Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Steven Edward Staller

John Carl Christenson

Robert Lawrence Healton

John Emmett Freeman

Troy Allan Chase

Ralph S Taylor

David Boyd Rich

An electronic device assembly that includes a die and a substrate, and optionally a lead frame and a heat spreader. The die is characterized as an electronic device in die form, and has a polished die region. The substrate has a polished substrate region in direct contact with the polished die region. The polished die region and the polished substrate region have surface finishes effective to attach the die to the substrate by way of an atomic bond. The lead-frame has a polished lead-frame region, and the heat spreader has a polished heat spreader region. These polished regions may also be attached to the polished die region or the polished substrate region by way of an atomic bond.

Atomic level bonding for electronics packaging

A semiconductor wafer is etched to create an array of MEMS devices and at the same time, test sites having geometry which represent critical geometry of the MEMS devices. Probe contacts are provided in the test sites to permit measurement of resistance and capacitance between test site geometry as a way of determining the effectiveness of the etch. One test site comprises a ladder of semiconductor structures separated by gaps of graded width. Another test site comprises finger structures formed over a cavity and the probe contacts are located so as to detect inter-finger capacitance and resistance (or continuity) as well as intra-finger resistance.

Method and apparatus for electrically testing and characterizing formation of microelectric features

A method and device for verifying whether a cavity ( ) enclosing a micromachined sensing structure ( ) between a pair of wafers ( ) is hermetically sealed by detecting the presence of moisture within the cavity ( ). The method entails forming a bare, unpassivated PN junction diode ( ) in a semiconductor substrate, preferably a device wafer ( ) with the sensing structure ( ). The device wafer ( ) is then bonded to a capping wafer ( ) to enclose the PN junction diode ( ) and micromachine ( ) within a cavity ( ) defined by and between the wafers ( ). The reverse diode characteristics of the PN junction diode ( ) are then determined by causing a reverse current to flow through the diode ( ). For this purpose, either a known voltage is applied across the diode ( ) and the reverse leakage current measured, or a known reverse current is forced across the diode ( ) and the voltage measured. The unpassivated junction diode ( ) exhibits unstable current/voltage readings if sufficient moisture is present within the cavity ( ), thereby indicating whether or not the cavity ( ) is hermetically sealed.

Semiconductor device with means for verifying a hermetic seal therefor

A micro-electro-mechanical structure including a semiconductor layer mounted to an annular support structure via an isolation layer wherein the semiconductor layer is micromachined to form a suspended body having a plurality of suspension projections extending from the body to the rim and groups of integral projections extending toward but spaced from the rim between said suspension projections. Each projection in said groups has a base attached to the body and a tip proximate the rim. The structure includes a plurality of inward projections extending from and supported on the rim and toward the body. Each such projection has a base attached to the rim and a tip proximate the body; wherein the grouped projections and the inward projections are arranged in an interdigitated fashion to define a plurality of proximate projection pairs independent of the suspension elements such that a primary capacitive gap is defined between the projections of each projection pair. Also, a process is disclosed for fabricating the micro-electro-mechanical structure including the steps of removing a highly doped etch termination layer and thereafter etching through a lightly doped epitaxial layer to thereby define and release the structure.

MEMS sensor structure and microfabrication process therefor

A method and device for verifying whether a cavity (16) enclosing a micromachined sensing structure (14) between a pair of wafers (10, 12) is hermetically sealed by detecting the presence of moisture within the cavity (16). The method entails forming a bare, unpassivated PN junction diode (20) in a semiconductor substrate, preferably a device wafer (10) with the sensing structure (14). The device wafer (10) is then bonded to a capping wafer (12) to enclose the PN junction diode (20) and micromachine (14) within a cavity (16) defined by and between the wafers (10, 12). The reverse diode characteristics of the PN junction diode (20) are then determined by causing a reverse current to flow through the diode (20). For this purpose, either a known voltage is applied across the diode (20) and the reverse leakage current measured, or a known reverse current is forced across the diode (20) and the voltage measured. The unpassivated junction diode (20) exhibits unstable current/voltage readings if sufficient moisture is present within the cavity (16), thereby indicating whether or not the cavity (16) is hermetically sealed.

Growing community of inventors

Russiaville, IN, United States of America

Steven Edward Staller