MEMS device manufacturing

Abstract

Some embodiments include a method of manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, each device comprising a first material and a second material with different CTEs. The method includes providing a carrier having a CTE substantially equal to the first material, the carrier comprising a plurality of cavities. The method also includes disposing a plurality of components in respective cavities of the carrier, the components comprising the second material. In some embodiments, the method includes disposing a layer of the first material on the components of the second material. In some embodiments, the method includes bonding the layer of the first material and the components of the second material. The method also includes removing the carrier and singulating the layer of the first material to provide a plurality of MEMS devices. TIFF2024501450000002.tif75144

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 123,932, filed December 10, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. [Background technology]

[0002] background In microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device manufacturing, bonding is often a necessary step to join two parts of a device together, for example during a packaging process. Traditional bonding typically involves inserting a bonding material between the two parts of the device and then gluing the two parts together with the bonding material. The inventors have discovered that traditional approaches are inadequate and lead to unreliable MEMS devices.

[0003] When bonding two materials in a MEMS device (e.g., bonding glass to silicon), coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch can lead to misalignment, which can lead to bonding or other manufacturing errors. Misalignments can result from different contraction rates (caused by different CTEs) after the layers are heated for bonding (up to 350°C in some processes) and cooled. These misalignments increase as the manufacturing scale increases, i.e., a panel-level manufacturing process with CTE mismatch introduces more manufacturing errors than the same process at wafer scale.

[0004] In another example, the inventors have discovered further deficiencies in bonding two parts of a MEMS device. For example, vacuum packaging (using, for example, solder (solder preform, deposited solder, etc.) as the bonding material) generally suffers from excess bonding material being extruded from between the two bonding interfaces during the bonding process. For example, solder preforms often have a minimum thickness and therefore a minimum volume because they must be thick enough to withstand mechanical processing, and thus the amount of excess material is particularly problematic when bonding using a preform when the minimum volume is larger than the volume required by the manufacturing process. The excess solder volume is extruded from the bonding area and can adversely affect the reliability of the MEMS device if the excess solder is trapped within the sealed volume, since the excess solder can damage and / or destroy the device inside the sealed volume. Excess solder outside the cavity can also cause harm. For example, the extruded solder can remain between the dies, which can damage the wafer dicing blade and reduce manufacturing yields. Summary of the Invention

[0005] overview Some embodiments include a method for fabricating a plurality of MEMS devices, each device comprising a first material and a second material with different CTEs. The method includes providing a carrier having a CTE substantially equal to the first material, the carrier comprising a plurality of cavities. The method also includes disposing a plurality of components in respective cavities of the carrier, the components comprising a second material. In some embodiments, the method includes disposing a layer of the first material on the components of the second material. In some embodiments, the method includes bonding the layer of the first material and the components of the second material. The method also includes removing the carrier and singulating the layer of the first material to provide a plurality of MEMS devices. In some embodiments, the first material and the second material are selected from glass and silicon.

[0006] Advantageously, the fabrication methods described herein reduce fabrication errors caused by CTE mismatch of layers. For example, the methods described herein reduce the consequences of CTE mismatch (e.g., between a glass layer of a MEMS device and a silicon component of a MEMS device) to the width of a MEMS device. This advantageously results in better aligned and bonded MEMS devices, better scaling, and also allows freedom in choosing material combinations (e.g., glass and silicon) for the MEMS device.

[0007] Some embodiments include a method of manufacturing a MEMS device, the method including a first step of preparing a first portion of the device, a second step of adding a groove to the first portion at a bonding region of the device, a third step of aligning a second portion of the device with the first portion, a fourth step of moving the first and second portions toward each other, and a fifth step of bonding the first and second portions at the bonding region. Advantageously, the groove can allow for tight bonding while reducing potentially harmful spillover from the bonding region of the MEMS device to the electromechanical component. Thus, the reliability of the MEMS device is improved. In some embodiments, one or more of the first to fifth steps are performed in a vacuum. In some embodiments, some steps are performed in a vacuum (e.g., the third to fifth steps) and other steps are not performed in a vacuum.

[0008] Some embodiments include a method of manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, the method including the steps of: providing a plurality of first electromechanical components; providing a carrier, the carrier including a plurality of locations each associated with a respective one of the plurality of first electromechanical components; identifying defective components among the plurality of first electromechanical components; providing a plurality of second electromechanical components; placing the plurality of second electromechanical components at respective locations on the carrier, but not at the locations associated with the defective electromechanical components; bonding each pair of the first electromechanical components and the second electromechanical components; and (optionally) singulating each pair of the first electromechanical components and the second electromechanical components to result in a plurality of MEMS devices. Advantageously, such a method may reduce wasted components by reducing the number of first components bonded to inoperable second components. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a method for manufacturing a number of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 2-1] FIG. 2A illustrates a configuration for a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices according to one embodiment; FIG. 2B illustrates another configuration for a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices according to one embodiment; FIG. 2C illustrates another configuration for a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices according to one embodiment; FIG. 2D illustrates another configuration for a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices according to one embodiment; FIG. 2E illustrates another configuration for a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices according to one embodiment; and FIG. 2F illustrates another configuration for a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices according to one embodiment. [Figure 2-2] Please refer to the description of Figure 2-1. [Figure 3A] 1 illustrates an exemplary spacing within a 150 mm wafer in a method for manufacturing multiple MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 3B] 1A-1C illustrate exemplary bonding regions of components in a method for manufacturing multiple MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 3C] 1 illustrates an exemplary spacing within a 156 mm wafer in a method for manufacturing multiple MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 3D] 1 illustrates an exemplary spacing within a 156 mm wafer in a method for manufacturing multiple MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an exemplary spacing within a 200 mm wafer in a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates a method for manufacturing a number of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating a MEMS device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating a MEMS device and an exemplary relationship between solder and grooves, respectively, according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates a method for manufacturing a number of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates a method for manufacturing a number of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates a method for manufacturing an electromechanical system according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary sensor according to an aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Detailed Description In the following description of the aspects, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific aspects which may be practiced. It is to be understood that other aspects may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed aspects.

[0011] An exemplary method for fabricating a plurality of MEMS devices will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2A-2F. The method 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a method for fabricating MEMS devices, each device including a first material and a second material having different CTEs. In some embodiments, the first material is glass and provides a substrate for components (such as thin film transistors) in the MEMS device. In some embodiments, the second material is silicon and provides a cover in the MEMS device. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, other embodiments may reverse the glass and silicon, glass and a different material, silicon and a different material, or use different first and second materials in the MEMS device.

[0012] The method 100 includes providing 102 a carrier having a CTE substantially equal to the first material, the carrier including a plurality of cavities. The method proceeds to 104 disposing a plurality of components into respective cavities of the carrier, each component including a second material. Step 106 includes disposing a layer of the first material on the components of the second material. The method 100 also includes 108 bonding the layer of the first material and the components of the second material, and step 110 removing the carrier. The method proceeds to 112 singulating the layer of the first material to yield a plurality of MEMS devices.

