Bonded Microelectromechanical Assemblies

Abstract

A MEMS device is described that has a body with a component bonded to the body. The body has a main surface and a side surface adjacent to the main surface and smaller than the main surface. The body is formed of a material and the side surface is formed of the material and the body is in a crystalline structure different from the side surface. The body includes an outlet in the side surface and the component includes an aperture in fluid connection with the outlet.

1 . An assembly, comprising:
 a body having a main surface and a side surface adjacent to the main surface and smaller than the main surface, wherein the body is formed of a material and the side surface is formed of the material and the body is in a crystalline structure different from the side surface; and   a component bonded to the side surface with an adhesive, wherein the body includes an outlet in the side surface and the component includes an aperture in fluid connection with the outlet.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the body is formed of crystalline silicon and the side surface is formed of polysilicon. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the side surface is free from chips and burrs. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is in fluid communication with a chamber and the assembly further includes an actuator associated with and configured to change a volume of the chamber. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the component is a nozzle plate and the aperture is a nozzle. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the side surface is a substantially flat planar surface. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the side surface has a surface with a roughness between about 5 Angstroms and 5 microns ra. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the side surface is not a polished surface. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the side surface is perpendicular to the main surface. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a plurality of outlets in the side surface that are in fluid communication with a plurality of apertures in the component. 
   
   
       11 . A method of forming an assembly, comprising:
 laser dicing a body containing single crystalline material to form a die including MEMS, wherein the laser dicing focuses laser light at a plurality of points through a thickness of the body, the points defining a side surface of the die; and   bonding the surface to a component.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming a recess in a main surface of a substrate, wherein:
 the substrate is part of the body and the main surface of the substrate is perpendicular to the side surface of the body;   forming the recess in the main surface and laser dicing the body forms an outlet in the side surface; and   bonding the surface to a component includes bonding a component having an aperture therein so that the aperture is in fluid communication with the outlet.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the outlet is fluidly connected to a chamber that defines a volume, the method further comprising bonding a transducer to the body, wherein the transducer is configured to modify the volume when actuated. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 laser dicing a second surface that is perpendicular to a main surface of the substrate; and   using the second surface to align the die to a wall.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the single crystalline material is silicon and laser dicing forms the surface of polysilicon. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the laser dicing causes subsurface damage without ablation or vaporization. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein bonding the surface to the component includes bonding with an adhesive.