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Chapter 11
Assembly, Packaging, and Testing (APT)
of Microsystems
Like ICs, no MEMS or microsystem is made by only one single component.
They are almost all made of multi-components that need to be assembled
and packaged to make the microdevices
Thus, packaging of microsystems involves: assembly, joining, interconnecting,
encapsulation of minute parts and components into a microsystem product
Packaging also includes performance and reliability testing of the finished
products
Packaging is the most critical factor of successful commercialization of microscale products. Packaging cost can be as high as 95% of the overall cost of
the production. On average, packaging cost is about 30% of the total
production cost. Cost-effective and reliable packaging technique is thus the
key to the competitiveness of the microsystem product in the marketplace
Content
Overview of Assembly, Packaging and Testing (APT)
of MEMS and Microsystems
Part 1: Microassembly
Part 2: Packaging of Microsystems
Part 3: Reliability and Testing of Microsystems
Process
Interconnect
Design & Modeling; Testing
Equipment
Materials
1990
1995
2000
2005 2010
Standards Timeline
2015
2020
Silicon Wafer
Top View
Silicon Die
Elevation
(Cross-Section)
P
Co yrex
G
nst
rain lass
tB
ase
(1) Wafers
Surface
coating
Lift-off
Part
sorting
Sub-group
(7) assemblies:
(8)
Surface
bonding
Wire
bonding
Assembly:
Steps (6) and (12)
Packaging: Steps (3), (7), (9) and (16)
Testing:
Steps (2), (8), (11), (14) and (15)
-fabrication: Steps (4), (5), (10), (13)
(11)
(12)
Electrical
inspection
Curing of
passivation
materials
Electrical
inspection
(Packaged sub-groups)
Microfabrication
on wafers
(3)
(6)
Incoming wafer
inspection
(Parts)
(2)
(13)
(14)
System
assembly
System
encapsulation
(Sealing)
Testing for
sealing
Testing for
(15) electrical and
performance
functions
(16) Product packaging
(17)
Shipping
Part 1
Microassembly
1996 Units
(millions)
1996 Revenue
($millions)
2002 Units
(millions)
2002
Revenue
($millions
)
2006 Units
(millions)
2006
Revenue
($million)
Established
Products
1595
13033
6807
34290
10282
48461
33
107
1045
4205
1720
6937
1628
13140
7852
38495
12002
55398
Emerging
Products
Total
Microassembly Processes
Parts feeding
Part grasping by microgrippers, manipulators and robots
Part mating by specially designed tools
Part bonding and fastening
Wire bonding
Special surface bonding
Encapsulation and passivation
Mechanical and physical/chemical encapsulation
Vacuum packaging
Sensing and verification
Visual inspection for structural integrity
Performance testing
Materials
Minimum/Maximum
Sizes
Dimensional
Tolerance (m)
Wet anisotropic
etching
1.0
Dry etching
0.1
Poly-silicon
Poly-Si, Al, Ti
surfacemicromachining
0.5
Silicon-on-insulators
Si crystal
0.1
LIGA process
0.3
Geometric Tolerances:
Relating to the discrepancy of the geometry of microcomponents produced by
microfabrication processes and the intended application of the microsystem.
Improperly setting of this tolerance may cause serious misfit2 in assembly:
o
4.8 m
Fixed
Electrodes
L = length
w = width
d = gap
Moving
Electrodes
with fingers
L
W=2 m
4.8 m
db = 3 m
W=2 m
40 m
dt = 1.74 m
36 m
Figure 11.5
L = 40 m
Ocular Lens
(Eyepiece)
Y
1
y
d
The small d for large X means very small working space for
microassembly tools, e.g., microgrippers, or other fixtures
tools and fixtures with very low aspect ratios
(aspect ratio = dimension in height to length)
Objective Lens
Working
Distance
d
Tools with high aspect ratios may not have sufficient rigidity
to provide high precision pick-n-place operations
difficult in precision control without feedback tactile sensor feedback
This practice requires the tool surface to be in contact with that of the microcomponents to be picked from one location and placed at another location.
