Packaging microelectromechanical structures

Abstract

A MEMS device may be formed in a hermetic cavity by sealing a pair of semiconductor structures to one another, enclosing the MEMS device. The two structures may be coupled using surface mount techniques as one example, so that the temperatures utilized may be compatible with many MEMS applications. Electrical interconnection layers in one or the other of these structures may be utilized to allow electrical interconnections from the exterior world to the MEMS components within the cavity.

1 . A method comprising: 
 forming a microelectromechanical structure device on a first structure;    hermetically sealing said first structure to a second structure; and    providing an interconnection layer in one of said first and second structures to allow electrical interconnections to the microelectromechanical structure device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  including securing said first structure to said second structure using temperatures of 300° C. or less.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  including securing said first structure to said second structure using surface mount techniques.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  including forming a wall on one of said first or second structures that encircles said microelectromechanical structure device.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  including surface mounting said wall on one of said structures to the other of said structures.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  including forming a cavity between said first and second structures and providing a pillar which extends from one of said structures and electrically connects to the other of said structures.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  including surface mounting said pillar on one of said structures to the other of said structures.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  including forming a cavity between said first and second structures with said microelectromechanical structure device in said cavity, providing an electrical connection in said cavity to said microelectromechanical structure device and providing a contact on one of said first or second structures outside said cavity but electrically coupled to said microelectromechanical structure device through said interconnection layer.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  including forming a contact electrically coupled to said interconnection layer and severing one of said first or second structures to expose the contact on the other of said first or second structures.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  including surface mounting a printed circuit board to one of said structures sandwiching the other of said structures between the one of said structures and said printed circuit board.  
   
   
       11 - 30  (Canceled).