[0013] The method 100 can be performed at any scale, including panel-scale manufacturing, wafer-scale manufacturing, and the like. In some embodiments, two layers in a manufacturing process can be understood to have "substantially equal CTE" and do not shift the layers due to differences in their respective CTEs when heat for bonding is applied / removed such that bonding and / or alignment of the component of the second material with the layer of the first material is outside of manufacturing tolerances. The tolerance depends on the particular application. For example, the tolerance can be a 50 micron shift of the device cover at an 8 inch wafer edge at a bonding temperature of 300° C. Two materials can be understood to have "different CTE" if they do not have substantially equal CTE.

[0014] Advantageously, the fabrication methods described herein reduce fabrication errors caused by CTE mismatch of layers. For example, the methods described herein reduce the consequences of CTE mismatch (e.g., between a glass layer of a MEMS device and a silicon component of a MEMS device) to the width of a MEMS device. This advantageously results in better aligned and bonded MEMS devices, and also allows freedom of choice of combinations (e.g., glass and silicon) for the MEMS device.

[0015] Additionally, the methods described herein may also improve the accuracy of singulation techniques and improve manufacturability by not requiring specialized equipment. For example, embodiments herein do not require an infrared camera to remove portions of the second material (such as silicon) before singulating the device. Embodiments herein also advantageously increase yields and reduce manufacturing costs. For example, embodiments herein reduce or eliminate the need to simultaneously dice two substrates (or the need for two partial cuts on both sides).

[0016] 2A illustrates a configuration 202 in a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. Configuration 202 may be associated with a step of providing a carrier, such as step 102 of method 100. In configuration 202, carrier 220 includes a plurality of cavities 222, each cavity including a vacuum channel 224. In some embodiments, each cavity does not include a vacuum channel.

[0017] In some embodiments, preparing the carrier includes providing a layer of material having a CTE substantially equal to the first material. In some embodiments, preparing the carrier includes providing a carrier layer of the first material. In some embodiments, the first material is glass, and preparing the carrier includes providing a different glass, but with a CTE substantially equal to the glass used in the MEMS device. In some embodiments, preparing the carrier includes providing a ceramic material (such as Al2O3) or a metal (such as Kovar).

[0018] In some embodiments, preparing the carrier includes providing a first carrier layer, providing a second carrier layer, bonding the first carrier layer and the second carrier layer, and removing material from one or both of the first carrier layer and the second carrier layer to form a plurality of cavities. In some embodiments, removing material from one or both of the first layer and the second layer includes providing an etch stop layer between the layers and etching one or both of the first layer and the second layer to the etch stop layer. In other embodiments, material is removed from one or both of the first layer and the second layer before the layers are bonded.

[0019] In some embodiments, providing the carrier includes providing a cavity 0.5 mm deep. In some embodiments, the cavity is 24-27 mm wide and 14-16 mm long. For example, one cavity can be 24 mm x 16 mm x 0.5 mm and another cavity can be 27 mm x 14 mm x 0.5 mm.

[0020] In some embodiments, the carrier is a round or square wafer. The wafer can be, for example, 4 inches, 6 inches, 8 inches, or 12 inches. In some embodiments, the carrier is panel sized.

[0021] 2B illustrates an arrangement 204 in a method for manufacturing multiple MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. Arrangement 204 may be associated with a step of disposing multiple components of a second material, such as step 104 of method 100. Arrangement 204 includes multiple components 230 disposed within respective cavities of carrier 220. Each component 230 includes a sidewall 234 that defines a cavity 232 within the component.

[0022] In some embodiments, the second material is silicon and the first material is glass. In such embodiments, the CTE mismatch may be 0.3 to 0.8 ppm.

[0023] In some embodiments, disposing the plurality of components includes applying a vacuum to the components to secure the components to the carrier. In some embodiments, applying a vacuum includes applying a vacuum to the components through a channel in the carrier, such as channel 224. In some embodiments, a vacuum is not applied to the components. In such embodiments, channel 224 may not be added to carrier 220. In some embodiments, a vacuum is applied through channel 224 to evacuate the area under component 230. Such a channel may advantageously allow a vacuum to be applied after component 230 is disposed on carrier 220 to remove air that may be trapped between component 230 and carrier 220.

[0024] In some embodiments, the component corresponds to a cover within a plurality of MEMS devices.

[0025] In some embodiments, each component includes a sidewall having a metallized surface. In some embodiments, the sidewall of each component defines a cavity in the component of the second material. In some embodiments, the components are provided to the manufacturing process with the cavity already defined. In other embodiments, the cavity is defined while the component is placed in the cavity of the carrier. Similarly, the metallized surface on the sidewall of the component may be prepared before placing the component in the respective cavity or may be added after the component is placed in the cavity of the carrier. In some embodiments, joining the layer of the first material and the component of the second material includes depositing a joining component on the metallized surface. In such embodiments, the joining component may include a solder preform. In some embodiments, the joining component may include deposited solder. In some embodiments, the sidewalls are about 1-2 mm wide (in such embodiments, the joining components described herein (solder preforms, deposited solder, etc.) may be 500 microns wide). In some embodiments, the sidewalls are on the order of several hundred microns. In some embodiments, the second material component can be about 725 microns thick (measured perpendicular to the plane of the first material carrier).

[0026] FIG. 2C illustrates a configuration 206 in a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. Configuration 206 may be associated with a step of joining a layer of a first material and a component of a second material, such as step 108 of method 100. In configuration 206, a bonding component 240 is placed on the component of the second material. After the layer of the first material is placed on the component of the second material (see configuration 208 of FIG. 2D), the bonding component can be heated to facilitate bonding between the layer of the first material and the component of the second material. In some embodiments, the component is heated before the layer of the first material is placed on the component of the second material. In some embodiments, the bonding component is a solder preform or deposited solder placed on the component 230 and tacked to the corners of the bonding component (e.g., on the four corner tabs 304 of the preform 302 shown in FIG. 3B). In some further embodiments, the preform is 25 microns thick (measured in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the carrier of the first material).

[0027] FIG. 2D illustrates a configuration 208 in a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. Configuration 208 may be associated with a step of disposing a layer of a first material on a component of a second material, such as step 106 of method 100. In configuration 208, a layer of a first material 250 is disposed on the component of a second material. In some embodiments, the layer of first material 250 is pre-processed to include a component of a MEMS device. For example, the first material 250 is pre-processed with a metallized surface (such as a seal metal ring) that is aligned with and bonded to the bonding component 240 described above. In some embodiments, the layer of first material 250 includes a cavity (not shown). Such a cavity may be in addition to or in place of the cavity 232 of the component 230. In some embodiments where the layer of first material 250 includes a cavity (not shown), the cavity is in addition to or in place of the cavity 222 in the layer 220. In some embodiments, the layer 220 does not have a cavity and includes a vacuum channel 224.