Gripping
Force
Grasping:
Releasing:
Adhesive
Force
Gravitation
Gravitation
(insignificant)
Fv =
Ad
12 2
Fe =
q2
4 d 2
Fs = s
Gravitation
(insignificant)
An integrated micropositioner:
Linear movement with step sizes: 0.3 m in X-Y and 0.07 m in the Z-axis
Rotation about both X & Y axes at 0.0028o/step.
Resolution in linear movements: 40 nm.
Micromanipulator unit:
Microgripper with special end-effector, or micro tweezers.
Provide proper gripping forces, and be able to overcome the induced
adhesive forces in releasing the object.
Microtweezers
or manipulator
Integrated
Micro-positioner
with Micro Servo
Actuator:
(Linear in X & Y
+
Rotations about x-Y)
Vertical Microscope
& Camera
Optics
St
& ereo
Ca
me Micr
ra os
co
pe
Portable Clean Room (class 100)
PC
Micro-controller
cards + operation
software
Grasping a ring by a
micro tweezers
Micro positioner
Micro manipulator
Part 2
Packaging of Microsystems
Level 4
Gate (L4)
Level 3
Board (L3)
Card (L2)
Level 1
Module (L1)
Chip (L0)
Wire bond
Si die
Die attach
Interconnect
Gull-wing Lead
Silicon die
with IC
Wire bond
Die pad
Solder joint
Printed Circuit Board (or Wirebound) Board
Reliability issues:
e
int
Pr
uit
irc
c
d
Solder joint
er
Int
s
ect
n
con
ts
oin
j
r
lde
So
Failure mechanisms:
Mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion between the attached materials.
Fatigue-fracture of materials due to thermal cycling and mechanical vibration.
Deterioration of material strength due to environmental effects such as moisture.
Intrinsic stresses and strains from fabrication processes as described in Chapter 8.
Interconnect
Design & modeling;
Testing
Equipment
Materials
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Standards Timeline
Most MEMS and microsystems packaging have been carried out on the
basis of specific applications by the industry.
Little has been reported in the public domain on the strategies,
methodologies, and materials used in packaging of MEMS and
microsystem products.
Input
Output
Chemical
Yes
Yes
Electrical
Yes
Yes
Fluid/hydraulic
Yes
Yes
Magnetic
Yes
Mechanical
Yes
Yes
Optical
Yes
Yes
Device packaging:
Die Packaging:
Input
Action
Sensing
Element
Output
Motion
Actuating
Element
Signal Mapping
& Transduction
Signal
Conditioning &
Processing
Power
Supply
Interconnect
Wire bond
(Si gel)
Si die
Die attach
Silicon gel
Silicon
Diaphragm
Die
Attach
Pyrex Glass
Constraining
Base
Interconnect
Metal
Casing
Plastic encapsulant
Passage for
Pressurized
Medium
Metal cover
Pressurized
medium inlet
Input
action
Sensing
element
Output
motion
Actuating
element
electric bridges
signal conditioning circuits
Output
signals
Signal mapping
& transduction
Signal
conditioning
& processing
Power
supply
Proper regulation
of input power
The interfaces of delicate dies and core elements with other parts of the
packaged products at radically different sizes, and
The interfaces of these delicate elements with environmental factors, such as
temperature, pressure and toxicity of the working and the contacting media.
MEMS devices or microsystems at the end of this packaging level are ready
to be plug-in to the existing engineering systems:
Packaged inertia
Sensor for airbag
Deployment system
Biomedical interfaces
The packaged systems need to be biologically compatible with human
systems and they are expected to function for a specified lifetime.
Every micro biosystem must be built to satisfy the following requirements
that are related to interface:
It is inert to chemical attack during the useful lifetime of the unit.
It follows mixing with biological materials in a well-controlled manner
if it is used as biosensors.
It causes no damage or harm to the surrounding biological cells in the
cases of instrumented catheters such as pace makers.
