acoustic port, are joined to the panel of unsingulated substrates. Each individual substrate and cover pair cooperates to form an acoustic chamber for its respective MEMS microphone die, which is acoustically coupled to the acoustic port in the cover. The completed panel is singulated to form individual MEMS microphones.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a plurality of solder reflow surface mount microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphones, the microphone comprising:
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providing an unsingulated panel comprised of a plurality of individual rectangular substrates, each rectangular substrate comprising; a base layer comprised of at least one layer of non-conductive material, wherein the base layer has a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface, the top surface having an interior region and an attachment region, the attachment region disposed between the interior region and the edges of the base layer, and completely bounding the interior region; a first plurality of metal pads disposed on the top surface of the base layer; a second plurality of flat metal pads disposed on the bottom surface of the base layer, the second plurality of metal pads arranged to be within a perimeter of the bottom surface of the base layer; and one or more electrical pathways disposed completely within the base layer, wherein the pathways electrically couple one or more of the first plurality of metal pads on the top surface of the base layer to one or more of the second plurality of metal pads on the bottom surface of the base layer; mounting a MEMS microphone die to the top surface of each individual substrate in the panel of unsingulated substrates, and electrically coupling the MEMS microphone die to at least one of the first plurality of metal pads on the top surface of its respective substrate; providing a plurality of single-piece rectangular covers, wherein each individual rectangular cover is formed from a solid material and has a top portion and a sidewall portion, the sidewall portion supporting the top portion and adjoining the top portion at a substantially perpendicular angle and having a predetermined height, an exterior surface, an interior surface, an attachment surface, and an acoustic port disposed in the top portion of the rectangular cover and passing completely through the rectangular cover, wherein the acoustic port is disposed in a position offset from a centerpoint of the rectangular cover; attaching a single-piece rectangular cover to each individual substrate on the panel of unsingulated substrates, one cover to each individual substrate, wherein the attachment surface of the sidewall portion of the rectangular cover is aligned with and attached to the attachment region of the top surface of its respective individual substrate, and wherein the predetermined height and interior surface of the sidewall portion of the rectangular cover, and the interior surface of the top portion, in cooperation with the interior region of the top surface of its respective individual substrate, forms a protective enclosure for the MEMS microphone die to reduce electromagnetic interference and to define an acoustic chamber for the MEMS microphone die; and singulating the substrate panel into individual MEMS microphones. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for manufacturing a plurality of solder reflow surface mount microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphones, the microphone comprising:
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providing an unsingulated patent of rectangular base portions, each individual rectangular base portion comprising; a base layer comprised of at least one layer of printed circuit board material, wherein the base layer has a substantially flat upper surface and a substantially flat lower surface, the upper surface having an inner area and a coupling area, the coupling area located between the inner area and the edges of the base layer, and completely surrounding the inner area; a plurality of metal pads located on the upper surface of the base layer; a plurality of flat solder pads located on the lower surface of the base layer, the plurality of solder pads arranged to be within a perimeter of the lower surface of the base layer; one or more electrical connections passing through the base layer, wherein the connections electrically couple one or more of the plurality of metal pads on the upper surface of the base layer to one or more of the plurality of solder pads on the lower surface of the base layer; and at least one passive electrical element disposed within the base layer and electrically coupled between one of the plurality of metal pads and one of the plurality of solder pads; mounting a MEMS microphone die to the upper surface of each individual base portion in the unsingulated panel of base portions, and electrically coupling each MEMS microphone die to at least one of the plurality of metal pads on the upper surface of the base layer of its respective base portion; and providing a plurality of individual rectangular cover portions, each rectangular cover portion formed from a single piece of solid material, and having a top portion and a sidewall portion, the sidewall portion supporting the top portion and adjoining the top portion at a substantially perpendicular angle and having a predetermined height, an exterior surface, an interior surface, a coupling surface, and an acoustic port located in the top portion and passing completely through the top portion, wherein the acoustic port is disposed in a position offset from a centerpoint of the top portion of the cover portion; coupling a rectangular cover portion to each individual base portion on the panel of unsingulated base portions, one cover portion to each individual base portion, wherein the coupling surface of the sidewall portion of the cover portion is aligned with and mechanically attached to the coupling area of the base layer of its respective base portion; wherein the predetermined height and interior surface of the sidewall portion of the cover portion, and the interior surface of the top portion, in cooperation with the interior region of the upper surface of the base layer of its respective base portion, forms a protective enclosure for the MEMS microphone die to define an acoustic chamber for the MEMS microphone die; and wherein the overall length of the base portion and cover portion are substantially equal, and the overall width of the base portion and cover portion are substantially equal; and singulating the panel of base portions into individual MEMS microphones. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for manufacturing a plurality of solder reflow surface mount microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphones, the microphone comprising:
