Enclosed MEMS Cavity Structure for Mechanical Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for improved structures that can be readily constructed and integrated into electronic and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) with enhanced performance, particularly for components like acoustic wave filters that require mechanical manipulation and signal processing.
Innovation Solution
The development of enclosed cavity structures on substrates, where components such as MEMS devices are housed within cavities formed in the substrate, supported by component supports and capped with a planar or non-planar cap, allowing for mechanical isolation and improved integration into electronic systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If components are assembled on the substrate using individually packaged surface-mount integrated-circuit devices, then device performance is improved, but device size and integration density increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the component from the traditional packaged form and places it directly on the substrate, eliminating the package structure. This allows the component to be mounted in a smaller footprint while maintaining performance, directly resolving the contradiction between performance and device size.
Solution Approach 2:
The component is nested directly within the substrate assembly without external packaging, integrating it into the overall device structure. This nesting approach reduces the total device footprint while preserving the component's functional performance.
2Area of stationary object
If thin-film circuits are used on the substrate, then device size is reduced, but device performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of both approaches by using a component that can be directly mounted on the substrate without packaging, achieving both the small size of thin-film circuits and the performance of packaged devices. The component is integrated directly into the substrate assembly, combining the benefits of both technologies.
3Reliability
If components are enclosed in cavities with caps, then mechanical isolation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into functional modules, with each component enclosed in its own cavity. This segmentation allows for independent optimization of each component's mechanical isolation while maintaining overall device manageability, reducing the perceived complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical isolation, protects the component, and integrates with the substrate mounting structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate structures, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining excellent mechanical isolation.
Data Source
AI summary
An example of a cavity structure comprises a cavity substrate comprising a substrate surface, a cavity extending into the cavity substrate, the cavity having a cavity bottom and cavity walls, and a cap disposed on a side of the cavity opposite the cavity bottom. The cavity substrate, the cap, and the one or more cavity walls form a cavity enclosing a volume. A component can be disposed in the cavity and can extend above the substrate surface. The component can be a piezoelectric or a MEMS device. The cap can have a tophat configuration. The cavity structure can be micro-transfer printed from a source wafer to a destination substrate.