(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to processes for packaging MEMS devices, and MEMS packages produced using the method, and more particularly, to a method of packaging MEMS devices using a flexible, foldable substrate.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices are known which convert physical phenomena, such as pressure, acceleration, sound, or light, into electrical signals. Each type of MEMS device interacts with the world in a different way, and demands custom or at least semi-custom packaging solutions. So-called system-in-package techniques attempt to form an entire microsystem—which could include a microprocessor, communications components, actuators and sensors—within a single package. However, packaging of a MEMS device is totally different from packaging an integrated circuit. MEMS devices are categorically different from ICs despite sharing some fundamental processing technologies. Packaging is the biggest challenge for commercializing most MEMS devices. The term “MEMS package” is used in this document to imply a package including at least one MEMS device.
A MEMS device might function perfectly well in the controlled environment in which it was created. However, the device can be a real viable product only after it has been packaged with proven performance in a package. For example, the packaging stress can distort the sensitivity and the performance of the MEMS devices. MEMS devices include delicate movable structures which are easily damaged through fabrication and assembly processes. As such, the assembly yield of a MEMS package is often a challenging target to meet.
The packaging requirements of MEMS devices are complex because the devices need to interact with the physical phenomenon and yet the devices need to be protected from the environment. As such, exotic package structures with specialized assembly techniques and unique packaging materials are employed for MEMS devices. Packaging is usually responsible for at least 60 percent of the cost of a MEMS device, and sometimes as much as 85 percent. Thus, it has been recognized that a low cost packaging solution with robust assembly is needed to promote the use of MEMS devices.
A variety of packages are known for packaging various MEMS products. “The introduction of MEMS packaging technology”, by C. T. Hsieh et al, Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Electronic Materials and Packaging, 4–6 Dec. 2002, pp. 300–306, describes (for example with reference to its
“A new approach for opto-electronic/MEMS packaging” by R. Keusseyan et al, Proceedings of the 52nd Electronic Components and Technology Conference, 28–31 May 2002, pp. 259–262, describes (for example with reference to its
“Challenges in the packaging of MEMS”, by C. B. O'Neal, et al, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Advanced Packaging Materials: Processes, Properties and Interfaces, 14–17 Mar. 1999, pp. 41–47, compares (for example with reference to its
Wafer level packaging (WLP) is a niche method for MEMS packaging. It involves an extra fabrication process where a micromachined wafer is bonded to a second wafer which has appropriate cavities etched into it. Once bonded, the second wafer creates a protective silicon cap over the micro-machine structure. This method leaves the microstructure free to move within a vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere. The bond is hermetic and therefore prevents moisture contamination and hence failure of the microstructure. WLP is discussed in “Considerations for MEMS packaging”, Biye Wang, Proceedings of the Sixth IEEE CPMT Conference on High Density Microsystem Design and Packaging and Component Failure Analysis, 30 Jun.–3 Jul. 2004, pp. 160–163 and “Overview and development trends in the field of MEMS packaging”, H. Reichl et al, The 14th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, 21–25 Jan. 2001, pp. 1–5.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,281 to Minervini and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0102004 A1 to Minervini discloses a MEMS microphone package in which a MEMS transducer element, an IC die and other capacitor components are located on a first multi-layer FR4 printed circuit board (PCB). A second multi-layer FR4 PCB is used as a cover. The two FR4 boards are spaced apart by a third FR4 board, which is cut to include a window which is placed around the components on the first PCB. Thus, the three PCBs cooperate to house and shield the transducer element, the IC die and other capacitor components. Compared with plastic/lead frame packages, such a package enables a larger batch operation, requires minimal hard tooling and has better match of thermal expansion with end user's PCB. Nevertheless, the mixing of the transducer element, the IC die and other electronic components on the same FR4 PCB substrate still presents difficulties in operating a high yield assembly process. Furthermore, a multi-layer FR4 PCB is not a cheap packaging material.
PCT patent application PCT/SG2005/000034 filed on 8 Feb. 2005 provides a method and package in which at least one MEMS device is mounted on a first flex substrate, and one or more electronic components are mounted on a second substrate. The two substrates are then joined mechanically in parallel with a spacer element between them and connected electrically by electrical connecting elements. The substrates sandwich the spacer element, the electrical connecting elements, the MEMS device and the one or more electronic components between them. The advantage of this method is that the process of mounting the MEMS device can be dealt with and performed separately from the process for mounting other IC and electronics components, thus making the assembly easier and higher yield. However, interconnecting the two substrates is a challenging task.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an effective and very manufacturable method of producing a MEMS package incorporating a MEMS device and one or more other electronic circuits.
Another object of the invention is to provide a MEMS packages.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing a MEMS package using a flexible and foldable substrate.