It causes no unwanted chemical reactions such as corrosion between the
packaged device and the contacting human body fluids, tissue and cells.
All biomedical devices and systems are subject to FDA regulations.
Heat
Weight
Doped Si
Si Substrate
Au/Sn Film
Applied DC voltage:
200-1000 volts
Glass wafer
Silicon wafer
Na+
Na+
Na+ Glass
Na+
Na+
Na Depletion
Layer 1 m
O 2O 2O 2O 2O 2-
SiO2 layer
Si+
Si+
Si+ Silicon
Si+
Si+
20 nm
Bonding interface
Wire Bonding
Wire bonding techniques developed for microelectronics are applicable for
bonding electric lead wires in MEMS and microsystems.
Interconnect
Wire bond Piezoresistor
Metal film
Dielectric layer
Metal cover
Wire bond
(Si gel)
Si die
Die attach
Silicon gel
Silicon
Diaphragm
Die
Attach
Metal
Casing
Pyrex Glass
Constraining
Base
Interconnect
Passage for
Pressurized
Medium
Plastic encapsulant
Pressurized
medium inlet
Capillary
Tool
Metal Pad
Substrate
Substrate
With mechanical
compression
Metal pad
Wedge
Bonding
Tool
Wire
Metal Pads
Wedge
Bond
Substrate
Metal Pads
Thermosonic bonding
This process uses ultrasonic energy with thermocompression.
As such, wire bonding can take place at 100-150oC.
Joints can be in either ball-wedge or wedge-wedge form.
Wire
Sealing
Sealing is a key requirement in MEMS and microsystems packaging.
Hermetic sealing is essential in devices or systems such as: microfluidic,
optoMEMS, bioMEMS, pressure sensors, etc.
There are generally 3 sealing techniques available for MEMS and microsystems:
(1) Mechanical sealing technique:
Epoxy for microfluidics. It is flexible but ages with time.
Eutectic soldering for hermetic seals.
(2) Sealing by microfabrication processes - Sealing by micro shells:
Doped silicon
PSG sacrificial
layer
Die
Constraint base
(a) With sacrificial layer
Doped silicon
micro shell
Constraint base
(b) After the removal of sacrificial layer
Sealing Ends
(3) Sealing by chemical reactions:
Sealing
Silicon shell
Die
Si Constraint base
(a) Unsealed encapsulant
SiO2
seals
SiO2 film
Die
SiO2
seals
Si Constraint base
(b) Sealed encapsulation by oxide
grown from silicon shell
3-Dimensional Packaging
3-D microelectronics packaging
3-dimensional packaging is a popular R&D topic in microelectronics
packaging.
Principal reasons for 3-D packaging are:
Provides high volumetric efficiency,
Provides high-capacity layer-to-layer signal transport.
Has the ability to accommodate wide range of variation of layer types.
Has the ability to isolate and access a fundamental stackable
element for repair, maintenance or upgrading.
Has the ability to accommodate multiple modalities, e.g. analog,
digital, RF power, etc.
Provides adequate heat removal among the package layers.
Allows for high pin-count delivery to the next level of packaging with
high electrical efficiency.
Accelerometer
for x-direction
Accelerometer
for y-direction
Acceleration
in y-direction
3-D packaging
Cap wafer
Al-to-nitride bond
Device wafer
Both the device and cap wafers are pre-baked in vacuum at 300oC for 4 hours in a vacuum
quartz tube to drive out and entrapped gas from microfabrication processes.
The two wafers are assembled and loaded into a sample holder and placed in the vacuum
heating tube again.
The set is then placed inside of the RTP equipment and the base pressure was pumped
down to about 1 mTorr.
The vacuum was held steady for about 4 hours to drive out entrapped gas inside the cavity.
The sealing is completed by RTP heating in 10 s at 750oC.
Microstructure
CVD
Deposition
Vacuum Cavity
Silicon substrate
The set is put into a vacuum chamber at about 250 mTorr with the flow of silane gas.
