Hermetic Panel Bonding for MEMS Cavities

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for manufacturing electronic devices with cavities, particularly for MEMS, face challenges in achieving cost-efficient and reliable production while ensuring hermetic sealing and specific gas environments for electronic components.

Innovation Solution

A method involving bonding panels of airtight materials in controlled gas atmospheres to form hermetically sealed cavities, allowing for the encapsulation of different gases and electronic components, using techniques such as anodic bonding, soldering, or gluing, and subsequent singulation into devices with multiple cavities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple bonding acts are performed in different gas atmospheres to form hermetically sealed cavities, then the reliability and hermetic sealing of electronic components is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and production time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process is divided into multiple bonding acts, each creating a hermetically sealed cavity with specific gas atmosphere. This segmentation allows each cavity to be independently optimized for different electronic components while maintaining overall process control and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Gas atmospheres are prepared and controlled before bonding occurs, ensuring that cavities are pre-filled with appropriate gases (inert, reactive, or vacuum) before components are sealed inside. This preliminary action guarantees hermetic sealing quality without requiring post-bonding modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple bonding acts are performed in different gas atmospheres to form hermetically sealed cavities, then the protection of electronic components is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bonding apparatus is designed to perform multiple bonding acts with different gas atmospheres using the same equipment platform. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated equipment for each bonding type, thereby controlling manufacturing costs while providing comprehensive component protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If panels are bonded in controlled gas atmospheres to form hermetically sealed cavities, then the mechanical functionality of MEMS is improved, but the production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The bonding process is designed to perform multiple bonding acts in continuous sequence without breaking the vacuum or gas atmosphere controls. This continuity maintains the protective environment throughout the entire manufacturing process, ensuring MEMS mechanical functionality while minimizing idle time between bonding operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables the reliable and cost-effective manufacturing of electronic devices with hermetically sealed cavities, ensuring the proper functioning and protection of electronic components by maintaining specific gas environments, enhancing the mechanical functionality and reliability of MEMS devices.

Implementation Method 1

bonding panels of airtight materials in controlled gas atmospheres to form hermetically sealed cavities, allowing for the encapsulation of different gases and electronic components, using techniques such as anodic bonding

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAnodic bonding:

Implementation Method 2

bonding panels of airtight materials in controlled gas atmospheres to form hermetically sealed cavities, allowing for the encapsulation of different gases and electronic components, using techniques such as anodic bonding, soldering, or gluing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSoldering: Soldering

Implementation Method 3

bonding a first panel of a first airtight material to a base panel in a first gas atmosphere, wherein multiple hermetically sealed first cavities encapsulating gas of the first gas atmosphere are formed between the first panel and the base panel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHermetic sealing:

Data Source

PatentUS11921032B2Methods including panel bonding acts and electronic devices including cavities

Publication Date: 2024.03.05

AI summary

A method is disclosed. In one example, the method includes bonding a first panel of a first material to a base panel in a first gas atmosphere, wherein multiple hermetically sealed first cavities encapsulating gas of the first gas atmosphere are formed between the first panel and the base panel. The method further includes bonding a second panel of a second material to at least one of the base panel and the first panel, wherein multiple second cavities are formed between the second panel and the at least one of the base panel and the first panel.