MEMS Cavity Plug for Independent Gas Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manufacturing multiple microelectromechanical (MEMS) elements on the same die is costly and challenging due to the need for different gas atmospheres for optimal functionality, as one MEMS element may require high pressure for damping while another requires low pressure or different gases, and existing sealing methods for varying gas pressures are unreliable.

Innovation Solution

A microelectromechanical component design featuring a support layer, device layer, and cap layer with a through-hole in the cap layer that is sealed by a plug, allowing for different gas pressures in separate cavities, ensuring reliable sealing and independent gas environments for each MEMS element.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If multiple MEMS elements are built on the same die, then manufacturing cost and device area are reduced, but the ability to provide different gas atmospheres for each element becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidgas atmosphere customization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into multiple sealed cavities, each containing a different MEMS element with its own optimized gas atmosphere. The cap layer is segmented with through-holes positioned over specific cavities, allowing independent gas filling for each cavity while maintaining different atmospheric conditions across the device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each cavity within the device is provided with a locally optimized gas atmosphere tailored to the specific requirements of the MEMS element it contains. This allows different regions of the device to have different gas pressures or compositions, with through-holes strategically positioned to enable selective gas filling in specific local areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If through-holes are used to fill cavities with different gas pressures, then gas atmosphere differentiation is achieved, but sealing reliability becomes suboptimal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas pressure differentiationVSAvoidsealing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Through-holes are formed in the cap layer before the bonding process, and cavities are pre-filled with their respective gases before final sealing. This preliminary gas filling ensures that each cavity contains its optimized atmosphere before the through-holes are sealed, preventing gas contamination or pressure equalization issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The through-holes serve as intermediary channels that enable controlled gas filling of specific cavities while maintaining isolation between different gas environments. These holes are strategically positioned and sized to allow precise gas introduction and subsequent reliable sealing, acting as controlled access points rather than open pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20230365399A1Plug for MEMS cavity

Publication Date: 2023.11.16 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

A microelectromechanical is provided that includes a support layer, a device layer and a cap layer, a first cavity and a second cavity. The first cavity and the second cavity are delimited by the support layer, the device layer and the cap layer. Moreover, the cap layer includes a through-hole that extends from the top surface of the cap layer to the first cavity. The microelectromechanical component includes a plug inside the through-hole and that seals the first cavity.