Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present inventions relate to devices, systems and/or methods of encapsulating and fabricating electromechanical structures or elements, for example, accelerometer, gyroscope or other transducer (for example, pressure sensor, strain sensor, tactile sensor, magnetic sensor and/or temperature sensor), filter or resonator. The fabricating or manufacturing microelectromechanical systems of the present invention, and the systems manufactured thereby, employ wafer bonding encapsulation techniques.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A microelectromechanical device comprising:
 a first substrate;   a chamber;   a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the first substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber;   a second substrate, bonded to the first substrate, wherein a surface of the second substrate forms a wall of the chamber;   a trench, disposed in the second substrate; and   an isolation region, disposed in or on the first substrate and aligned with the trench.   
     
     
         32 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the first substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
     
     
         33 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 32  wherein the second substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
     
     
         34 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the first substrate is a semiconductor on insulator substrate. 
     
     
         35 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the trench includes (i) a semiconductor material having a second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material. 
     
     
         36 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
     
     
         37 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 36  wherein the trench includes a semiconductor material having the second conductivity. 
     
     
         38 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the trench (i) defines, at least in part, a contact area and (ii) includes an insulation material. 
     
     
         39 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the isolation region includes an insulation material. 
     
     
         40 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  further comprising a contact, wherein a portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the second substrate. 
     
     
         41 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 40  wherein the trench is disposed around at least a portion of the portion of the contact. 
     
     
         42 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 41  wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the second substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the trench includes a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
     
     
         43 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 41  wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the second substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
     
     
         44 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the trench includes (i) a semiconductor material having the second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material. 
     
     
         45 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the first substrate includes an insulation layer and wherein the second substrate is bonded to a surface of the insulation layer. 
     
     
         46 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 45  wherein the insulation layer includes a cavity formed therein and wherein the cavity forms a portion of the chamber. 
     
     
         47 . A microelectromechanical device comprising:
 a first substrate;   a second substrate, wherein the second substrate is bonded to the first substrate;   a chamber;   a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the second substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber;   a third substrate, bonded to the second substrate, wherein a surface of the third substrate forms a wall of the chamber;   a trench, disposed in the third substrate; and   an isolation region, disposed in or on the second substrate and aligned with the trench.   
     
     
         48 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the second substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
     
     
         49 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the third substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
     
     
         50 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the third substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the trench includes a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
     
     
         51 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the third substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
     
     
         52 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 51  wherein the trench includes a semiconductor material having the second conductivity. 
     
     
         53 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the trench includes an insulation material. 
     
     
         54 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the isolation region includes an insulation material. 
     
     
         55 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  further comprising a contact, wherein a portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the third substrate. 
     
     
         56 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 55  wherein the trench is disposed around at least a portion of the portion of the contact. 
     
     
         57 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 55  wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the third substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the trench includes a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
     
     
         58 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 55  wherein the portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the third substrate is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
     
     
         59 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the trench includes (i) a semiconductor material having the second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material. 
     
     
         60 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 47  wherein the first substrate includes an insulation layer and wherein the second substrate is bonded to a surface of the insulation layer. 
     
     
         61 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 60  wherein the insulation layer includes a cavity formed therein and wherein the cavity forms a portion of the chamber.