[0028] As described below, the manufacturing method may include, after disposing the layer of the first material, bonding the layer of the first material and the component of the second material. In the example of configuration 206, a bonding component (solder preform, deposited solder, etc.) was attached for bonding. In some embodiments, bonding the layer of the first material (described below with respect to configuration 208) and the component of the second material includes growing the bonding component by deposition (such as electroplating or vacuum deposition). In some embodiments, bonding the layer of the first material and the component of the second material includes increasing the temperature of the configuration to achieve bonding. In some embodiments, bonding may be achieved at about 350° C. In some embodiments, the temperature is increased to about 300° C. In such embodiments, the bonding component includes AuSn. In some embodiments, the temperature mismatch may play a larger role in Au-Au thermocompression bonding, etc.

[0029] In some embodiments, prior to joining the layer of the first material and the component of the second material, the method includes a step of moving the component of the second material toward the layer of the first material. This may advantageously allow for efficient joining of the first material and the second material when the height(s) of the component of the second material (measured in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the carrier of the first material) is less than the depth of the cavity (measured in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the carrier of the first material) and / or the component of the second material has a different height. In such embodiments, a force is applied to move the component toward the layer of material. In some embodiments, the force is gravity. In such embodiments, the method includes a step of rotating the layer of the first material, the component of the second material, and the carrier. In other embodiments, the process includes placing a component of a second material underneath the carrier (with respect to gravity) and applying a vacuum (e.g., using the vacuum channel described above with respect to configuration 202) to hold the component in place until the layer of the first material is applied (this may be particularly advantageous in packaging environments that do not normally have a vacuum). Then, once the component of the second material is placed on the layer of the first material, the vacuum is released and the component of the second material moves towards the first material by gravity. The layer of the first material and the component of the second material are then bonded. In some embodiments, a different force is used. For example, a spring (or similar force) may be applied in the carrier cavity and underneath the cover, which moves the component towards the layer of material. The layer of the first material and the component of the second material are then bonded.

[0030] 2E illustrates a configuration 210 in a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. Configuration 210 may be associated with a step of removing a carrier, such as step 110 of method 100. Comparing configuration 208 and configuration 210, carrier 220 has been removed.

[0031] 2F illustrates configuration 212 in a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. Configuration 212 may be associated with singulating a layer of first material, such as configuration 112 of method 100. In configuration 212, the layer of first material is singulated at lines 260. In some embodiments, singulating includes dicing the layer of first material using a dicing saw. In some embodiments, singulating includes dicing the layer of first material using a scribe-and-break method.

[0032] In some embodiments, method 100 of Figure 1 and configurations 202-212 of Figures 2A-2F are performed in an environment appropriate for the bonding technique employed. Exemplary environments include vacuum, dry nitrogen, inert gas (He, Ar, etc.), dry air, etc. Different gas pressures may be used depending on the device requirements.

[0033] FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary spacing in a 150 mm wafer for a method of fabricating a plurality of MEMS devices according to one embodiment. Exemplary spacing between MEMS device locations is shown. The MEMS devices are positioned with a 5 mm edge relative to the edge of the wafer, 5 mm spacing in a first dimension, and 2.05 mm spacing in a second dimension. This configuration results in 40 components. The mask contours are overlaid.

[0034] FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary bonding area of ​​components in a method for fabricating multiple MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. The components in FIG. 3B may correspond to the location of the devices in the wafer of FIG. 3A. The bonding area includes four corner tabs 304 of the preform 302. In some embodiments, the bonding area includes four corner tabs 304 of the deposited solder 302. Example dimensions are also included for illustrative purposes. The embodiment of FIG. 3B may correspond to sealing areas discussed herein, such as the bonding components described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, and the bonding components described below with respect to FIGS. 5-9.

[0035] FIG. 3C shows an example spacing within a 156 mm wafer in a method for fabricating a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. This embodiment is similar to FIG. 3A, but with a different spacing on a larger wafer to result in more individual devices (48 in this example). FIG. 3D shows an example spacing within a 156 mm wafer in a method for fabricating a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. The spacing in FIG. 3D is different from FIG. 3C, but results in the same number of devices.

[0036] 4 shows an exemplary spacing within a 200 mm wafer for a method of fabricating multiple MEMS devices according to one embodiment. This orientation results in 61 devices.

[0037] In some embodiments, the first material is glass. In some embodiments, the first material is a borosilicate that contains additional elements to fine-tune properties. One example of a borosilicate is from CORNING EAGLE, which produces alkaline earth boroaluminosilicates (silicates that contain boron, aluminum, and various alkaline earth elements). Other variations are available from ASAHI GLASS or SCHOTT.

[0038] 5 illustrates a method 500 for manufacturing a MEMS device, according to one embodiment. The method 500 includes a first step 502 of preparing a first portion of the device, a second step 504 of adding a groove to the first portion at a bonding region of the device, a third step 506 of aligning a second portion of the device with the first portion, a fourth step 508 of moving the first and second portions toward each other, and a fifth step 510 of bonding the first and second portions at the bonding region. Advantageously, the groove can enable a tight bond while reducing and / or controlling the amount of potentially harmful spillover from the bonding region of the MEMS device to the electromechanical component, thereby improving the reliability of the MEMS device. This can be particularly advantageous when the manufacturing process has limitations in controlling the volume of bonding material. For example, a solder preform may need to have a minimum volume to facilitate processing, but the minimum volume for processing may be larger than the maximum volume for bonding, and in conventional manufacturing methods, the excess volume can cause spillover outside the bonding area, compromising the reliability and integrity of the MEMS device.

[0039] In some embodiments, the method 500 includes bonding with a solder preform. In some embodiments, the method 500 includes bonding with a deposited solder. The method 500 can be used in any bonding technique where an excess bonding material is used. For example, in electroplating, the typical thickness of the bonding material is on the order of a few microns, but the actual amount at the bonding interface can be much less. The method 500 can be particularly advantageous when the bonding material is in a liquid state at some point during the bonding process. In embodiments where the bonding material is a solder preform, the method 500 can further include placing the solder preform over the groove of the first part, heating the solder preform, and cooling the solder preform so that the first part and the second part bond. In some embodiments, step 510 (wherein the first and second portions are joined at the joining region) includes heating a material (e.g., a solder preform, deposited solder) and allowing the material to cool (e.g., passive cooling, where heat is dissipated to the local environment, active cooling, where air is forced over the device, etc.).

[0040] FIG. 6A illustrates a MEMS device 600 in cross-section, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, the device 600 is fabricated according to the method 500 described above. In the device 600, the substrate 602 is silicon, although other materials can be used. Such materials can include, for example, Ge, ZnSe, glass, ceramic, and the like. The MEMS device 600 includes a portion 602 having a bonding area 604. As used herein, a "bonding area" can be understood to mean an area of ​​a device where two portions of the device are bonded. In such devices, both portions of the device have their own "bonding area." For example, in a MEMS device where a glass portion is bonded to a silicon portion (e.g., the glass portion contains circuitry and / or mechanical components and is bonded to a silicon cover), both the glass portion and the silicon portion have their own bonding area where, for example, a solder preform or deposited solder is placed to bond the two sides together. The bonding area may also be referred to as a "sealing area" in manufacturing processes that involve, for example, a vacuum encapsulation step.

[0041] As used herein, a "groove" can be understood to include a topography below the surface in the bond region. For example, in the bond region 604 of device 600, a groove 610 is formed below the bond surface of substrate 602. In some embodiments, the groove is formed by removing a volume from the surface of the substrate (e.g., by etching the substrate as discussed further herein). In some embodiments, the groove is formed by selectively raising the surface of the substrate in the bond region (e.g., by deposition, growth (e.g., with silicide)) but not raising all of the surface in the region. Although device 600 shows eight grooves, it will be readily understood that a different number of grooves can be used (see, e.g., FIG. 7A). Although device 600 shows grooves that fill the entire bond region, other embodiments may include grooves that fill a portion of the bond region. Additionally, while device 600 shows the grooves as continuous, the grooves can also be spaced apart (e.g., a first groove and a second groove are separated by a flat surface). In such embodiments, the groove spacing can be regular or varied, for example some embodiments include closely spaced grooves toward the edge of the sealing region but wider groove spacing toward the center of the bond region.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 5, step 504 (adding grooves to the first portion) can include etching grooves into the first portion. For example, two sidewalls at an etched angle to the surface (see, for example, angle α representing the angle between the surface of substrate 602 and one of grooves 610 in FIG. 6A) meet at a point below the surface, providing a natural limit to the depth of the groove. This etching step can advantageously use the crystal structure of the substrate to control the depth of each groove. More specifically, the etching step can be performed to etch along a crystal plane of the substrate. In some embodiments, the grooves can include sidewalls that make an angle of about 54 degrees to the surface of the first portion. In some embodiments, at least one sidewall makes an angle of 54.74 degrees to the surface of the first portion.

[0043] In some embodiments, the groove does not form an acute angle with the surface. In FIG. 6B, for example, groove 660 does not form an acute angle with the surface of substrate 652. FIG. 6B shows solder preform 656 above bond area 654 and groove 660 in substrate 652. An adhesive layer 662 is disposed above groove 660. In the embodiment of FIG. 6B, adhesive layer 662 extends to portion 664 of cavity 658.

[0044] In some embodiments, the depth of the groove is determined by the width of the groove, and the desired depth can be achieved by selecting the width of the groove in combination with the known angle of the sidewall. For a given depth "D" and angle α, the width of the groove (and the width of the etched line if the groove is formed by etching) can be determined using the formula: D=(W*tanα) / 2. The depth (or width) of the groove may be determined by the desired volume of the groove. For example, consider an embodiment in which a joining component (solder preform 606 of FIG. 6A, solder preform 656 of FIG. 6B, deposited solder (not shown), etc.) has a first volume (e.g., determined by the volume of the joining component) and a plurality of grooves define a second volume within the first portion. The amount of solder volume is adjusted depending on the desired result. If void formation or reduced bond width is acceptable, it may be desirable for the second volume to be equal to or greater than the first volume to reduce spillover from the bond area in the MEMS device to the electromechanical components (e.g., spillover into the cavity of the device housing the electrical and / or mechanical components). On the other hand, if some spillover is acceptable, the second volume may be smaller than the first volume to reduce or minimize void formation and / or increase or maximize bond width. In some embodiments, the groove sizing is a function of area. In these embodiments, the groove depth is constant throughout the application, and only the groove width varies. Some exemplary dimensions include a width of 15-50 microns and a depth of 13-45 microns. The length of the groove can depend on the area of ​​the device being fabricated, and exemplary lengths include, but are not limited to, 50-74 mm. In some embodiments, the preform width is 100-1000 microns and the thickness is 20-50 microns.

[0045] Method 500 may further include adding a cavity to the first portion of the device, the cavity being deeper than the groove. FIG. 6 shows an exemplary cavity 608 (see also FIGS. 2A-2F, 6B, and 7). In some embodiments, the cavity is formed using an etching process. In some embodiments, the cavity and the groove are formed in the same manufacturing step of the device, e.g., the same etching step. As noted above, the crystal structure of portion 502 may advantageously provide a limit to the etching depth of the groove. Thus, the groove can advantageously be formed in the same processing step as the cavity, even if the cavity and the groove have different depths, thereby saving manufacturing time and cost (see, e.g., FIG. 6A). In some embodiments, the groove is naturally formed in a separate step from the cavity (see, e.g., FIG. 6B).

[0046] In some embodiments, step 506 (aligning the second portion of the device with the first portion) includes aligning the mutual bond areas of the first and second portions. In some embodiments, the aligning includes aligning a groove in the first portion with the bond area of ​​the second portion. In embodiments in which the second portion includes a metallized ring on the second portion, aligning the two portions can include aligning the ring with the groove. In some embodiments, the aligning is performed without reference to the bond area of ​​the first and second portions.

[0047] In some embodiments, step 508 (the first and second portions are moved toward one another) includes holding one portion stationary while the other is moved such that the first and second portions are moved toward one another. In some embodiments, both portions are moved simultaneously.

[0048] FIG. 7A illustrates a top view of a MEMS device 700, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, the device 700 is fabricated using one or more steps of the method 500. In some embodiments, the device 700 includes aspects of the device 600, or vice versa. The device 700 may correspond to a first portion of a MEMS device, which also includes a second portion (not shown) bonded to the first region. The device 700 includes a substrate 702 having a bonding region 704, a trench 706a / 706b, a cavity 708, and a number of cross-sectional grooves in the bonding region 704. In some embodiments, the "cross-sectional grooves" have a length that is less than the plane of the sealing ring. In some embodiments, the grooves limit the effect of defects. For example, if the grooves are parallel to the plane of the sealing ring, defects between the grooves are limited to the area between the grooves. Other non-parallel groove configurations can also provide this advantage, provided that the topography between the grooves is separated from the topography outside the grooves, which prevents defects between the grooves from affecting areas outside the grooves, thereby reducing the risk of vacuum breakdown.

[0049] In some embodiments, the groove depth is self-limited (e.g., using the crystal structure to limit the depth etch described above) and the groove length is determined by the alignment accuracy. In such embodiments, if the groove is perfectly aligned with the crystal orientation, the groove length is not limited. In embodiments where the groove is misaligned with the crystal orientation, the groove width increases corresponding to (groove length) multiplied by (tan(theta)), where theta is the angle difference between the groove and the crystal. Some embodiments may limit the groove length to meet a desired limit on the groove width increase.

