Planar microshells for vacuum encapsulated devices and damascene method of manufacture

A method of forming a microshell comprising:

• forming a non-planar sacrificial layer over a substrate and over a structural component of a MEMS;
• forming a pre-sealing layer over the non-planar sacrificial layer;
• planarizing the pre-sealing layer to perforate the pre-sealing layer with a topographic feature of the non-planar sacrificial layer to form a perforated pre-sealing layer including at least one perforation defined therein that is offset in position from the MEMS structure;
• removing the non-planar sacrificial layer through the perforation to release the structural component of a MEMS within a chamber and form the chamber around the MEMS structure under the pre-sealing layer, the perforated pre-sealing layer including at least one perforation defined therein that is offset in position from the released MEMS structure enclosed within the chamber;
• and
• sealing the per-sealing layer with a sealing layer on the pre-sealing layer to close the perforation, wherein the sealing layer comprises:
• a non-hermetic occluding layer to occlude the perforation, and
• a metal hermetic layer to seal the perforation.

An apparatus comprising:

• a grounded metal-insulator microshell comprising:
• a perforated pre-sealing layer to partially enclose a chamber on a substrate, the perforated pre-sealing layer including at least one perforation defined therein that is offset in position from a released MEMS structure enclosed within the chamber;
• a non-hermetic occluding layer to occlude the perforation;
• a metal hermetic sealing layer on the pre-sealing layer to close the perforation;
• and
• on the sealing layer, a conductive layer electrically coupled to a ground ring adjacent to the metal-insulator microshell;
• and
• a released interconnect structure encapsulated by the grounded metal-insulator microshell.

A microshell comprising:

• a perforated pre-sealing layer to partially enclose a chamber on a substrate;
• and
• a sealing layer on the pre-sealing layer to close a perforation, wherein the sealing layer further comprises:
• a non-hermetic occluding layer to occlude the perforation;
• and
• a metal hermetic layer to seal the perforation;
• wherein the microshell has an outer sidewall;
• and wherein the hermetic layer is electrically coupled to a conductive layer extending down the outer sidewall of the microshell.

A microshell comprising:

• a perforated pre-sealing layer to partially enclose a chamber on a substrate;
• and
• a sealing layer on the pre-sealing layer to close a perforation, wherein the sealing layer further comprises:
• a non-hermetic occluding layer to occlude the perforation;
• and
• a metal hermetic layer to seal the perforation;
• wherein the pre-sealing layer includes a plurality of perforations defined therein, with adjacent perforations of the plurality of perforations defined in the pre-sealing layer being offset relative to each other to form a staggered perforation pattern that is defined in the pre-sealing layer.