The intense heat release by the microheater decomposes silane for localized polysilicon
deposition to seal the venting hole as shown in the right of the Figure.
The CVD deposition process provide the necessary seal for the microdevice
Available Materials
Remarks
Die
Insulators
Constraint base
Die bonding
Wire bonds
Interconnect pins
Poissons ratio
Thermal Expansion
Coefficient ppm/oK)
190,000
0.29
2.33
344,830-408,990 (20oC)
344,830-395,010 (500oC)
0.27
6.0-7.0 (25-300oC)
Solder (60Sn40Pb)
31,000
0.44
26
Epoxy
(Ablebond 789-3)
4,100
Silicon
Alumina
Silicone rubber
(Dow Corning 730)
1.2
63 below 126oC
140 above 126oC
0.49
370
Poissons ratio
0 500
at 40oC: 7,990
at 25oC: 5,930
at 125oC: 200
0.42
0.42
0.49
55
60
1.5
500 2,000
at 40oC: 4,680
at 25oC : 4,360
at 125oC: 110
Same as above
Same as above
2,000 10,000
at 40oC: 3,830
at 25oC: 3,620
at 125oC: 60
Same as above
Same as above
10,000 20,000
at 40oC: 3,610
at 25oC: 2,650
at 125oC: 40
Same as above
Same as above
20,000 30,000
at 25oC: 1,790
at 125oC:
30
Fracture strength
(MPa)
Electric signals
Resistance, R
Input or Output
Output
Typical applications
Pressure sensors
Piezoelectric
Voltage, V
Input or Output
Capacitors
Capacitance, C
Input or Output
Electro-resistant
heating/Shape
memory alloys
Current, i
Input
Actuators,
accelerometers
Actuators by
electrostatic forces,
Pressure sensors
Actuators
o
45
R3
Vin
a Vo
R2
R3 R 4
(11.6)
R2
For dynamic conditions:
The voltage Vo changes with time, and the changes
are recorded.
The change of the measured resistance is:
Rg =
b
R4
R4 V o + R3
R g R1 V in
+
R2 R3
1
=
Vo
R1
1
R+3
R2 R3
V in
where R1 = the original value of Rg
(11.8)
Variable
capacitor
C
Vo
C
Vin
C =
4C V o
V in 2 V o
(11.9)
Dielectric film
Silicon diaphragm
Die attach
(60Sn40Pbsolder):
: 26 ppm/oC
Height
H
Silicon diaphragm
Height
H
Die attach
Constraint base
Silicon diaphragm
Die attach
Spacer
L
Constraint base
Ceramic volume
compensator
Ball seal
Stainless
casing
Oil fill
TIG weld
Header
Part 3
Temperature, T(t)
These routine tests are performed before the products are shipped to
the customers:
+100oC
-60oC
Temperature, T(t)
t according to specification
+100oC
-60oC
t1
Burn-in Tests
Time, t
Time, t
t2
t3
Causes
Local stress concentration due to
surface roughness.
Improper assembly tolerances
Vibration-induced high cycle fatigue
failure.
Delamination of thin layers.
Thermal stresses by mismatch of CTE.
Probability
Low
Moderate
Low in silicon,
moderate in plastic
Moderate to high
High
Electromechanical
break-down
High
Deterioration of
materials
Excessive intrinsic
stresses
High
Packaging
High
Environmental effects
High
Moderate
Rc =
V1, 4
I 2,3
- Contd
Induced te
nsion
Buck
l
thin ing of
beam
The compressive strain responsible for the buckling of the thin beam is:
Lc =
t 2 2
3
- Contd
Compression
- Contd
Springs
Comb Drives
Infant
Mortality
Useful Life
Wear-out
The GOAL of Burn-in tests is to have the Infant mortality failure of the
device occurs in the factory, but not in the field.
- Contd
Cavity
Constraint
Base
Measurand
Fluid Inlet
- Contd
- Contd
contd
Interconnect
Design & modeling;
Testing
Likely extension
Equipment
Materials
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
Standards Timeline
2015
2020