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Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing sameWafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070170529, Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001]There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. The inventions relate to encapsulation electromechanical structures, for example, microelectromechanical and/or nanoelectromechanical structure (collectively hereinafter "microelectromechanical structures") and devices/systems including same; and more particularly, in one aspect, for fabricating or manufacturing microelectromechanical systems having mechanical structures that are encapsulated using wafer level encapsulation techniques, and devices/systems incorporated same. [0002]Microelectromechanical systems, for example, gyroscopes, resonators and accelerometers, utilize micromachining techniques (i.e., lithographic and other precision fabrication techniques) to reduce mechanical components to a scale that is generally comparable to microelectronics. Microelectromechanical systems typically include a mechanical structure fabricated from or on, for example, a silicon substrate using micromachining techniques. [0003]The mechanical structures are typically sealed in a chamber. The delicate mechanical structure may be sealed in, for example, a hermetically sealed metal or ceramic container or bonded to a semiconductor or glass-like substrate having a chamber to house, accommodate or cover the mechanical structure. In the context of the hermetically sealed metal or ceramic container, the substrate on, or in which, the mechanical structure resides may be disposed in and affixed to the metal or ceramic container. The hermetically sealed metal or ceramic container often also serves as a primary package as well. [0004]In the context of the semiconductor or glass-like substrate packaging technique, the substrate of the mechanical structure may be bonded to another substrate (i.e., a "cover" wafer) whereby the bonded substrates form a chamber within which the mechanical structure resides. In this way, the operating environment of the mechanical structure may be controlled and the structure itself protected from, for example, inadvertent contact. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS [0005]There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. The present inventions are neither limited to any single aspect nor embodiment thereof, nor to any combinations and/or permutations of such aspects and/or embodiments. Moreover, each of the aspects of the present inventions, and/or embodiments thereof, may be employed alone or in combination with one or more of the other aspects of the present inventions and/or embodiments thereof. For the sake of brevity, many of those permutations and combinations will not be discussed separately herein. [0006]In one aspect, the present inventions are directed to a microelectromechanical device comprising a first substrate, a chamber, and a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the first substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber. In addition, in this aspect, the microelectromechanical device further includes a second substrate, bonded to the first substrate, wherein a surface of the second substrate forms a wall of the chamber, as well as a contact. The contact includes (1) a first portion of the contact is (i) formed from a portion of the first substrate and (ii) at least a portion thereof is disposed outside the chamber, and (2) a second portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the second substrate. [0007]In one embodiment, the second substrate includes polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. The first substrate may include polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. [0008]In addition, in one embodiment, the first portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the second substrate is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity, and the second portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity. Notably, the second portion of the contact may be a polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon that is counterdoped to include the first conductivity. [0009]The microelectromechanical device may further include a trench, disposed in the second substrate and around at least a portion of the second portion of the contact. The trench may include a first material (for example, an insulation material) disposed therein to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the second substrate. [0010]Notably, the first substrate is a semiconductor on insulator substrate. [0011]In another principle aspect, the present inventions are directed to a microelectromechanical device comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, wherein the second substrate is bonded to the first substrate, a chamber, and a microelectromechanical structure, wherein the microelectromechanical structure is (i) formed from a portion of the second substrate and (ii) at least partially disposed in the chamber. The microelectromechanical device may further include a third substrate, bonded to the second substrate, wherein a surface of the third substrate forms a wall of the chamber. The microelectromechanical device may also include a contact having (1) a first portion of the contact is (i) formed from a portion of the second substrate and (ii) at least a portion thereof is disposed outside the chamber, and (2) a second portion of the contact is formed from a portion of the third substrate. [0012]The second substrate may include polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. The third substrate may include polycrystalline silicon, porous polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon carbide, silicon/germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide. [0013]In one embodiment, the first portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the third substrate is a semiconductor material having a second conductivity, and the second portion of the contact is a semiconductor material having the first conductivity. Notably, in one embodiment, the second portion of the contact may be a polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon that is counterdoped to include the first conductivity. [0014]The microelectromechanical device may further include a trench, disposed in the third substrate and around at least a portion of the second portion of the contact. The trench may include a first material (for example, an insulation material) disposed therein to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the third substrate. [0015]The microelectromechanical device may also include an isolation region disposed in the second substrate such that the trench is aligned with and juxtaposed to the isolation region. In this embodiment, the first portion of the contact may be a semiconductor material having a first conductivity, the isolation region may be a semiconductor material having a second conductivity, and the second portion of the contact may be a semiconductor material having the first conductivity. A trench may be included to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the second substrate. The trench may include a semiconductor material, disposed therein, having the second conductivity. [0016]In another embodiment, the microelectromechanical device may include an isolation region disposed in the first substrate such that the first portion of the contact is aligned with and juxtaposed to the isolation region. [0017]In yet another embodiment, the microelectromechanical device may include a first isolation region and a second isolation region. The first isolation region may be disposed in the first substrate such that the first portion of the contact is aligned with and juxtaposed to the first isolation region. The second isolation region may be disposed in the second substrate such that the second portion of the contact is aligned with and juxtaposed to the second isolation region. In this embodiment, the first and second portions of the contact may be semiconductor materials having a first conductivity, and the first and second isolation regions may be semiconductor materials having the second conductivity. [0018]The microelectromechanical device of this embodiment may also include a trench, disposed in the third substrate and around at least a portion of the second portion of the contact. The trench may include a first material (for example, an insulator material) disposed therein to electrically isolate the second portion of the contact from the third substrate. The trench may be aligned with and juxtaposed to the second isolation region. [0019]Notably, all forms of bonding, whether now known or later developed, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, bonding techniques such as fusion bonding, anodic-like bonding, silicon direct bonding, soldering (for example, eutectic soldering), thermo compression, thermo-sonic bonding, laser bonding and/or glass reflow bonding, and/or combinations thereof. [0020]Moreover, any of the embodiments described and illustrated herein may employ a bonding material and/or a bonding facilitator material (disposed between substrates, for example, the second and third substrates) to, for example, enhance the attachment of or the "seal" between the substrates (for example, the first and second, and/or the second and third), address/compensate for planarity considerations between substrates to be bonded (for example, compensate for differences in planarity between bonded substrates), and/or to reduce and/or minimize differences in thermal expansion (that is materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion) of the substrates and materials therebetween (if any). Such materials may be, for example, solder, metals, frit, adhesives, BPSG, PSG, or SOG, or combinations thereof. [0021]Again, there are many inventions, and aspects of the inventions, described and illustrated herein. This Summary of the Inventions is not exhaustive of the scope of the present inventions. Moreover, this Summary of the Inventions is not intended to be limiting of the inventions and should not be interpreted in that manner. While certain embodiments have been described and/or outlined in this Summary of the Inventions, it should be understood that the present inventions are not limited to such embodiments, description and/or outline, nor are the claims limited in such a manner. Indeed, many others embodiments, which may be different from and/or similar to, the embodiments presented in this Summary, will be apparent from the description, illustrations and claims, which follow. In addition, although various features, attributes and advantages have been described in this Summary of the Inventions and/or are apparent in light thereof, it should be understood that such features, attributes and advantages are not required whether in one, some or all of the embodiments of the present inventions and, indeed, need not be present in any of the embodiments of the present inventions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading about Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same... Full patent description for Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Wafer encapsulated microelectromechanical structure and method of manufacturing same patent application. 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