SI wafer-cap wafer bonding method using local laser energy, device produced by the method, and system used in the method

Abstract

System and method for bonding a cap to a wafer. The method includes providing a wafer with an microelectromechanical system arranged thereon; providing a bond frame arranged on the outer perimeter of the wafer; and providing a transparent cap. A laser beam is projected through the transparent cap and impinges on the bond frame in a region adjacent to the transparent cap. The bond frame absorbs some or all of the laser energy and increases in temperature. The heat generated by the impinging laser beam is transferred from the bond frame to the adjacent cap, which is heated in excess of its melting temperature. The transparent cap melts in the region of the laser impinging on the bond frame and thereby bonds with the bond frame, creating a hermetic seal between the cap and the wafer. The MEMS sensor is thereby protected from the environment by the hermetically sealed cap. A MEMS device with an hermetically sealed cap or a BioMEMS device with a channel having rounded corners is provided. A system for creating hermetically sealed MEMS devices and/or BioMEMS devices having rounded channels is provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.