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 method is described for closing off a micromechanical device by laser melting, having the steps: (A) providing a micromechanical device having an access channel that has a collar at an external opening; (B) closing off the external opening of the access channel by laser irradiation of the collar, the collar being at least partly melted and the external opening being closed with melt made of a material of the collar. Also described is a micromechanical device having a laser melt closure, in particular produced by the method according to the present invention, the micromechanical device having an access channel that has a collar at an external opening, the external opening of the access channel being closed by a melt closure made of a material of the collar.

A pressure sensor comprises a first substrate and a cap attached to the first substrate. The cap includes a processing circuit, a cavity and a deformable membrane separating the cavity and a port open to an outside of the pressure sensor. Sensing means are provided for converting a response of the deformable membrane to pressure at the port into a signal capable of being processed by the processing circuit. The cap is attached to the first substrate such that the deformable membrane faces the first substrate and such that a gap is provided between the deformable membrane and the first substrate which gap contributes to the port. The first substrate comprises a support portion the cap is attached to, a contact portion for electrically connecting the pressure sensor to an external device, and one or more suspension elements for suspending the support portion from the contact portion.

An integrated device package is disclosed. The integrated device package can include a packaging structure defining a cavity. An integrated device die can be disposed at least partially within the cavity. A gel can be disposed within the cavity surrounding the integrated device. A portion of the gel can be disposed between a lower surface of the integrated device die and an upper surface of the packaging structure within the cavity.

Representative methods for sealing MEMS devices include depositing insulating material over a substrate, forming conductive vias in a first set of layers of the insulating material, and forming metal structures in a second set of layers of the insulating material. The first and second sets of layers are interleaved in alternation. A dummy insulating layer is provided as an upper-most layer of the first set of layers. Portions of the first and second set of layers are etched to form void regions in the insulating material. A conductive pad is formed on and in a top surface of the insulating material. The void regions are sealed with an encapsulating structure. At least a portion of the encapsulating structure is laterally adjacent the dummy insulating layer, and above a top surface of the conductive pad. An etch is performed to remove at least a portion of the dummy insulating layer.

An MEMS device includes: a first member; a second member forming a sealed space with the first member therebetween; and a third member disposed between the first member and the second member and joined to the first member and the second member, in which the third member has lower rigidity than rigidity of the first member and the second member, and the third member is provided with a communication portion that establishes communication between the sealed space and an external space.

A micromechanical component, having a carrier wafer having at least one micromechanical structure that is situated in a cavern; a thin-layer cap situated on the carrier wafer, by which the cavern is hermetically sealed; and a cap wafer situated on the thin-layer cap in the region of the cavern having the micromechanical structure, the cap wafer hermetically sealing a region of the thin-layer cap above the cavern.

A gas sensor package is disclosed. The gas sensor package can include a housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber. An electrolyte can be provided in the first chamber. A gas inlet can provide fluid communication between the second chamber and the outside environs. The gas inlet can be configured to permit gas to enter the second chamber from the outside environs. An integrated device die can be mounted to the housing. The integrated device die can comprise a sensing element configured to detect the gas. The integrated device die can have a first side exposed to the first chamber and a second side exposed to the second chamber, with the first side opposite the second side.

A method of manufacturing a sensor device comprising: configuring a moulding support structure and a packaging mould so as to provide predetermined pathways to accommodate a moulding compound, the moulding support structure defining a first notional volume adjacent a second notional volume. An elongate sensor element and the moulding support structure are configured so that the moulding support structure fixedly carries the elongate sensor element and the elongate sensor element resides substantially in the first notional volume and extends towards the second notional volume, the elongate sensor element having an electrical contact electrically coupled to another electrical contact disposed within the second notional volume. The moulding support structure carrying (102) the elongate sensor element is disposed within the packaging mould (106). The moulding compound is then introduced (110) into the packaging mould during a predetermined period of time (112) so that the moulding compound fills the predetermined pathways, thereby filling the second notional volume and surrounding the elongate sensor element within the second notional volume without contacting the elongate sensor element.

A method for encapsulating a sensing and/or actuator device, comprises the steps of providing a sensing and/or actuator device having a demarcation structure thereon. The sensing and/or actuator device comprises at least a substrate and a sensing and/or actuator element on the substrate. The demarcation structure contacts the substrate and defines an enclosed area of the substrate. The enclosed area comprises at least the sensing and/or actuator element. The method also comprises providing an encapsulation material outside the enclosed area, so the sensing and/or actuator element is left uncovered by the encapsulation material. The demarcation structure further comprises a capping structure overlaying the sensing and/or actuator element.