The performance of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device may be subject to unwanted thermal gradients or nonuniform temperatures. The thermal gradients may be approximated based on voltage measurements taken through bond wires coupled to bond points located on the MEMS device. Thermal gradient measurement may be improved depending on the arrangement of bond wires and/or the material of the bond wires. Sense circuitry that is coupled to the MEMS device may determine corrective actions, such as updating the operation of the MEMS device, that compensate for the adverse effects from the thermal gradients.

A MEMS device is formed by a body of semiconductor material which defines a support structure. A pass-through cavity in the body is surrounded by the support structure. A movable structure is suspended in the pass-through cavity. An elastic structure extends in the pass-through cavity between the support structure and the movable structure. The elastic structure has a first and second portions and is subject, in use, to mechanical stress. The MEMS device is further formed by a metal region, which extends on the first portion of the elastic structure, and by a buried cavity in the elastic structure. The buried cavity extends between the first and the second portions of the elastic structure.

A method of bonding includes using a bonding layer having a fluorinated oxide. Fluorine may be introduced into the bonding layer by exposure to a fluorine-containing solution, vapor or gas or by implantation. The bonding layer may also be formed using a method where fluorine is introduced into the layer during its formation. The surface of the bonding layer is terminated with a desired species, preferably an NH.sub.2 species. This may be accomplished by exposing the bonding layer to an NH.sub.4OH solution. High bonding strength is obtained at room temperature. The method may also include bonding two bonding layers together and creating a fluorine distribution having a peak in the vicinity of the interface between the bonding layers. One of the bonding layers may include two oxide layers formed on each other. The fluorine concentration may also have a second peak at the interface between the two oxide layers.

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.

Described is a micro-haptic actuator device that can be fabricated with roll-to-roll MEMS processing techniques. The device includes a first body having a first surface and a second, opposing surface, the body has a chamber defined by at least one interior wall, a piston member disposed in the chamber, physically spaced from the at least one interior wall of the chamber, the piston member having a first surface and a second opposing surface. A membrane layer is disposed over and attached to the first surface of the body, with a portion of the membrane attached to the first surface of the piston member. The device also includes a first electrode supported on a second surface the membrane, and a second body that supports a second electrode, with the second body attached to the second surface of the first body.

A method of forming a microphone device includes: forming a through-hole in a substrate wafer; providing a second wafer; bonding the second wafer to the substrate wafer; and forming a top electrode over a first surface of a single-crystal piezoelectric film of the second wafer. The second wafer may include the single-crystal piezoelectric film. The single-crystal piezoelectric film may have a first surface and an opposing second surface. The second wafer may further include a bottom electrode arranged adjacent to the second surface, and a support member over the single-crystal piezoelectric film. The through-hole in substrate wafer may be at least substantially aligned with at least one of the top electrode and the bottom electrode.

A method of processing a double sided wafer of a microelectromechanical device includes spinning a resist onto a first side of a first wafer. The method further includes forming pathways within the resist to expose portions of the first side of the first wafer. The method also includes etching one or more depressions in the first side of the first wafer through the pathways, where each of the depressions have a planar surface and edges. Furthermore, the method includes depositing one or more adhesion metals over the resist such that the one or more adhesion metals are deposited within the depressions, and then removing the resist from the first wafer. The method finally includes depositing indium onto the adhesion metals deposited within the depressions and bonding a second wafer to the first wafer by compressing the indium between the second wafer and the first wafer.

A method for bonding a contact surface of a first substrate to a contact surface of a second substrate comprising of the steps of: positioning the first substrate on a first receiving surface of a first receiving apparatus and positioning the second substrate on a second receiving surface of a second receiving apparatus; establishing contact of the contact surfaces at a bond initiation site; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate along a bonding wave which is travelling from the bond initiation site to the side edges of the substrates, wherein the first substrate and/or the second substrate is/are deformed for alignment of the contact surfaces.

A preclean process may be omitted from a eutectic bonding sequence. To remove oxide from one or more surfaces of a device wafer of a micro-electromechanical-system (MEMS) structure, a duration of an acid-based etch process in the eutectic bonding sequence may be increased relative to the duration of the acid-based etch process when the preclean process is performed. The increased duration of the acid-based etch process enables the acid-based etch process to remove the oxide from the one or more surfaces of the device wafer without the use of a preceding preclean process. This reduces the complexity and cycle time of the eutectic bonding sequence, reduces the risk of stiction between suspended mechanical components of the MEMS structure, and/or reduces the likelihood that the MEMS structure may be rendered defective or inoperable during manufacturing, which increases process yield.

Provided are integrated analysis devices having features of macroscale and nanoscale dimensions, and devices that have reduced background signals and that reduce quenching of fluorophores disposed within the devices. Related methods of manufacturing these devices and of using these devices are also provided