Integrated MEMS Acoustic Sensor Package With Pressure Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of MEMS acoustic sensors and pressure sensors into a single package is complex due to different manufacturing and assembly requirements, leading to increased costs and reduced opportunities for process control and additional functionality, as well as challenges in managing uncontrolled spacing and device failures.
Innovation Solution
An integrated package design that includes a MEMS acoustic sensor, a pressure sensor, and an ASIC CMOS chip, where the sensors are either side by side or stacked with a stress isolation compound, allowing for a single test setup and reduced real estate requirements on a customer's PCB, while enabling optimized performance and reduced integration complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acoustic sensors and pressure sensors are mounted separately on customer PCB, then each device can be individually tested and assembled, but this increases customer PCB real estate cost and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (acoustic sensor, pressure sensor, and ASIC) into a single integrated package. This merging eliminates the need for separate PCB mounting of each sensor, reducing customer PCB real estate requirements and simplifying manufacturing by providing a pre-assembled, pre-tested unit as a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated package serves multiple functions simultaneously - acoustic sensing, pressure sensing, and signal processing - all within a single device. This multi-functionality allows the package to replace multiple separate components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining individual testing capabilities at the package level.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple separate devices are integrated into one system, then device footprint is reduced, but integration becomes complex due to different manufacturing and assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges acoustic sensors, pressure sensors, and ASICs into a single integrated package that maintains a compact footprint. The merging is achieved through co-packaging multiple sensor types within a unified structure, reducing the overall device footprint while managing integration complexity through standardized assembly processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a package substrate as an intermediary platform that hosts multiple sensor types. This substrate serves as a common foundation that simplifies integration by providing standardized mounting, electrical connections, and mechanical support, thereby reducing the complexity of integrating devices with different manufacturing requirements.
3Device complexity
If acoustic sensor and pressure sensor are placed with uncontrolled spacing, then integration is simpler, but manufacturing variables increase and process control opportunities are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes predetermined, controlled spacing between the acoustic sensor and pressure sensor during the package assembly process. This preliminary positioning is built into the package design, ensuring precise spacing is achieved before final assembly, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while simplifying the overall integration process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual or variable spacing adjustments with a fixed mechanical structure that inherently maintains precise spacing between sensors. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for complex alignment procedures while ensuring consistent, controlled spacing across all manufactured units.
4Reliability
If sensors are separately mounted and tested, then individual device functionality can be verified, but additional manufacturing variables are introduced and process control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors and processing circuits into a single package that can be tested as one integrated unit. This merging allows functionality verification at the package level, ensuring all components work together correctly, while improving manufacturing efficiency by reducing the number of separate testing and assembly steps required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary integration and testing of multiple sensors within the package before delivery to the customer. This preliminary action ensures functionality is verified early in the manufacturing process, allowing for corrective measures if needed, and improves overall productivity by providing a ready-to-use integrated component that requires minimal additional assembly or testing.
Data Source
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AI summary
Integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) acoustic sensor devices are disclosed. Integrated MEMS acoustic sensor devices can comprise a MEMS acoustic sensor element and a pressure sensor within the back cavity associated with the MEMS acoustic sensor element. Integrated MEMS acoustic sensor devices can comprise a port adapted to receive acoustic waves or pressure. Methods of fabrication are also disclosed.