Abstract:
A method for forming through silicon vias (TSVs) in a silicon substrate is disclosed. The method involves forming a silicon post as an substantially continuous annulus in a first side of a silicon substrate, removing material from an opposite side to the level of the substantially continuous annulus, removing the silicon post and replacing it with a metal material to form a metal via extending through the thickness of the substrate. The substantially continuous annulus may be interrupted by at least one tether which connects the silicon post to the silicon substrate. The tether may be formed of a thing isthmus of silicon, or some suitable insulating material.
Abstract:
A bonding technology is disclosed that can form an anodic, conductive bond between two optically transparent substrates. The anodic bond may be accompanied by a metal alloy, solder, eutectic and polymer bond. The first anodic bond may provide one attribute such as hermeticity, whereas the second bond may provide another attribute, such as electrical conductivity.
Abstract:
A method for forming a cavity in a microfabricated structure, includes the sealing of that cavity with a low temperature solder. The method may include forming a sacrificial layer over a substrate, forming a flexible membrane over the sacrificial layer, forming a release hole through a flexible membrane to the sacrificial layer, introducing an etchant through the release hole to remove the sacrificial layer, and then sealing that release hole with a low temperature solder.
Abstract:
A disposable cartridge is described which is equipped with a plurality of microfabricated particle sorting structures. The disposable cartridge may include passageways which connect fluid reservoirs in the cartridge with corresponding microfluidic passageways on the particle sorting structure. A flexible gasket may prevent leakages and allow the fluid to cross the gasket barrier through a plurality of holes in the gasket, allowing fluid to be transferred from the reservoirs to the microfabricated particle sorting structures. The plurality of particle sorting structures may be arranged in the disposable cartridge in order to perform multiple separation operations, such as a sequential or parallel sorting operation.
Abstract:
A MEMS-based system and a method are described for separating a target particle from the remainder of a fluid stream. The system makes use of a unique, microfabricated movable structure formed on a substrate, which moves in a rotary fashion about one or more fixed points, which are all located on one side of the axis of motion. The movable structure is actuated by a separate force-generating apparatus, which is entirely separate from the movable structure formed on its substrate. This allows the movable structure to be entirely submerged in the sample fluid.
Abstract:
An approach to activating a getter within a sealed vacuum cavity is disclosed. The approach uses inductive coupling from an external coil to a magnetically permeable material deposited in the vacuum cavity. The getter material is formed over this magnetically permeable material, and heated specifically thereby, leaving the rest of the device cavity and microdevice relatively cool. Using this inductive coupling technique, the getter material can be activated after encapsulation, and delicate structures and low temperature wafer bonding mechanisms may be used.
Abstract:
A micromechanical electromagnetic actuator may have two separate components: a flux-generating portion and a separate movable structure. The flux-generating portion may have a plurality of conductive coils wound around a magnetically permeable material. Each coil generates a magnetic field along its axis, which is different for each of the coils. The adjacent movable structure may include magnetically permeable features, one inlaid in the movable structure and other stationary features which focus the flux produced by the flux-generating mechanism across a gap between the stationary features. By energizing each coil sequentially, a push-pull motion in the actuator may result from the force of the magnetically permeable features. This push-pull actuator may be particularly effective when used as a pumping element in a drug delivery system, or other fluidic pumping system.
Abstract:
An approach to activating a getter within a sealed vacuum cavity is disclosed. The approach uses inductive coupling from an external coil to a magnetically permeable material deposited in the vacuum cavity. The getter material is formed over this magnetically permeable material, and heated specifically thereby, leaving the rest of the device cavity and microdevice relatively cool. Using this inductive coupling technique, the getter material can be activated after encapsulation, and delicate structures and low temperature wafer bonding mechanisms may be used.
Abstract:
A method for providing access to a feature on a device wafer, and located outside an encapsulation region is described. The method includes forming a cavity in the lid wafer, aligning the lid wafer with the device wafer so that the cavity is located substantially above the feature, and removing material substantially uniformly from the bottom surface of the lid wafer, until an aperture is formed at the cavity, over the feature on the device wafer. By removing material from the lid wafer in a substantially uniform manner, difficulties with the prior art procedure of saw cutting, such as alignment and debris generation, are avoided.
Abstract:
A hermetic interconnect is fabricated on a substrate by forming a stud of conductive material over a metallization layer, and then overcoating the stud of conductive material and the metallization layer with a layer of compliant dielectric material. In one embodiment, the layer of compliant dielectric material is low Young's modulus silicon dioxide, formed by sputter-deposition at low temperature, in a low pressure argon atmosphere. The interconnect may provide electrical access to a micromechanical device, which is enclosed with a capping wafer hermetically sealed to the substrate with an AuInx alloy bond.