[0050] In some embodiments, the width of the groove may be determined by the amount of preform that needs to be accommodated. For example, the preform may be 25um thick, 500um wide, and have a cross-sectional area of ​​1.25e4um. 2In some embodiments, the grove width is 35um (e.g., after etching) since approximately 80% of the preform is accommodated. In some embodiments, the seal ring width is 750um, so that seventeen 35um grooves can fit. In some embodiments, the groove length is determined by the alignment accuracy of the mask to the crystal of the wafer (such as a Si wafer). In some embodiments, the length is 1mm. Higher lengths may be tolerated with improved alignment.

[0051] 7B shows an exemplary relationship between the preform and the groove, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, the exemplary relationship is associated with a preform that is 25 um thick. In some embodiments, the preform is rectangular and its cross-sectional area increases linearly with increasing width for a given thickness (such as 25 um). In some embodiments, the groove is triangular with no constraint on its depth, so that the area of ​​the groove can be larger than the preform (e.g., about 55 um wide in this example).

[0052] Returning to FIG. 7A, the plurality of grooves includes a plurality of cross-sectional grooves arranged end-to-end. Groove 710 and groove 712 are identified for illustrative purposes. Cross-sectional groove 710 has a first end 710a and a second end 710b, and cross-sectional groove 712 has a first end 712a and a second end (not shown). The first and second ends may be separated by a mating surface of the substrate. Advantageously, arranging the cross-sectional grooves end-to-end may provide more reliable groove formation, for example, by reducing etching outside of the desired groove area, thereby limiting unintended merging between adjacent grooves.

[0053] The multiple trenches may be of different lengths. In device 700, for example, trench 712 is longer than trench 710. In some embodiments, the multiple trenches have equal lengths. Additionally, while the cross-sectional trenches in FIG. 7A are depicted as having the same width, some embodiments may provide trenches of different widths. Similarly, trenches 706a and 706b may be of the same length, depth, or width, or may be of different lengths, depths, or widths.

[0054] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional grooves may be staggered, as shown in FIG. 7A. In this manner, leakage from one cross-sectional groove to another may be controlled. In some embodiments, the sealing ring may not be perfectly rectangular, as also shown in FIG. 7A. Additional grooves may be added to accommodate "rounded corners" of the sealing ring to advantageously improve bonding in these regions, and such grooves may not extend the entire length of the sealing ring.

[0055] Returning to FIG. 5, method 500 may further include adding a metallization ring to the second portion of the device. For example, in embodiments where the second portion comprises glass, the metallization ring may aid in bonding the first and second portions of the MEMS device. In some embodiments, the MEMS device (device 600, 700) produced by method 500 includes a bolometer and a cavity (e.g., cavity 608, 708) surrounds a light sensor. In some embodiments, method 500 may further include coating the groove with an adhesive layer before bonding the two portions. For example, FIGS. 6A and 6B show adhesive layer 612 and adhesive layer 662, respectively. The adhesive layer may provide a surface for the preformed solder or deposited solder to wet during bonding. In some embodiments, an adhesive layer may be applied to the bonding area. In some embodiments, an adhesive layer may be applied to the bonding area and a portion of the cavity. For example, Figures 6A and 6B show an adhesive layer applied to regions 614 and 664 of cavities 608 and 658, respectively. The adhesive layer within the cavity can advantageously block incident radiation from that portion of the cavity. In some embodiments, a reference bolometer is placed below the adhesive layer, thereby eliminating the need for another process step to place a block on the reference bolometer. This advantageous use of an adhesive layer within the cavity can be used with or without a groove (or any other feature) disclosed herein. Although shown adjacent to the edge of the active area in Figures 6A and 6B, the reference sensor (and thus the placement of the adhesive layer within the cavity) may not be adjacent to the cavity. Exemplary methods of adding an adhesive layer include a lift-off process or a mask.

[0056] 8, a method 800 for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices is shown according to one embodiment. The method 800 includes steps of: preparing a plurality of first electromechanical components 802; preparing a carrier 804, the carrier including a plurality of locations each associated with a respective one of the plurality of first electromechanical components; identifying defective components among the plurality of first electromechanical components 806; preparing a plurality of second electromechanical components 808; placing the plurality of second electromechanical components at respective locations on the carrier but not at the locations associated with the defective electromechanical components 810; bonding each pair of the first electromechanical components and the second electromechanical components 812; and (optionally) singulating each pair of the first electromechanical components and the second electromechanical components 814 to result in a plurality of MEMS devices.

[0057] In some embodiments, step 802 includes providing a plurality of components in a layer. In such embodiments, step 810 or step 812 includes disposing the layer on a carrier. In such embodiments, step 814 (singulating each pair of the first electromechanical component and the second electromechanical component to provide a plurality of MEMS devices) can be used. In some embodiments, the layer is wafer sized. Other layer sizes (e.g., panel scale) can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the layer is circular. Other layer shapes (e.g., square layers) can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, one or both of the first electromechanical component and the second electromechanical component are circular. Other component shapes (e.g., square components) can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0058] In some embodiments, Step 804 includes providing a carrier having a plurality of cavities, each at a respective location on the carrier. In such embodiments, Step 810 includes disposing a defect-free second electromechanical component within each cavity.

[0059] In some embodiments, step 806 includes electrically testing the plurality of electromechanical components. In some further embodiments, step 806 includes at least one of identifying shorts, identifying open circuits, checking voltage ranges, and / or checking resistance values.

[0060] In some embodiments, step 806 includes mechanically testing the plurality of electromechanical components. Mechanical testing can include, for example, identifying broken hinges, optical profilometry, and resonant frequency measurements. Mechanical testing can be performed using a visual inspection tool.

[0061] In some embodiments, identifying the defective parts (step 806) includes creating a bad device map. In some embodiments, the bad device map includes the locations of known good components. In some embodiments, step 806 includes identifying two or more defective parts.

[0062] In some embodiments, step 810 includes placing the second electromechanical component utilizing a pick and place machine. In some embodiments, an additional step of removing the carrier is added to method 800.

[0063] In some embodiments, the MEMS device is a bolometer and the first electromechanical component is a bolometer cover.

[0064] In some embodiments, the first electromechanical component comprises glass and the second electromechanical component comprises silicon. FIG. 9 illustrates a method 900 for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, according to one embodiment. In method 900, the first electromechanical component comprises glass (see 908) and the second electromechanical component comprises silicon (see 902). In method 900, the silicon is processed before the individual silicon components are formed (step 902, listing exemplary process steps of cavity etching, metallization, AR coating, and dicing). Separately, method 900 includes a step of preparing (step 906) a square glass (shown with an exemplary size of 150 mm). The glass can be provided to method 900 with some or all of the electromechanical components already added, or some or all of the electromechanical components are added to the glass wafer during method 900. Step 906 can further include additional (not shown) process steps, such as identifying defective components among the electromechanical components on the square glass. As step 910, a plurality of silicon electromechanical components are mounted on the glass in locations corresponding to defect-free components of the glass. Step 912 includes bonding the silicon and glass components, and step 914 includes singulating individual devices. In some aspects, the steps of method 900 correspond to or include steps of method 800, or vice versa.