A further object of the invention is to provide a MEMS package including a flexible and foldable substrate.
A still further object is to provide a method of producing a MEMS package including a combination of a flexible and foldable substrate and a rigid substrate.
A still further object is to provide a MEMS package including a combination flexible and foldable substrate and a rigid substrate.
Yet another object is to provide a method of producing a MEMS package including a multiply folded flexible substrate.
Yet another object is to provide a MEMS package including a multiply folded flexible substrate.
In accordance with the objects of this invention a MEMS package is achieved. The MEMS package has at least one MEMS device located on a flexible substrate. A metal structure surrounds the at least one MEMS device wherein a bottom surface of the metal structure is attached to the flexible substrate and wherein the flexible substrate is folded over a top surface of the metal structure and attached to the top surface of the metal structure thereby forming the MEMS package. The metal structure can be in the form of a metal cap or a metal ring.
Also in accordance with the objects of this invention a method of producing a MEMS package is achieved. A least one MEMS device is mounted onto a flexible substrate. A bottom surface of a metal structure is attached to the flexible substrate surrounding the at least one MEMS device. The flexible substrate is folded over a top surface of the metal structure and attached to the top surface of the metal structure thereby forming the MEMS package.
Optionally, rigid portions of a rigid-flex substrate may be located over or under the flexible substrate in top and bottom portions of the package. Optionally, the flexible substrate may be folded from more than one side.
In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this description, there is shown:
The present invention proposes a method for packaging a MEMS device as well as one or more electronic components (typically, an application specific IC (ASIC) and one or more passive components). The MEMS device and IC device are first assembled on a flexible substrate which has an elongated portion. The MEMS device is wirebonded directly to the IC device to minimize parasitic effects. A metal cap is applied to encapsulate the devices, or in the alternative, a metal ring surrounds the devices. The elongated portion of the flexible substrate is folded over the metal cap or ring and attached on the top of the metal cap or ring to complete the package. The metal cap or ring and the metal layer on the flexible substrate are electrically connected to form a Faraday cage for electromigration (EMI) and radio frequency (RF) shielding.
A first preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
The first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to
Metal layers 22 and 26 are joined to the top and bottom of the flexible core film layer 24 using adhesive or adhesive-less laminating techniques. Metal layers 22 and 26 are preferably copper, having a metal surface for wirebonding, such as soft gold. The copper layer is typically 25 μm in thickness, but can be more or less, depending on the application. The surface finish metal can be Ni/Au, where the nickel layer is about 3 μm thick and the overlying gold layer has a minimum thickness of about 0.35 μm.
A solder mask or solder resist 28 is now formed on the metal surfaces 22 and 26. The patterned solder resist will prevent soldering on this area. The solder resist may be a coverlay or photosensitive epoxy and have a thickness of about 10–40 μm. The patterned solder resist is shown on the top side in
Referring again to
Referring now to
The MEMS device 40 is attached to the flexible substrate 10 with an adhesive 36. A low modulus adhesive would be preferred for stress relaxation such as a silicone based adhesive. Any IC device 42 is attached to the flexible substrate 10 using an adhesive in a die-attach process. Any passive device 48 is attached to the flexible substrate by a surface mounting technique (SMT). The IC device 42 is then wire-bonded by wires 44 and 46 to a bond pad 45 on the MEMS device 40 and to pad 47, respectively. For example, pad 47 may be for connection of the IC to VDD or OUT.
Now, as illustrated in
Referring now to
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
Now, instead of the metal cap in
Referring now to
It can be seen that the OUT pad 60, GND pad 62, and VDD pad 64 are located on an opposite side of the package from the environment hole 11. This is important in the next step in which the packaged MEMS device is surface mounted to an application PCB, for example. The metal ring 56 along with the metal layers 22 and 26 on the top and bottom of the flexible substrate are electrically connected to form a Faraday cage for EMI/RF shielding.
The package structure 70 or 71 of the present invention also offers further miniaturization feasibility. This is because its thickness in the z-axis (i.e. the up-down direction in
The third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to
The fourth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in cross-section in
The present invention provides MEMS packages using flexible substrates and methods of manufacturing these packages.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
6012335 | Bashir et al. | Jan 2000 | A |
6300679 | Mukerji et al. | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6667480 | Kajiwara et al. | Dec 2003 | B2 |
6699730 | Kim et al. | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6781231 | Minervini | Aug 2004 | B2 |
6998704 | Yamazaki et al. | Feb 2006 | B2 |
20020102004 | Minervini | Aug 2002 | A1 |
20040115920 | Yamazaki et al. | Jun 2004 | A1 |
20050280138 | Shrivastava et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20060043562 | Watanabe | Mar 2006 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20070013036 A1 | Jan 2007 | US |