A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided such that a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) element is protected at an early manufacturing stage. A method for protecting a MEMS element includes: providing at least one MEMS element, having a sensitive area, on a substrate; and depositing, prior to a package assembly process, a protective material over the sensitive area of the at least one MEMS element such that the sensitive area of at least one MEMS element is sealed from an external environment, where the protective material permits a sensor functionality of the at least one MEMS element.

The method for manufacturing an object comprises the steps of (a) providing a wafer comprising a multitude of semi-finished objects; (b) separating said wafer into parts referred to as sub-wafers, at least one of said sub-wafers comprising a plurality of said semi-finished objects; (c) processing at least a portion of said plurality of semi-finished objects by subjecting said at least one sub-wafer to at least one processing step; and preferably also the step of (d) separating said at least one sub-wafer into a plurality of parts.

A fabrication method includes arranging a plurality of dice on a substrate and performing a first etching process that etches a first layer of the substrate at a boundary between adjacent dice on the substrate. The etching forms facets of one or more waveguides that are defined within the first layer, and the etching leaves a portion of the first layer in the boundary between the adjacent dice. The method continues with a second etching process that etches the portion of the first layer and a second layer beneath the portion of the first layer, the second etching process forming a trench in the boundary where the second layer has a different material than the first layer. The method also includes separating the dice from one another along the trench.

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided such that a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) element is protected at an early manufacturing stage. A method for protecting a MEMS element includes: providing at least one MEMS element, having a sensitive area, on a substrate; and depositing, prior to a package assembly process, a protective material over the sensitive area of the at least one MEMS element such that the sensitive area of at least one MEMS element is sealed from an external environment, where the protective material permits a sensor functionality of the at least one MEMS element.

A wafer processing method is disclosed to divide a wafer of glass substrate into individual chips along division lines. In the shield tunnel forming step, a pulsed laser beam of a wavelength, which transmits through the wafer, is irradiated with its focal point positioned at a region corresponding to each division line so that a plurality of shield tunnels which are each formed of perforations and affected regions surrounding the perforations are formed along the division lines, respectively. In the modified layer forming step, another pulsed laser beam of a wavelength, which transmits through the wafer, is irradiated with its focal point positioned at the region corresponding to each division line so that modified layers are formed in addition to the shield tunnels along the division lines, respectively. In the dividing step, an external force is applied to the wafer to divide the wafer into individual chips.

A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die and a modular interconnect structure adjacent to the first semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the first semiconductor die and modular interconnect structure as a reconstituted panel. An interconnect structure is formed over the first semiconductor die and modular interconnect structure. An active area of the first semiconductor die remains devoid of the interconnect structure. A second semiconductor die is mounted over the first semiconductor die with an active surface of the second semiconductor die oriented toward an active surface of the first semiconductor die. The reconstituted panel is singulated before or after mounting the second semiconductor die. The first or second semiconductor die includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). The second semiconductor die includes an encapsulant and an interconnect structure formed over the second semiconductor die. Alternatively, the second semiconductor die is mounted to an interposer disposed over the interconnect structure.

A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die and a modular interconnect structure adjacent to the first semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the first semiconductor die and modular interconnect structure as a reconstituted panel. An interconnect structure is formed over the first semiconductor die and modular interconnect structure. An active area of the first semiconductor die remains devoid of the interconnect structure. A second semiconductor die is mounted over the first semiconductor die with an active surface of the second semiconductor die oriented toward an active surface of the first semiconductor die. The reconstituted panel is singulated before or after mounting the second semiconductor die. The first or second semiconductor die includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). The second semiconductor die includes an encapsulant and an interconnect structure formed over the second semiconductor die. Alternatively, the second semiconductor die is mounted to an interposer disposed over the interconnect structure.

A method of strain gauge fabrication is presented herein. The method includes: providing a first substrate having a cavity side; providing a second substrate having a semiconductor side; positioning the second substrate in relation to the first substrate such that the semiconductor side and the cavity side are contactable; processing the second substrate such that the first and second substrates are substantially joined via the semiconductor side and the cavity side; and etching the second substrate to define a strain gauge cantilevered over the cavity side of the first substrate.

A method for fabricating a WLCSP device includes receiving a MEMS cap wafer having a first radius, a MEMS device wafer having a second radius, and a CMOS substrate wafer having a third radius, wherein the first radius is smaller than the second radius, and wherein the second radius is smaller than the third radius, disposing the MEMS cap wafer approximately concentrically upon the MEMS device wafer, disposing the MEMS device wafer approximately concentrically upon the CMOS substrate wafer, disposing a spacer structure upon the MEMS device wafer, wherein the spacer structure comprises a plurality of proximity spacers disposed upon a proximity flag, wherein the plurality of proximity spacers are disposed upon the MEMS device wafer, disposing a mask layer in contact to the plurality of proximity spacers, above and substantially parallel to the MEMS cap wafer, and forming a pattern upon the MEMS cap wafer using the mask layer.

A laser micro-machining process called laser-assisted material phase-change and expulsion (LAMPE) micromachining that includes cutting features in a cutting surface of a piece of material using a pulsed laser with intensity, pulse width and pulse rate set to melt and eject liquid material without vaporizing said material, or, in the case of silicon, create an ejectible silicon oxide. Burrs are removed from the cutting surface by electro-polishing the cutting surface with a dilute acid solution using an electric potential higher than a normal electro-polishing electric potential. A multi-lamina assembly of laser-micro-machined laminates (MALL) may utilize MEMS. In the MALL process, first, the individual layers of a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) are fabricated using the LAMPE micro-machining process. Next, the fabricated microstructure laminates are stack assembled and bonded to fabricate MEM systems. The MALL MEMS fabrication process enables greater material section and integration, greater design flexibility, low-cost manufacturing, rapid development, and integrated packaging.