Process for Producing a Metal Device Housed in a Closed Housing within an Integrated Circuit, and Corresponding Integrated Circuit

A semiconductor device, comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a plurality of circuit elements disposed at a surface of the semiconductor substrate;
• an interconnect structure overlying the substrate and electrically interconnecting ones of the circuit elements, the interconnect structure comprising a number of metallization levels separated by an insulating region;
• a housing overlying the substrate, the housing including walls formed from metal portions of the metallization levels;
• and
• a metal device housed in the housing, the metal device electrically connected to the interconnect structure.

A device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first metal layer overlying the substrate, a portion of the first metal layer forming a floor of a housing;
• a second metal layer overlying the first metal layer, a first portion the second metal layer forming a wall of the housing and a second portion the second metal layer forming at least part of a metal device disposed within the housing;
• and
• a third metal layer overlying the second metal layer, a portion of the third metal layer forming a cap of the housing.

A method for producing a device, the method comprising:

• providing substrate with integrated circuit elements disposed at a surface thereof;
• forming a closed housing over the substrate;
• and
• forming a metal device within the housing, the housing including a wall with an aperture through which a through-metallization passes in order to make electrical contact to the device within the housing.