Claims
- 1. A method for protecting a MEMS structure during a dicing of a MEMS wafer to produce individual MEMS dies, comprising:(a) preparing a MEMS wafer having a plurality of MEMS structure sites thereon; (b) mounting, upon a front side of the MEMS wafer, a wafer cap to produce a laminated MEMS wafer, the wafer cap being recessed in areas corresponding to locations of the MEMS structure sites on the MEMS wafer, the front side of the MEMS wafer being a same side as a side having the MEMS structure sites located thereon; (c) applying a contiguous tape on a backside of the MEMS wafer, the backside of the MEMS wafer being a side opposite of a side having the MEMS structure sites located thereon; (d) dicing the laminated MEMS wafer into a plurality of MEMS dies; (e) placing a MEMS die into a package; and (f) removing, after placement of the MEMS die in the package, the wafer cap.
- 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminated MEMS wafer is diced using a saw.
- 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminated MEMS wafer is diced using a laser.
- 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminated MEMS wafer is diced using scribing and breaking.
- 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap is a cover tape with an adhesive medium.
- 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap includes an adhesive medium.
- 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adhesive medium is an ultraviolet light releasable medium.
- 8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adhesive medium is a heat releasable medium.
- 9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adhesive medium is a combination of an ultraviolet light and heat releasable medium.
- 10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adhesive medium comprises a thermoplastic organic material.
- 11. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adhesive medium comprises an ultraviolet light sensitive organic material.
- 12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adhesive medium comprises a solder material.
- 13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap is attached to the MEMS wafer through mechanical means.
- 14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap is attached to the MEMS wafer through bonds produced by applying the wafer cap to the MEMS wafer with a predetermined amount of pressure.
- 15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contiguous tape is applied to a backside of the MEMS wafer after the wafer cap is mounted on the MEMS wafer.
- 16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contiguous tape is applied to a backside of the MEMS wafer before the wafer cap is mounted on the MEMS wafer.
- 17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contiguous tape is applied to a backside of the MEMS wafer before the laminated MEMS wafer is sawn.
- 18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contiguous tape is not cut when the laminated MEMS wafer is diced.
- 19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap comprises silicon-based material.
- 20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the wafer cap includes an organic adhesive medium.
- 21. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap comprises a glass-based material.
- 22. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap comprises a ceramic-based material.
- 23. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap comprises a polymer-based material.
- 24. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminated MEMS wafer is diced with a wafer saw with a wafer cap side of the laminated MEMS wafer facing towards a cutting device of the wafer saw such that the wafer cap is sawn before the MEMS wafer.
- 25. A method for protecting a MEMS structure during a production of individual MEMS dies, comprising:(a) fabricating a MEMS wafer having a plurality of MEMS structure sites thereon; (b) fabricating a wafer cap; (c) bonding, upon a front side of the MEMS wafer, the wafer cap to the MEMS wafer to produce a laminated MEMS wafer, the wafer cap being recessed in areas corresponding to locations of the MEMS structure sites on the MEMS wafer, the front side of the MIEMS wafer being a same side as a side having the MEMS structure sites located thereon; (d) applying a contiguous tape on a backside of the MEMS wafer, the backside of the MEMS wafer being a side opposite of a side having the MEMS structure sites located thereon; (e) dicing the laminated MEMS wafer into a plurality of MEMS dies; (f) placing a MEMS die into a package; and (g) removing, after placement of the MEMS die in the package, the wafer cap from the MEMS die.
- 26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap includes an adhesive medium.
- 27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the adhesive medium is an ultraviolet light releasable medium.
- 28. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the adhesive medium is a heat releasable medium.
- 29. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the adhesive medium is a combination of an ultraviolet light and heat releasable medium.
- 30. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the adhesive medium comprises a thermoplastic organic material.
- 31. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the adhesive medium comprises an ultraviolet light sensitive organic material.
- 32. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the adhesive medium comprises a solder material.
- 33. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the contiguous tape is applied to a backside of the MEMS wafer after the wafer cap is mounted on the MEMS wafer.
- 34. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the contiguous tape is applied to a backside of the MEMS wafer before the wafer cap is mounted on the MEMS wafer.
- 35. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the contiguous tape is applied to a backside of the MEMS wafer before the laminated MEMS wafer is sawn.
- 36. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap comprises silicon-based material.
- 37. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap comprises a glass-based material.
- 38. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap comprises a ceramic-based material.
- 39. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap comprises a polymer-based material.
- 40. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the laminated MEMS wafer is sawn on a wafer saw with a wafer cap side of the laminated MEMS wafer facing towards a cutting device such that the wafer cap is sawn before the MEMS wafer.
- 41. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap is attached to the MEMS wafer through mechanical means.
- 42. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap is attached to the MEMS wafer through bonds produced by applying the wafer cap to the MEMS wafer with a predetermined amount of pressure.
- 43. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap comprises a metal.
- 44. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap comprises a metal.
- 45. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer cap comprises a static dissipative material.
- 46. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the wafer cap comprises a static dissipative material.
- 47. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contiguous tape comprises a static dissipative material.
- 48. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the contiguous tape comprises a static dissipative material.
PRIORITY INFORMATION
This application claims priority from both U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Serial No. 60/251,287, filed on Dec. 5, 2000 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Serial No. 60/251,288, filed on Dec. 5, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
199 11 916 |
Sep 1999 |
DE |
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Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
US 6,303,409, 10/2001, Karpman et al. (withdrawn) |
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/251287 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60/251288 |
Dec 2000 |
US |