Hermetically-sealed electrical circuit apparatus

Abstract

Hermetically-sealed electrical circuit apparatus and methods for constructing such apparatus using one or more seal portions.

1 . An electrical circuit apparatus comprising:
 a first portion comprising:
 a planar connection surface, 
 a substrate provided from a wafer, wherein the substrate comprises a substrate surface opposite the planar connection surface, and 
 at least one side surface extending between the substrate surface and the planar connection surface, wherein a cavity is defined into the planar connection surface of the first portion; 
   a second portion comprising:
 a planar connection surface, 
 a substrate provided from a wafer, wherein the substrate comprises a substrate surface opposite the planar connection surface, and 
 at least one side surface extending between the substrate surface and the planar connection surface, wherein the planar connection surface of the first portion is bonded to the planar connection surface of the second portion to form a bonded interface from the planar connection surfaces of the first portion and the second portion, 
 one or more interconnects formed in the second portion, 
 one or more contacts terminating a first end of the one or more interconnects at the connection surface of the second portion adjacent the cavity defined in the planar connection surface of the first portion, and 
 one or more surface contacts at the substrate surface of the second portion or the at least one side surface of the second portion terminating a second end of the one or more interconnects; and 
   at least one circuit device comprising electrical circuitry, wherein the at least one circuit device is located in the cavity and encompassed by at least portions of the first portion and the second portion, wherein the at least one circuit device is electrically coupled to the one or more contacts terminating the first end of the one or more interconnects at the connection surface of the second portion adjacent the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the planar connection surface of the first portion is bonded to the planar connection surface of the second portion to form the bonded interface defining at least one interface edge about the perimeter of the bonded interface, wherein one or more seal portions cover at least the at least one interface edge of the bonded interface to restrict moisture from ingressing into the apparatus, and wherein the one or more seal portions comprise deposited material. 
     
     
         3 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the connection surface of the first portion defines a smaller area than the connection surface of the second portion. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate of the first portion and the substrate of the second portion each comprise semiconductor substrates. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one circuit device forms apart of an implantable medical device. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion further comprises one or more layers formed on the substrate terminating at the connection surface, wherein the one or more layers of the second portion comprise a circuit device. 
     
     
         12 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bonded interface comprises a plasma-enhanced bonded interface formed from the connection surface of the first portion and the connection surface of the second portion. 
     
     
         16 . A method of providing at least one electrical circuit apparatus, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a first portion, wherein the first portion comprises:
 a planar connection surface, 
 a substrate provided by a wafer, wherein the substrate comprises a substrate surface opposite the planar connection surface, wherein a cavity is defined into the planar connection surface of the first portion, and 
 at least one side surface extending between the substrate surface and the planar connection surface, 
   providing a second portion, wherein the second portion comprises:
 a planar connection surface, 
 a substrate provided by a wafer, wherein the substrate comprises a substrate surface opposite the planar connection surface, and 
 at least one side surface extending between the substrate surface and the planar connection surface, 
 one or more interconnects formed in the second portion, 
 one or more contacts terminating a first end of the one or more interconnects at the connection surface of the second portion, and 
 one or more surface contacts at the substrate surface of the second portion or the at least one side surface of the second portion terminating a second end of the one or more interconnects; 
   providing at least one circuit device comprising electrical circuitry, wherein the at least one circuit device is electrically coupled to the one or more contacts terminating the first end of the one or more interconnects at the connection surface of the second portion; and   bonding the planar connection surface of the first portion to the planar connection surface of the second portion such that the at least one circuit device is positioned in the cavity defined into the at least one planar connection surface of the first portion.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the planar connection surface of the first portion is bonded to the planar connection surface of the second portion to form a bonded interface defining at least one interface edge about the perimeter of the bonded interface, wherein the method further comprises providing one or more seal portions to cover at least the at least one interface edge of the bonded interface to restrict moisture from ingressing into the apparatus, wherein providing one or more seal portions comprising depositing one or more seal portions. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein bonding the planar connection surface of the first portion to the planar connection surface of the second portion comprises plasma-enhanced bonding the planar connection surface of the first portion to the planar connection surface of the second portion. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing at least one circuit device comprises forming a circuit device within the second portion. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate of the first portion and the substrate of the second portion each comprise semiconductor substrates. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one circuit device forms a part of an implantable medical device. 
     
     
         27 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein bonding the planar connection surface of the first portion to the planar connection surface of the second portion comprises providing a covalent bond. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein bonding the planar connection surface of the first portion to the planar connection surface of the second portion comprises providing a covalent bond formed of silicon-comprising bonds. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the bonding creates a covalent bond formed of silicon-oxygen bonds formed from oxide portions of the connection surface of the first portion and oxide portions of the connection surface of the second portion. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the substrate of the first portion and the substrate of the second portion comprise a glass substrate. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bonded interface comprises a covalent bond. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the bonded interface comprises a covalent bond formed of silicon-comprising bonds. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the bonded interface comprises a covalent bond formed of silicon-oxygen bonds throughout the bonded interface from oxide portions of the connection surface of the first portion and oxide portions of the connection surface of the second portion. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the substrate of the first portion and the substrate of the second portion comprise a glass substrate.