Latching micro magnetic relay packages and methods of packaging

A package with a MEMS device hermetically sealed in the package comprising:

• a supporting GaAs substrate with a surface;
• at least one contact for the MESS device on the surface of the supporting substrate with an external connection to the contact;
• a cantilever on the surface of the supporting substrate, the cantilever being positioned to move into electrical engagement with the contact in a first orientation and out of electrical engagement with the contact in a second orientation in response to activation of the MEMS device;
• a substrate metal seal ring fixed on the surface of the supporting substrate circumferentially around the contact and the cantilever, the substrate metal seal ring including an adhesion portion adhered to the surf ace of the supporting substrate and a sealing portion adhered to the adhesion portion;
• a silicon chip forming a cap member and defining a cavity with a continuous edge circumferentially around the cavity, the cavity being designed to receive the cantilever and contact therein;
• a cap member metal seal ring fixed on the continuous edge of the cap member, the cap member metal seal ring including an adhesion portion adhered to the surface of the continuous edge of the cap member and a sealing portion adhered to the adhesion portion;
• a permanent magnet affixed to the cap member;
• a solder alloy sealingly engaging the sealing portion of the cap member metal seal ring on the continuous edge of the cap member to the sealing portion of the substrate metal seal ring on the surface of the supporting substrate;
• and
• a permaloy magnetic flux concentrator affixed to the supporting substrate in a position to cooperate with the permanent magnet to hold the cantilever in either of the first and second orientations.