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providing an unsingulated panel comprising a plurality of rectangular base elements, each individual base element comprising; a core layer comprised of at least one layer of FR-4 printed circuit board material, wherein the core layer has a substantially flat top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface, the top surface having a die mount region and an attachment region, the attachment region positioned between the die mount region and the edges of the core layer, and completely surrounding the die mount region; a plurality of metal pads located on the top surface of the core layer; a plurality of flat solder pads located on the bottom surface of the core layer, the plurality of solder pads arranged to be within a perimeter of the bottom surface of the core layer, wherein the solder pads are plated with at least one metal; a plurality of electrical connections passing through the core layer that electrically couple one or more of the plurality of metal pads on the top surface of the core layer to one or more of the plurality of solder pads on the bottom surface of the core layer; at least one passive electrical element disposed within the core layer and electrically coupled between one of the plurality of metal pads and one of the plurality of solder pads; and a pressure-equalizing MEMS microphone die having an internal acoustic channel mounted in the die mount region of the core layer, and electrically coupled to one or more of the metal pads on the top surface of the core layer; providing a plurality of single-piece rectangular cover elements, each rectangular cover element formed from a solid material and having a top region and a wall region, the wall portion supporting the top portion and wall region adjoining the top region at a substantially perpendicular angle and having a predetermined height, an exterior surface, an interior surface, an attachment surface, and an acoustic port located in the top region of the cover element and passing completely through the top region, wherein the acoustic port is disposed in a position offset from a centerpoint of the cover element; coupling a rectangular cover element to each individual base element on the panel of unsingulated base elements, one cover element to each individual base element, wherein the cover element is attached to the base element such that the attachment surface of the wall region of the cover element is aligned with and physically coupled to the attachment region of the top surface of the core layer of its respective base element, thereby forming a protective enclosure for the MEMS microphone die, wherein the interior of the protective enclosure is an acoustic chamber having a volume defined by the predetermined height of wall region of the cover element, and the width and length of the top region of the cover element, wherein a diaphragm of the MEMS microphone die defines a front volume and a back volume within the acoustic chamber, and the acoustic port disposed in the cover element is acoustically coupled to the diaphragm, and wherein the interface between the attachment surface of the wall region of the cover element and the attachment area of the top surface of the core layer of the base element is sealed to maintain acoustic pressure within the front volume; and singulating the panel of base elements into individual MEMS microphones. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for manufacturing a plurality of solder reflow surface mount microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphones, the microphone comprising:
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providing a plurality of a pressure-equalizing MEMS microphone die, each having an internal acoustic channel; providing an unsingulated panel comprising a plurality of first housing elements each having a rectangular shape, the first housing elements further comprising; a core layer comprised of multiple layers of FR-4 printed circuit board material, wherein the core layer has a substantially flat top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface, wherein the top surface has an die mount region and an attachment region, the attachment region being arranged between the die mount region and the edges of the core layer, and the attachment region completely surrounds the die mount region; a plurality of metal pads disposed on the top surface of the core layer, wherein the metal pads are plated with at least one metal; a plurality of flat solder pads disposed on the bottom surface of the core layer, the plurality of solder pads arranged to be within a perimeter of the bottom surface of the core layer, wherein the solder pads are plated with at least one metal; one or more electrical vias located inside the core layer, wherein the vias electrically couple one or more of the plurality of metal pads on the top surface of the core layer to one or more of the plurality of solder pads on the bottom surface of the core layer; and at least one passive electrical element disposed within the core layer and electrically coupled between one of the plurality of metal pads and one of the plurality of solder pads, wherein the at least one passive electrical elements comprises a dielectric or resistive material that is different from the printed circuit board material in the core layer; providing a plurality of second housing elements each having a rectangular shape, each second housing element formed from a single piece of solid material, and having a top region and a wall region, the wall portion supporting the top portion and wall region adjoining the top region at a substantially perpendicular angle and having a predetermined height, an exterior surface, an interior surface, an attachment surface, and an acoustic port located in the top region of the second housing element and passing completely through the second housing element, wherein the acoustic port is disposed in a position offset from a centerpoint of the second housing element; coupling a MEMS microphone die to each first housing element in the unsingulated panel of first housing elements, wherein each MEMS microphone die is disposed in the die mount region of the core layer of its respective first housing element, and electrically coupled to one or more of the metal pads on the top surface of the core layer of its respective first housing element, the internal acoustic channel of the MEMS microphone die being arranged directly over the first acoustic port in the core layer in its respective first housing element; forming a protective housing for each MEMS microphone die mounted on a first housing element in the unsingulated panel of first housing elements by coupling a second housing element to each first housing element in the unsingulated panel of first housing elements, wherein the attachment surface of the wall region of the second housing element is aligned with and physically coupled to the attachment region of the top surface of the core layer of the first housing element, thereby forming a protective enclosure for the MEMS microphone die, and wherein the interior of the protective enclosure is an acoustic chamber having a volume defined by the predetermined height of wall region of the second housing element, and the width and length of the top region of the second housing element; and singulating the panel of first housing elements into individual MEMS microphones. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification