Mems gap control structures
AssigneeInvenSense, Inc.
InventorsJong Il SHIN, Peter SMEYS, Bongsang KIM
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Abstract
Provided herein is an apparatus including a cavity in a first side of a first silicon wafer, and an oxide layer on the first side and in the cavity. A first side of a second silicon wafer is bonded to the first side of the first silicon wafer. A gap control structure is on a second side of the second silicon wafer, and a MEMS structure in the second silicon wafer. A eutectic bond is bonding the second side of the second silicon wafer to a third silicon wafer. A lower cavity is between the second side of the silicon wafer and the third silicon wafer, wherein the gap control structure is outside of the lower cavity and the eutectic bond.
Claims15
An apparatus comprising:
- a cavity in a first side of a first silicon wafer;
- an oxide layer on the first side and in the cavity;
- a first side of a second silicon wafer bonded to the first side of the first silicon wafer;
- a gap control structure on a second side of the second silicon wafer;
- a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) structure in the second silicon wafer;
- a eutectic bond bonding the second side of the second silicon wafer to a third silicon wafer;
- and
- a lower cavity between the second side of the silicon wafer and the third silicon wafer, wherein the gap control structure is outside of the lower cavity and the eutectic bond.
An apparatus comprising:
- a handle substrate bonded to a structural layer;
- standoffs formed on the structural layer;
- a gap control structure formed on the structural layer;
- a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) structure formed in the structural layer;
- and
- an IC (integrated circuit) substrate eutecticly bonded to the structural layer with a eutectic bond, wherein the eutectic bond is between the MEMS structure and the gap control structure;
- and
- a cavity between the MEMS structure and the IC substrate, wherein the gap control structure is outside of the cavity.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first wafer including a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) structure;
- second wafer bonded to the first wafer with a eutectic bond;
- a gap between the MEMS structure and an electrode on the second wafer;
- a gap control structure between the first wafer and the second wafer, wherein
- the gap control structure determines a distance between the MEMS structure and the electrode, and
- the gap control structure is outside of a cavity between the first wafer and the second wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.