[0065] In some aspects, the electromechanical components include only electrical components, only mechanical components, or both. In some aspects, the electromechanical components include a cover.

[0066] 10 illustrates a method 1000 for manufacturing an electromechanical system, according to one embodiment. As a non-limiting example, an electrochemical system can be associated with a device or system described herein. All or some of the process steps of method 1000 can be used and can be used in a different order to manufacture an electromechanical system. As a non-limiting example, step 1014 can be performed before step 1012. In some embodiments, steps of other methods disclosed herein can be performed in method 1000.

[0067] Method 1000 includes step 1002, preparing a substrate. In some embodiments, the substrate is made of glass. In some embodiments, the substrate is low temperature polycrystalline silicon. In some embodiments, the substrate is a borosilicate that contains additional elements to fine-tune properties. One example of a borosilicate is from CORNING EAGLE, which produces alkaline earth boroaluminosilicates (silicates that contain boron, aluminum, and various alkaline earth elements). Other variations are available from ASAHI GLASS or SCHOTT.

[0068] In some embodiments, a flat panel glass process is used to fabricate the electromechanical system. In some embodiments, a liquid crystal display (LCD) process is used to fabricate the electromechanical system. In some embodiments, an OLED display process or an X-ray panel process is used. Using a flat panel glass process allows for larger substrate sizes, thereby allowing for more electrochemical systems per substrate and reducing processing costs. "Panel level" sizes can include 300mm x 400mm, 360mm x 465mm, 400mm x 500mm, 550mm x 650mm, 620mm x 750mm, 680mm x 880mm, 730mm x 920mm, 1100mm x 1300mm, 1300mm x 1500mm, 1500mm x 1850mm, 1950mm x 2250mm, 2200mm x 2500mm, and 2840mm x 3370mm. Additionally, thin film transistor (TFT) manufacturing at the panel level can also reduce costs, so for example, LCD-TFT processes can be beneficial.

[0069] Method 1000 includes step 1004, adding MEMS to the substrate. Although MEMS is used to illustrate the addition of structures, it should be understood that other structures may be added without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In aspects using panel level processing, the MEMS structures may be added using LCD-TFT processes.

[0070] Step 1004 may be followed by optional step 1016, sub-plating. Step 1016 may be used when the substrate is larger than the processing equipment used in subsequent steps. For example, when using panel level processes (such as LCD), some embodiments include cutting the panel (at step 1004) to wafer size for further processing (e.g., using CMOS manufacturing equipment). In other embodiments, the same size substrate is used throughout method 1000 (i.e., step 1016 is not used).

[0071] The method 1000 includes step 1006, removing the MEMS from the substrate.

[0072] Method 1000 includes step 1008, post-detachment processing. Such post-detachment processing may prepare the MEMS structure for further process steps, such as planarization. In wafer-level processing, planarization may include chemical-mechanical planarization. In some embodiments, further process steps include etch-back, where photoresist is spun onto the topography to create a flatter surface, which is then etched. Greater control of etch time can result in a smoother surface profile. In some embodiments, further process steps include "spin-on glass," where an organic binder containing glass is spun onto the topography, and the result is baked to remove the organic solvent, leaving a smoother surface.

[0073] Method 1000 optionally includes step 1010, vacuum encapsulation of the MEMS structure, which may be beneficial for extending device lifetime.

[0074] Method 1000 includes step 1012, singulation. Some embodiments may include calibration and chip programming, which may take into account the characteristics of the sensor. The methods described herein may be advantageous in glass substrate manufacturing processes, since the uniformity of glass lithography capabilities is limited. As an additional advantage, glass has a lower thermal conductivity, so the glass substrate may be a better insulator, and by fabricating a thin structure that separates the bolometer pixels from the glass substrate, embodiments herein may work better to thermally isolate the glass bolometer pixels from the packaging environment.

[0075] Method 1000 includes step 1014, mounting of readout integrated circuit (ROIC) and flex / PCB mounting. The process and device described herein may have the additional advantage that the area required for signal processing can be much smaller than the sensing area defined by the sensing physics. Typically, sensors are integrated on top of CMOS circuits, where the area driving costs lead to technology nodes that are not optimal for the signal processing task. The process described herein can use a more suitable CMOS and reduce the area required for signal processing, freeing the sensor from any area constraints by leveraging the low cost of FPD (flat panel display) manufacturing. In some embodiments, the ROIC is specifically designed to meet the requirements for sensing a particular electromagnetic wavelength (X-ray, THz, LWIR, etc.).

[0076] An exemplary sensor is shown in FIG. 11. In some embodiments, the sensor 1100 is fabricated using the methods disclosed herein. The sensor 1100 includes a glass substrate 1106, a structure 1104 with a width of less than 250 nm bonded to the glass substrate 1106, and a sensor pixel 1102 bonded to the structure 1104. In some embodiments of the sensor 1100, the structure 1104 is a hinge that thermally isolates the active area from the glass. In some embodiments, the sensor 1100 receives an input current or charge and outputs an output current or charge based on the radiation received (e.g., the resistance between two terminals of the sensor changes in response to exposure to LWIR radiation).

[0077] In some embodiments, a sensor includes a glass substrate, a structure fabricated from any of the methods described herein and bonded to the glass substrate, and a sensor pixel bonded to the structure. By way of example, the sensor can include a resistive sensor and a capacitive sensor.

[0078] In some embodiments, the MEMS devices manufactured by the processes herein are bolometers each including a glass substrate and a bolometer pixel bonded to the structure. In some embodiments, the bolometers include MEMS or NEMS devices manufactured by the LCD-TFT manufacturing process.

[0079] Bolometers can be used in a variety of applications. For example, far infrared (LWIR, wavelengths of about 8-14 μm) bolometers can be used in the automotive and commercial security industries. For example, LWIR bolometers with QVGA, VGA, and other resolutions. Terahertz (THz, wavelengths of about 0.1-1.0 mm) bolometers can be used in security (such as airport passenger security screening) and medical (medical imaging). For example, THz bolometers can have QVGA resolution (320×240) or other resolutions. Some electrochemical systems can include x-ray sensors or camera systems. Similarly, LWIR and THz sensors are used in camera systems. Some electromechanical systems have been applied to medical imaging, such as endoscopes and exoscopes.

[0080] Other electromechanical systems include scanners for light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems. For example, optical scanners that can shape the spatial characteristics of a laser beam (for beam pointing, etc.). Electromechanical systems include inertial sensors (e.g., where the input stimulus is linear or angular motion). Some systems can be used in biosensing and biotherapeutic platforms (e.g., where biochemical agents are detected).

[0081] As used herein, the term "MEMS" may be understood to include electromechanical systems having geometries of about 1 mm or less. For example, the term "MEMS" may be understood to include nanoelectromechanical systems ("NEMS").

