A system includes a semiconductor substrate having a first cavity. The semiconductor substrate forms a pedestal adjacent the first cavity. A device overlays the pedestal and is bonded to the semiconductor substrate by metal within the first cavity. A plurality of second cavities are formed in a surface of the pedestal beneath the device, wherein the second cavities are smaller than the first cavity. In some of these teachings, the second cavities are voids. In some of these teachings, the metal in the first cavity comprises a eutectic mixture. The structure relates to a method of manufacturing in which a layer providing a mask to etch the first cavity is segmented to enable easy removal of the mask-providing layer from the area over the pedestal.

A micromechanical apparatus and a corresponding production method are described. The micromechanical apparatus encompasses a base substrate having a front side and a rear side; and a cap substrate, at least one surrounding trench having non-flat side walls being embodied in the front side of the base substrate; the front side of the base substrate and the trench being coated with at least one metal layer; the non-flat side walls of the trench being covered nonconformingly with the metal so that they do not form an electrical current path in a direction extending perpendicularly to the front side; and a closure, in particular a seal-glass closure, being embodied in the region of the trench between the base substrate and the cap substrate.

A method for forming a cavity in a silicon substrate, a surface of the silicon substrate having a tilting angle relative to a first plane of the silicon substrate, and the first plane being a {111} plane of the silicon substrate, and situation of an etching mask on the surface of the silicon substrate. The etching mask has a retarding structure that protrudes into the mask opening, and a first etching projection region. All further edges of the mask opening outside the first etching projection region are situated essentially parallel to {111} planes of the silicon substrate. The method includes an anisotropic etching of the silicon substrate during a defined etching duration. An etching rate in the <111> directions of the silicon substrate is lower than in other spatial directions, and the first retarding structure is undercut in a first undercut direction going out from the first etching projection region.

A semiconductor device includes a first region; a second region that is peripheral to the first region; a substrate having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface; a stress-sensitive sensor disposed in the first region at the first surface of the substrate; a back end of line (BEOL) stack disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor chip that extends laterally from the MEMS element, in the first region, into the second region; a first cavity formed in the BEOL stack that exposes the sensitive area of the stress-sensitive sensor, wherein the first cavity extends entirely through the BEOL stack over the first region thereby exposing a sensitive area of the stress-sensitive sensor; and at least one stress-decoupling trench laterally spaced from the stress-sensitive sensor and laterally spaced from the first cavity with a portion of the BEOL stack interposed between.

A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone is provided. The MEMS microphone includes a substrate, a backplate disposed on a side of the substrate, a diaphragm movably disposed between the substrate and the backplate, and a plurality of slots formed on the diaphragm. The slots are spaced apart from each other and have a non-constant width to relieve the residual stress on the diaphragm.

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface; a stress-sensitive sensor disposed at the first surface of the substrate, wherein the stress-sensitive sensor is sensitive to mechanical stress; a first pair of adjacent stress-decoupling trenches arranged laterally from a first lateral side of the stress-sensitive sensor, where each stress-decoupling trench of the first pair of adjacent stress-decoupling trenches extends partially from the first surface into the substrate towards the second surface although not completely to the second surface; and a first spring structure formed between the first pair of adjacent stress-decoupling trenches such that the first spring structure is arranged laterally from the stress-sensitive sensor and is configured to absorb external stress from an environment.

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface; a stress-sensitive sensor disposed at the first surface of the substrate, wherein the stress-sensitive sensor is sensitive to mechanical stress; a first pair of adjacent stress-decoupling trenches arranged laterally from a first lateral side of the stress-sensitive sensor, where each stress-decoupling trench of the first pair of adjacent stress-decoupling trenches extends partially from the first surface into the substrate towards the second surface although not completely to the second surface; and a first spring structure formed between the first pair of adjacent stress-decoupling trenches such that the first spring structure is arranged laterally from the stress-sensitive sensor and is configured to absorb external stress from an environment.

The detection structure for a MEMS accelerometer is formed by a substrate; a first movable mass and a second movable mass which extend at a distance from each other, suspended on the substrate and which are configured to undergo a movement, with respect to the substrate, in response to an acceleration. The detection structure also has a first movable electrode integral with the first movable mass; a second movable electrode integral with the second movable mass; a first fixed electrode integral with the substrate and configured to form, with the first movable electrode, a first variable capacitor; and a second fixed electrode integral with the substrate and configured to form, with the second movable electrode, a second variable capacitor. The detection structure has an insulation region, of electrically insulating material, which is suspended on the substrate and extends between the first movable mass and the second movable mass.

A MEMS device includes a substrate, a MEMS element portion disposed on a surface of the substrate, a cap having a cavity formed to oppose the MEMS element portion, and a diffusion prevention layer formed on at least a portion of the cap, wherein at least one of the cap and the substrate includes a bonding layer disposed outside of the cavity, and wherein the cap includes a spreading prevention portion disposed between the bonding layer and the cavity and having a V-shape in cross-section.

A method for manufacturing a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, includes forming a cavity in a bulk semiconductor substrate; defining a movably suspended mass in the bulk semiconductor substrate by one or more trenches extending from a main surface area of the bulk semiconductor substrate to the cavity; arranging a cap structure on the main surface area of the bulk semiconductor substrate; and forming a capacitive structure. Forming the capacitive structure includes arranging a first electrode structure on the movably suspended mass; and providing a second electrode structure at the cap structure such that the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the main surface area of the bulk semiconductor substrate.