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;   an inert gas disposed in the 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; and   a contact, wherein:
 a first portion of the contact is (i) formed from a portion of the first substrate and (ii) at least a portion thereof is disposed outside the chamber; and 
 a second portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the second substrate. 
   
   
   
       32 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the second substrate includes carbon, polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
   
   
       33 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 32  wherein the first substrate includes carbon, polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
   
   
       34 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 32  wherein:
 the first portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity;   the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity; and   the second portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity.   
   
   
       35 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 34  wherein the second portion of the contact is polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon that is counterdoped to include the first conductivity. 
   
   
       36 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  further including a trench, disposed in the second substrate and around at least a portion of the second portion of the contact. 
   
   
       37 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 36  wherein the trench includes a first material disposed therein to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the second substrate. 
   
   
       38 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 36  wherein the first material includes an insulation material. 
   
   
       39 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the first substrate is a semiconductor on insulator substrate. 
   
   
       40 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the first and second substrates are bonded using fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding, silicon direct bonding, soldering, thermo compression, thermo-sonic, laser bonding and/or glass reflow. 
   
   
       41 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 31  wherein the inert gas is disposed in the chamber at a predetermined pressure. 
   
   
       42 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 41  wherein the predetermined pressure of the inert gas is adjusted by an annealing process. 
   
   
       43 . A microelectromechanical device comprising:
 a first substrate, wherein the first substrate includes a first material and an insulation layer disposed thereon;   a chamber;   an inert gas disposed in the 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; and   a cavity (i) formed in the insulation layer and (ii) forming a portion of the chamber.   
   
   
       44 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 43  wherein the first substrate is a semiconductor on insulator substrate and wherein the first material is a semiconductor. 
   
   
       45 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 43  wherein the insulation layer is formed, grown and/or deposited on the first material. 
   
   
       46 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 43  wherein:
 the first material comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide;   the insulation layer includes oxygen or nitrogen; and   the second substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.   
   
   
       47 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 43  wherein the second substrate is fusion bonded, anodic-like bonded, silicon direct bonded, soldered, thermo compression bonded, thermo-sonic bonded, laser bonding and/or glass reflowed to the first substrate. 
   
   
       48 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 43  wherein the inert gas is disposed in the chamber at a predetermined pressure. 
   
   
       49 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 48  wherein the predetermined pressure of the inert gas is adjusted by an annealing process. 
   
   
       50 . A microelectromechanical device comprising:
 a first substrate;   a chamber;   an inert gas disposed in the 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.   
   
   
       51 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the first substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
   
   
       52 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 51  wherein the second substrate comprises carbon, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. 
   
   
       53 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the first substrate is a semiconductor on insulator substrate. 
   
   
       54 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the trench is (i) a semiconductor material having a second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material. 
   
   
       55 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity and the isolation region is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
   
   
       56 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 55  wherein the trench is a semiconductor material having the second conductivity. 
   
   
       57 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the trench includes an insulation material wherein the trench defines, at least in part, a contact area. 
   
   
       58 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the isolation region includes an insulation material. 
   
   
       59 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  further comprising a contact, wherein a portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the second substrate. 
   
   
       60 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 59  wherein the trench is disposed around at least a portion of the portion of the contact. 
   
   
       61 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 60  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 is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity. 
   
   
       62 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 60  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. 
   
   
       63 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the trench includes (i) a semiconductor material having the second conductivity or (ii) an insulation material. 
   
   
       64 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the first substrate includes an insulation layer and wherein the second substrate is bonded to a surface of the insulation layer. 
   
   
       65 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 64  wherein the insulation layer includes a cavity formed therein and wherein the cavity forms a portion of the chamber. 
   
   
       66 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 50  wherein the inert gas is disposed in the chamber at a predetermined pressure. 
   
   
       67 . The microelectromechanical device of  claim 66  wherein the predetermined pressure of the inert gas is adjusted by an annealing process.