[0082] In a first aspect, a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, each device comprising a first material and a second material having different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), the method comprising the steps of: preparing a carrier having a CTE substantially equal to the first material, the carrier comprising a plurality of cavities; disposing a plurality of components in respective cavities of the carrier, the components comprising a second material; disposing a layer of the first material on the components of the second material; bonding the layer of the first material and the components of the second material; removing the carrier; and singulating the first material to provide a plurality of MEMS devices.

[0083] In a second embodiment, the method of embodiment 1, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises providing a carrier layer of a first material.

[0084] In a third embodiment, the method of embodiment 1, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises providing at least one of a ceramic material or a metal.

[0085] In a fourth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-3, wherein the step of preparing a carrier includes the steps of: preparing a first carrier layer; preparing a second carrier layer; bonding the first carrier layer and the second carrier layer; and removing material from one or both of the first carrier layer and the second carrier layer to form a plurality of cavities.

[0086] In a fifth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-4, further comprising the step of applying a vacuum, wherein the step of bonding the layer of the first material and the component of the second material is performed while applying the vacuum.

[0087] In a sixth embodiment, the method of embodiment 5, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises providing a carrier having a vacuum channel within each cavity.

[0088] In a seventh embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-6, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises the step of providing a circular wafer.

[0089] In an eighth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-6, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises providing a square wafer.

[0090] In a ninth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-8, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises the step of providing a 6 inch wafer.

[0091] In a tenth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-8, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises the step of providing an 8 inch wafer.

[0092] In an eleventh embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-6, wherein the step of providing a carrier comprises the step of providing a panel.

[0093] In a twelfth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-11, wherein the step of disposing the plurality of components comprises applying a vacuum to the components to secure the components to the carrier.

[0094] In a thirteenth embodiment, the method of embodiment 12, wherein the step of preparing the carrier comprises preparing a carrier having a vacuum channel in each cavity, and the step of applying the vacuum comprises applying the vacuum to the component through the channels.

[0095] In a fourteenth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-13, wherein each of the plurality of MEMS devices includes a cover of the second material.

[0096] In a fifteenth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-14, wherein each component includes a sidewall having a metallized surface.

[0097] In a sixteenth embodiment, the method of embodiment 15, wherein the sidewall of each component defines a cavity within the respective component.

[0098] In a seventeenth embodiment, the method of embodiment 16, further comprising forming a cavity in each component prior to placing the component in the carrier.

[0099] In an eighteenth embodiment, the method of embodiment 16, further comprising forming a cavity in each component after placing the component in the carrier.

[0100] In a nineteenth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 15-18, further comprising forming a metallized surface before placing the component in the carrier.

[0101] In a twentieth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 15-18, further comprising forming a metallized surface after placing the component in the carrier.

[0102] In a twenty-first embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 15-20, wherein joining the layer of the first material and the component of the second material comprises depositing a joining component on the metallized surface.

[0103] In a twenty-second embodiment, the method of embodiment 21, wherein the joining component comprises a solder preform, deposited solder, or both.

[0104] In a twenty-third embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-22, wherein joining the layer of the first material and the component of the second material comprises growing the joining component by deposition.

[0105] In a twenty-fourth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-23, wherein joining the first material and the second material comprises applying a temperature of less than 350°C.

[0106] In a twenty-fifth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-24, wherein joining the first material and the second material comprises applying a temperature of about 300°C.

[0107] In a twenty-sixth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-25, further comprising, after the step of disposing the layer of the first material on the component of the second material and prior to the step of joining the layer of the first material and the component of the second material, rotating the layer of the first material, the component of the second material, and the carrier.

[0108] In a twenty-seventh embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-26, wherein the singulating step comprises dicing the layer of first material using a dicing saw.

[0109] In a 28th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-26, wherein the singulating step comprises dicing the layer of first material using a scribe-and-break technique.

[0110] In a 29th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 1-28, wherein the first material and the second material are selected from glass and silicon.

[0111] In a 30th embodiment, a MEMS device includes a first portion and a second portion bonded to the first portion at a bonding region, the bonding region including a plurality of grooves.

[0112] In a thirty-first embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 30, wherein the groove forms a V-shape.

[0113] In a thirty-second embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 30-31, wherein the grooves are formed in the surface of the first portion, each groove including two sidewalls at about 54 degrees to the surface.

[0114] In a thirty-third embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 30, wherein the groove does not form an acute angle with the surface of the second portion.

[0115] In a thirty-fourth embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 30 to 33, wherein the first portion includes a groove and a cavity that is deeper than the groove.

[0116] In a thirty-fifth embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 34, wherein the MEMS device comprises a bolometer and the cavity surrounds the light sensor.

[0117] In a thirty-sixth embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 30-35, wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a plurality of cross-sectional grooves arranged end-to-end.

[0118] In a thirty-seventh embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 30-36, further comprising solder in the groove and between the first portion and the second portion.

[0119] In a thirty-eighth embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 37, wherein the solder preform has a first volume and the plurality of grooves define a second volume within the first portion, the second volume being greater than or equal to the first volume.

[0120] In a thirty-ninth embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 30-38, further comprising an adhesion layer in the groove and between the first portion and the second portion.

[0121] In a fortieth embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 30-39, wherein a groove is formed in a surface of the first portion, and the device further comprises a metallized ring attached to the second portion.

[0122] In a forty-first embodiment, a method for manufacturing a MEMS device including a bonding area, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a first portion of the device; adding a plurality of grooves to the first portion at the bonding area; placing solder (solder preform, deposited solder, etc.) over the grooves; aligning a second portion of the device with the first portion; heating the solder; moving the first portion toward the second portion; and cooling the solder such that the first portion bonds to the second portion at the bonding area.

[0123] In a 42nd embodiment, the method of embodiment 41, wherein the groove comprises a sidewall at about 54 degrees relative to the surface of the first portion.

[0124] In a 43rd aspect, the method of any of aspects 41 to 42, wherein the solder has a first volume, the plurality of grooves define a second volume within the first portion, and the second volume is greater than or equal to the first volume.

[0125] In a 44th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 41-43, wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a plurality of cross-sectional grooves arranged end-to-end.

[0126] In a 45th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 41-44, further comprising the step of adding a metallized ring to the second portion of the device.

[0127] In a 46th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 41 to 45, further comprising the step of adding a cavity in the first portion of the device, wherein the cavity is deeper than the groove.

[0128] In a 47th embodiment, the method of embodiment 46, wherein the cavity and the groove are added to the first portion in the same etching process step.

[0129] In a 48th embodiment, the method of embodiment 46, wherein the cavity and the groove are added to the first portion in different processing steps.

[0130] In a 49th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 46-48, wherein the MEMS device includes a bolometer and the cavity surrounds the optical sensor.

[0131] In a 50th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 41 to 49, further comprising at least one step of any of methods 1 to 29.

