Lid, MEMS Sensor Component and Methods of Manufacturing

Abstract

In an embodiment a lid includes a top section and a side section below the top section, wherein a vertical height of the top section is I.sub.TS*H.sub.B, I.sub.TS being a first multiple integer and H.sub.B being a basic height, and wherein a vertical height of the side section is I.sub.SS*H.sub.B, I.sub.SS being a second multiple integer and H.sub.B being the basic height H.sub.B.

Claims

1. A lid comprising: a top section; and a side section below the top section, wherein a vertical height of the top section is I.sub.TS*H.sub.B, I.sub.TS being a first multiple integer and H.sub.B being a basic height, and wherein a vertical height of the side section is I.sub.ss*H.sub.B, I.sub.SS being a second multiple integer and H.sub.B being the basic height H.sub.B.

2. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the lid is configured to accommodate mechanical and/or electrical parts of a component being selected from a MEMS sensor or a MEMS microphone.

3. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the top section and the side section comprise a material selected from a 3D printable material, alloys, metals, nickel, titanium, brass, stainless steel, a copper alloy, or a copper alloy comprising 10% to 70% copper, 10% to 70% nickel and 10% to 70% zinc.

4. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the side section comprises—on its surfaces—a groove structure based on a vertical periodicity H.sub.B.

5. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the lid is free from corrugations caused by a raw sheet rolling or by a deep a drawing process.

6. The lid according to claim 1, further comprising structures selected from stability structures selected from pillars, struts, strutted pillars and/or opening structures selected from holes and hole arrays.

7. The lid according to claim 1, wherein a thickness—in a vertical direction—of the top section is different from a thickness—in a horizontal direction—of the side section by more than 25%.

8. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the top section and the side section are monolithically connected to one another.

9. The lid according to claim 1, wherein inner or outer edges of the lid have a radius smaller than 50 μm.

10. The lid according to claim 1, wherein a content of metal atoms of solderable metals or alloys varies along a vertical direction.

11. The lid according to claim 1, further comprising protrusions or notches at a bottom side of the side sections.

12. The lid according to claim 1, wherein the lid is post-processed in an array by electro plating or electro-less plating.

13. The lid according to claim 1, further comprising an inner lining made from a material with at least 5 times lower thermal conductivity compared to a lid material.

14. A MEMS sensor component comprising: the lid according to claim 1.

15. The MEMS sensor component according to claim 14, further comprising a carrier with a top side, wherein the lid is connected to the top side of the carrier.

16. The MEMS sensor component according to claim 15, further comprising a MEMS chip accommodated in a volume at least partially enclosed by the carrier and the lid.

17. The MEMS sensor component according to claim 15, wherein a bottom side of the side section of the lid is mechanically connected to metal structures on a top side of the carrier via soldering or gluing the lid to a surface of the carrier.

18. A method for manufacturing the lid according to claim 1, the method comprising: providing an additive manufacturing process.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the additive manufacturing process comprises 3D printing involving melting or sintering meltable or sinterable powder to establish a layered structure with a layer thickness of H.sub.B.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising utilizing an energy beam selected from a laser beam or an electron beam to melt or sinter the powder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Basic working principles and details of preferred embodiments are shown in the schematic figures.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a lid L;

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through an array comprising two lids;

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through an array of lids with different edge radii;

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through a lid array comprising a pillar and struts per lid for improved stability;

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a top view onto a 2×2 array illustrating the horizontal position of the pillar;

[0055] FIGS. 6 and 7 show intermediate steps of processes for manufacturing a MEMS sensor;

[0056] FIG. 8 shows a top view onto a sensor array before dicing;

[0057] FIG. 9 shows a cross-section through a singulated component;

[0058] FIG. 10 shows a top view onto a singulated component;

[0059] FIG. 11 shows a cross-section through a lid array where each lid comprises a hole at the side and a hole array at the top;

[0060] FIG. 12 shows a cross-section through a component array where each component comprises a MEMS chip and an ASIC chip; and

[0061] FIG. 13 shows a top view onto a MEMS component comprising a regular pattern of holes establishing a hole array.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a lid L. The cross-section is perpendicular to the horizontal y direction. The lid L comprises a top section TS and a side section SS.

[0063] Along the vertical direction z the lid is constructed out of a plurality of individually melted or sintered layers, allowing the advantages as described above.

[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates the possibility of creating a plurality of lids L in an array during a common manufacturing process.

[0065] FIG. 3 illustrates the possibility of providing edges E that can be round edges RE with a relatively large radius and sharp edges SE with relatively small edges, essentially limited by the resolution of the 3D printing process.

[0066] FIG. 4 illustrates the possibility of creating pillars P and struts ST to increase the mechanical stability of sensitive areas of the lid L. It is possible that the pillar P is essentially located in the horizontal center of the volume while the struts mechanically connected the top side of the pillar to the top side of the lid at two or four or more individual locations.

[0067] FIG. 5 shows an array of lids and the corresponding positions of the pillar P and the struts ST and further shows connection elements CE for mechanically connecting one lid to another such that the plurality of lids can be connected to a plurality of dedicated sides of the carrier in a single connection process. This is just to reduce the amount of metal to be cut in the singularization process. It is also possible to connect the individual lids along their whole edges.

[0068] Correspondingly, FIGS. 6 and 7 show the connection process where a solder material SO is arranged on the top side of the carrier C. Bottom sides of the side sections and optionally the bottom side of pillars P (which also may just loosely rest on the carrier C) are then mechanically connected to the solder material SO on the carrier C.

[0069] FIG. 8 shows the component with the carrier C mechanically connected to the lid array before dicing. The thickness in the vertical direction z of the connection element CE between the lids is so small that the dicing process is essentially not disturbed by the connection elements CE between the lids is so small that the dicing process is essentially not disturbed by the connection elements. Thus, tolerances can be reduced and the volume of the component can be used more efficiently.

[0070] Correspondingly, FIGS. 9 and 10 show the component in a cross-section (FIG. 9) and in a top view (FIG. 10) after dicing.

[0071] FIG. 11 shows the possibility of providing larger holes H, e.g. at sidewalls of the lid L and/or a hole array HA comprising a plurality of smaller holes, e.g. at the top side of the lid.

[0072] Further, Figure ii shows the use of protrusions PR at the bottom side of the lid or at the bottom side of the side section of the lid. The protrusions can be used as spacers and as materials specifically dedicated to be soldered and as solder stop structures to prevent solder from covering areas of the lid to which no solder shall be applied.

[0073] FIG. 12 shows an array of MEMS components comprising a MEMS chip MCH in the volume accommodated by the lid L and by the carrier C. Further, the MEMS component MCO comprises a further chip that can be used to accommodate circuitry of an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

[0074] FIG. 13 shows the possibility of providing holes in a hexagonal pattern of the hole array HA at the top side of the lid and the provision of pillars P for providing stability in a vertical direction.

[0075] The lid, the MEMS component and the methods for manufacturing are not limited to the embodiments and details described above and shown in the figures. The lid can comprise further structures and elements for mechanical or electrical purposes. Specifically, the lid can comprise a conducting material or comprise a layer of a conducting material that is electrically connected to a ground potential of the corresponding MEMS component to provide shielding.

[0076] While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is therefore intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.