A method for producing a micromechanical element includes producing a micromechanical structure, the micromechanical structure having: a functional layer for a micromechanical element, a sacrifical layer at least partly surrounding the functional layer, and a closure cap on the sacrifical layer. The method further includes applying a cover layer on the micromechanical structure. The method further includes producing a grid structure in the cover layer. The method further includes producing a cavity below the grid structure, as access to the sacrifical layer. The method further includes at least partly removing the sacrifical layer. The method further includes applying a closure layer at least on the grid structure of the cover layer for the purpose of closing the access to the cavity.

A sealing structure with a surface of a base material with a through-hole, an underlying metal film, and a sealing member bonded to the underlying metal film to seal the through-hole. The sealing member includes a compressed product of a metal powder including gold having a purity of 99.9% by mass or more and a lid-like metal film including a bulk-like metal including gold and having a thickness of not less than 0.01 m and not more than 5 m. The sealing material includes an outer periphery-side densified region in contact with an underlying metal film and a center-side porous region in contact with the through-hole. The shape of pores in the densified region is specified, and the horizontal length (l) of a pore in the radial direction at any cross-section of the densified region and the width (W) of the densified region satisfy the relationship of l0.1W.

A semiconductor device includes a first silicon layer disposed between second and third silicon layers and separated therefrom by respective first and second oxide layers. A cavity within the first silicon layer is bounded by interior surfaces of the second and third silicon layers, and a passageway extends through the second silicon layer to enable material removal from within the semiconductor device to form the cavity. A metal feature is disposed within the passageway to hermetically seal the cavity.

In described examples, a first metal layer is configured along a periphery of a cavity to be formed between a first substrate and a second substrate. A second metal layer is adjacent the first metal layer. The second metal layer includes a cantilever. The cantilever is configured to deform by bonding the first substrate to the second substrate. The deformed cantilevered is configured to impede contaminants against contacting an element within the cavity.

A MEMS device includes a lower substrate having a resonator, an upper substrate disposed to oppose an upper electrode of the resonator, a bonding layer sealing an internal space between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, and wiring layers that contain the same metal material as the bonding layer. Moreover, a rare gas content of each of the wiring layers is less than 110.sup.20 (atoms/cm.sup.3).

The present disclosure provides a packaging method, including: providing a first semiconductor substrate; forming a bonding region on the first semiconductor substrate, wherein the bonding region of the first semiconductor substrate includes a first bonding metal layer and a second bonding metal layer; providing a second semiconductor substrate having a bonding region, wherein the bonding region of the second semiconductor substrate includes a third bonding layer; and bonding the first semiconductor substrate to the second semiconductor substrate by bringing the bonding region of the first semiconductor substrate in contact with the bonding region of the second semiconductor substrate; wherein the first and third bonding metal layers include copper (Cu), and the second bonding metal layer includes Tin (Sn). An associated packaging structure is also disclosed.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a sensing substrate, a capping substrate over the sensing substrate, the capping substrate having a first surface facing toward the sensing substrate and a second surface facing away from the sensing substrate, wherein the capping substrate comprises a through hole extending from the first surface to the second surface, a spacer between the sensing substrate and the capping substrate, the spacer, the sensing substrate, and the capping substrate forming a cavity connecting with the through hole, and a sealing structure at the second surface and aligning with the through hole, wherein the sealing structure comprises a metal layer and a dielectric layer.

A package-level, integrated high-vacuum ion-chip enclosure having improved thermal characteristics is disclosed. Enclosures in accordance with the present invention include first and second chambers that are located on opposite sides of a chip carrier, where the chambers are fluidically coupled via a conduit through the chip carrier. The ion trap is located in the first chamber and disposed on the chip carrier. A source for generating an atomic flux is located in the second chamber. The separation of the source and ion trap in different chambers affords thermal isolation between them, while the conduit between the chambers enables the ion trap to receive the atomic flux.

A Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) device includes a substrate, a packaging component provided on the substrate and a MEMS component provided inside the packaging component and on the substrate. The device further includes a sealing component. The sealing component is provided on the substrate and/or the packaging component, for preventing an external small molecule from contacting with the MEMS component.

A MEMS element within a semiconductor device is enclosed within a cavity bounded at least in part by hydrogen-permeable material. A hydrogen barrier is formed within the semiconductor device to block propagation of hydrogen into the cavity via the hydrogen-permeable material.