[0132] In a 51st embodiment, a method for manufacturing a plurality of MEMS devices, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a layer including a plurality of first electromechanical components; preparing a carrier including a plurality of locations, each location associated with a respective one of the plurality of first electromechanical components; identifying defective components among the plurality of first electromechanical components; placing a plurality of second electromechanical components at respective locations on the carrier, but not at locations associated with the defective electromechanical components; placing the layer on the carrier; bonding each pair of the first electromechanical components and the second electromechanical components; removing the carrier; and singulating the layer to result in a plurality of MEMS devices.

[0133] In a 52nd embodiment, the method of embodiment 51, wherein identifying the defective parts comprises electrically testing a plurality of first electromechanical parts.

[0134] In a 53rd embodiment, the method of embodiment 52, wherein identifying the defective part comprises identifying at least one of a short circuit or an open circuit.

[0135] In a 54th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51-53, wherein the step of identifying the defective parts comprises mechanically testing the plurality of first electromechanical parts.

[0136] In a 55th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51 to 54, wherein the step of identifying the defective parts includes the step of creating a defective device map.

[0137] 56. In a fifty-sixth aspect, the method of any of aspects 51-55, wherein the step of identifying the defective parts includes a step of identifying two or more defective parts, and the step of positioning the plurality of second electromechanical parts includes a step of positioning the plurality of second electromechanical parts at respective locations on the carrier but not at locations associated with the two or more defective electromechanical parts.

[0138] In a 57th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51-56, wherein the layer is wafer-sized.

[0139] In a 58th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51 to 57, wherein the component is circular.

[0140] In a fifty-ninth embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51 to 58, wherein the component comprises a bolometer cover.

[0141] In a 60th embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51-59, wherein the component comprises silicon.

[0142] In a 61st embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51-60, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of cavities, each at a respective location of the carrier.

[0143] In a 62nd embodiment, the method of any of embodiments 51 to 61, further comprising at least one step of any of methods 1 to 29 and methods 41 to 49.

[0144] In a 63rd embodiment, a method for manufacturing a MEMS device, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a transparent cover having a bonding area and a cavity; and applying an adhesive layer within the bonding area and within the cavity, the adhesive layer being positioned within the cavity so as to block radiation reaching a reference sensor.

[0145] In a 64th embodiment, the method of embodiment 63, further comprising at least one step of any of methods 1 to 29, methods 41 to 49, and methods 51 to 61.

[0146] In a sixty-fifth embodiment, a MEMS device includes a substrate having a reference sensor and an active sensor, and a transparent cover including a bonding area and a cavity, wherein the substrate and transparent cover are bonded at the bonding area using an adhesive, and the transparent cover includes adhesive in the cavity positioned to block radiation reaching the reference sensor.

[0147] In a 66th embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 65, wherein the cover further comprises a plurality of grooves in the bonding area.

[0148] In a 67th embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 66, wherein the groove forms a V-shape.

[0149] In a sixty-eighth embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments sixty-six to sixty-seven, wherein the grooves are formed in the surface of the transparent cover, each groove including two sidewalls at approximately 54 degrees to the surface.

[0150] In a sixty-ninth embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 66, wherein the groove does not form an acute angle with the surface of the transparent cover.

[0151] In a seventieth embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 66-69, wherein the cavity is deeper than the groove.

[0152] In a seventy-first embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 66-70, wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a plurality of cross-sectional grooves arranged end-to-end.

[0153] In a seventy-second embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 66-71, further comprising solder in the grooves and between the substrate and the transparent cover.

[0154] In a seventy-third embodiment, the MEMS device of embodiment 72, wherein the solder preform has a first volume and the plurality of grooves define a second volume within the transparent cover, the second volume being greater than or equal to the first volume.

[0155] In a 74th embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 66-73, wherein the groove is formed in the surface of the transparent cover, and the device further comprises a metallized ring attached to the substrate.

[0156] In a seventy-fifth embodiment, the MEMS device of any of embodiments 65-74, wherein the MEMS device comprises a bolometer and the cavity surrounds the optical sensor.

[0157] Although the disclosed embodiments have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications should be understood to be included within the scope of the disclosed embodiments as defined by the appended claims. For example, although the present disclosure has been described primarily with respect to glass MEMS plates / panels, those skilled in the art will recognize that other MEMS plates / panels may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Such other MEMS plates may include, but are not limited to, organic materials (plastics, polymers) and metals (stainless steel, etc.). As used herein, the terms "plate" and "panel" are synonymous.

[0158] The terms used in the description of the various described embodiments herein are merely for the purpose of describing the particular embodiment and are not intended to be limiting. When used in the description of the various described embodiments and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated described items. It will also be further understood that the terms "includes", "including", "comprises" and / or "comprising", as used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

Claims

1. A first part; a second portion joined to the first portion at a joining area, the joining area including a plurality of grooves; and , a MEMS device.

2. The MEMS device of claim 1 , wherein the groove forms a V-shape.

3. The MEMS device of claim 1 , wherein the grooves are formed in a surface of the first portion, each groove including two sidewalls at approximately 54 degrees to the surface.

4. The MEMS device of claim 1 , wherein the groove does not form an acute angle with the surface of the second portion.

5. The MEMS device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes the groove and a cavity that is deeper than the groove.

6. The MEMS device of claim 5 , wherein the MEMS device comprises a bolometer and the cavity surrounds a light sensor.

7. The MEMS device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a plurality of partitioned grooves arranged end-to-end.

8. The MEMS device of claim 1 , further comprising solder in the groove and between the first portion and the second portion.

9. the solder preform having a first volume; the plurality of grooves defining a second volume within the first portion; the second volume is equal to or greater than the first volume; 9. The MEMS device of claim 8.

10. The MEMS device of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesion layer within the groove and between the first portion and the second portion.

11. The MEMS device of claim 1 , wherein the groove is formed in a surface of the first portion, and the device further comprises a metallized ring attached to the second portion.

12. 1. A method for manufacturing a MEMS device, the device comprising a junction region, the method comprising: providing a first portion of the device; adding a plurality of grooves to the first portion at the bonding area; placing a solder preform over the groove; aligning a second portion of the device with the first portion; heating the solder preform; moving the first portion toward the second portion; and Cooling the solder preform so that the first portion joins to the second portion at the joining area.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the groove includes sidewalls that are approximately 54 degrees relative to the surface of the first portion.

14. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the solder preform has a first volume, the plurality of grooves defining a second volume within the first portion, the second volume being equal to or greater than the first volume.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a plurality of partitioned grooves arranged end-to-end.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising adding a metallization ring to the second portion of the device.

17. adding a cavity in the first portion of the device, the cavity being deeper than the groove; 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

18. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cavity and the groove are added to the first portion in the same etching process.

19. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cavity and the groove are added to the first portion in different processing steps.

20. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the MEMS device comprises a bolometer and the cavity surrounds a light sensor.

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