A Universal, High-Vacuum, Wafer-Level,

MEMS Packaging Technology/Service

Introductory Presentation
Doug Sparks
Integrated Sensing Systems Inc. (ISSYS)
BAA 04-10 MX
391 Airport Industrial Dr
Ypsilanti, MI 48198 USA
www.mems-issys.com

MEMS Vacuum Packaging

Vacuum packaging is used for many MEMS devices:
gyroscopes, RF-MEMS, optical displays, IR sensors, density
meters, resonant clocks, Coriolis mass flow sensors, vacuum
microelectronics, density meters, pressure sensors
Vacuum sealing can be accomplished at the package level (metal
or ceramic packages) or at the chip/wafer level.

NanoGetter Thin-Film Technology

To improve the vacuum quality of ISSYS resonant sensors,
reduce particle contamination and simplify the processing,
a new gettering technology, called NanoGetters due to the very
thin metal layers employed, was developed.
Vacuum Cavity

Sealing Material

Micromachined Capping Wafer

NanoGetter

Micromachined Device Wafer- Pyrex

Resonating Silicon MicroTube
NanoGettersTM are covered by pending patents and
US patent 6,499,354

Bond Pads

A.

NanoGetter and the Glass

Frit Wafer Bonding Process

Silicon or Pyrex Wafer

B.

Etch

C.

Sealing Material

D.

NanoGetters
Cavity

Cap Wafer

NanoGetters
Vacuum

E.
Active Micromachine Wafer
Resonator or Tunneling Cantilever

Bond Pad

The process flow for glass frit wafer bonding, including the
addition of the thin film getter used to form the chip-level
vacuum package.

NanoGetter Patterning & Sealing

NanoGetters can be patterned using shadow masking,
and various types of standard photolithography
techniques.
The patterning method depends on the MEMS wafer
surface topography and dimensional control
requirements.
This thin film getter approach can be used with glass
frit, eutectic, fusion / silicon direct, anodic and solder
bonding

Vacuum Performance High Q Resonators

Using the NanoGetter Process/Design
Q-Plot Silicon Tube Resonator with
NanoGetters

Q=61,700

Gain (db)

-5

Q values of
2,000-68,000
are obtained by
wafer-level vacuum
packaging

-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
16354

16355

16356

16357

Frequency (Hz)

With No Nanogetter the average Q

value is 36, standard deviation=17

16358

Program Goals & Status 7/04-7/05

Optimize the getter formulation and deposition process -Done

Conduct reliability tests on the optimized getter - Done
Standardize the design guidelines and processes for integrating
the getter into the various wafer-level vacuum sealing
technologies for 100mm-150mm wafer diameters On-Going
Insert the new design guidelines into MEMS Exchange OnGoing
Integrate and run getters for initial DoD customers.
Q versus Time @ 95C

33000
31000
29000
27000
25000
23000
21000
19000
17000
15000
0

500

1000

1500

Time @ 95C (hrs)

2000