Kenneth J Peterson

US Patent:

6335224, Jan 1, 2002

Filed:

May 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/572562

Inventors:

Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
William R. Conley - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 2144

US Classification:

438114, 438460, 438465, 438113

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a method of protecting a microelectronic device during device packaging, including the steps of applying a water-insoluble, protective coating to a sensitive area on the device; performing at least one packaging step; and then substantially removing the protective coating, preferably by dry plasma etching. The sensitive area can include a released MEMS element. The microelectronic device can be disposed on a wafer. The protective coating can be a vacuum vapor-deposited parylene polymer, silicon nitride, metal (e. g. aluminum or tungsten), a vapor deposited organic material, cynoacrylate, a carbon film, a self-assembled monolayered material, perfluoropolyether, hexamethyldisilazane, or perfluorodecanoic carboxylic acid, silicon dioxide, silicate glass, or combinations thereof. The present invention also relates to a method of packaging a microelectronic device, including: providing a microelectronic device having a sensitive area; applying a water-insoluble, protective coating to the sensitive area; providing a package; attaching the device to the package; electrically interconnecting the device to the package; and substantially removing the protective coating from the sensitive area.

US Patent:

6379988, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

May 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/572720

Inventors:

Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
William R. Conley - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 2100

US Classification:

438 51, 438 55, 438 64, 438106, 438115, 438116, 438125

Abstract:

A method is disclosed for pre-release plastic packaging of MEMS and IMEMS devices. The method can include encapsulating the MEMS device in a transfer molded plastic package. Next, a perforation can be made in the package to provide access to the MEMS elements. The non-ablative material removal process can include wet etching, dry etching, mechanical machining, water jet cutting, and ultrasonic machining, or any combination thereof. Finally, the MEMS elements can be released by using either a wet etching or dry plasma etching process. The MEMS elements can be protected with a parylene protective coating. After releasing the MEMS elements, an anti-stiction coating can be applied. The perforating step can be applied to both sides of the device or package. A cover lid can be attached to the face of the package after releasing any MEMS elements. The cover lid can include a window for providing optical access.

US Patent:

6384473, May 7, 2002

Filed:

May 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/571335

Inventors:

Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
Robert D. Watson - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 2302

US Classification:

257680, 257778, 257682, 257693, 257698, 257704, 257737, 257738, 257779, 257780

Abstract:

An apparatus for packaging of microelectronic devices, including an integral window. The microelectronic device can be a semiconductor chip, a CCD chip, a CMOS chip, a VCSEL chip, a laser diode, a MEMS device, or a IMEMS device. The package can include a cofired ceramic frame or body. The package can have an internal stepped structure made of one or more plates, with apertures, which are patterned with metallized conductive circuit traces. The microelectronic device can be flip-chip bonded on the plate to these traces, and oriented so that the light-sensitive side is optically accessible through the window. A cover lid can be attached to the opposite side of the package. The result is a compact, low-profile package, having an integral window that can be hermetically-sealed. The package body can be formed by low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) or high-temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) multilayer processes with the window being simultaneously joined (e. g. cofired) to the package body during LTCC or HTCC processing.

US Patent:

6443179, Sep 3, 2002

Filed:

Feb 21, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/790423

Inventors:

Gilbert L. Benavides - Albuquerque NM
Paul C. Galambos - Albuquerque NM
John A. Emerson - Albuquerque NM
Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
Rachel K. Giunta - Albuquerque NM
Robert D. Watson - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

F16K 2700

US Classification:

1374542, 137597, 2851201

Abstract:

A new architecture for packaging surface micromachined electro-microfluidic devices is presented. This architecture relies on two scales of packaging to bring fluid to the device scale (picoliters) from the macro-scale (microliters). The architecture emulates and utilizes electronics packaging technology. The larger package consists of a circuit board with embedded fluidic channels and standard fluidic connectors (e. g. Fluidic Printed Wiring Board). The embedded channels connect to the smaller package, an Electro-Microfluidic Dual-Inline-Package (EMDIP) that takes fluid to the microfluidic integrated circuit (MIC). The fluidic connection is made to the back of the MIC through Bosch-etched holes that take fluid to surface micromachined channels on the front of the MIC. Electrical connection is made to bond pads on the front of the MIC.

US Patent:

6489670, Dec 3, 2002

Filed:

Feb 1, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/061422

Inventors:

Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
Robert D. Watson - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 2302

US Classification:

257686, 257434, 257433, 257480, 257685, 257704, 257711, 257678, 257684, 257737, 257774, 257780

Abstract:

A sealed symmetric multilayered package with integral windows for housing one or more microelectronic devices. The devices can be a semiconductor chip, a CCD chip, a CMOS chip, a VCSEL chip, a laser diode, a MEMS device, or a IMEMS device. The multilayered package can be formed of a low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) or high-temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) multilayer processes with the windows being simultaneously joined (e. g. cofired) to the package body during LTCC or HTCC processing. The microelectronic devices can be flip-chip bonded and oriented so that the light-sensitive sides are optically accessible through the windows. The result is a compact, low-profile, sealed symmetric package, having integral windows that can be hermetically-sealed.

US Patent:

6495895, Dec 17, 2002

Filed:

Feb 1, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/062220

Inventors:

Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
Robert D. Watson - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 310203

US Classification:

257434, 257686, 257778, 257433, 257432, 257680, 257685, 257777, 257780, 257779, 257784, 257704, 257738

Abstract:

A bi-level, multilayered package with an integral window for housing a microelectronic device. The device can be a semiconductor chip, a CCD chip, a CMOS chip, a VCSEL chip, a laser diode, a MEMS device, or a IMEMS device. The multilayered package can be formed of a low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) or high-temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC) multilayer processes with the window being simultaneously joined (e. g. cofired) to the package body during LTCC or HTCC processing. The microelectronic device can be flip-chip bonded and oriented so that the light-sensitive side is optically accessible through the window. A second chip can be bonded to the backside of the first chip, with the second chip being wirebonded to the second level of the bi-level package. The result is a compact, low-profile package, having an integral window that can be hermetically-sealed.

US Patent:

6500760, Dec 31, 2002

Filed:

Aug 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/922518

Inventors:

Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
Stephen E. Garrett - Albuquerque NM
Cathleen A. Reber - Corrales NM
Robert D. Watson - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 21302

US Classification:

438684, 438586, 438686, 438687

Abstract:

A method of making an electrical interconnection from a microelectronic device to a package, comprising ball or wedge compression bonding a gold-based conductor directly to a silicon surface, such as a polysilicon bonding pad in a MEMS or IMEMS device, without using layers of aluminum or titanium disposed in-between the conductor and the silicon surface. After compression bonding, optional heating of the bond above 363 C. allows formation of a liquid gold-silicon eutectic phase containing approximately 3% (by weight) silicon, which significantly improves the bond strength by reforming and enhancing the initial compression bond. The same process can be used for improving the bond strength of AuâGe bonds by forming a liquid Au-12Ge eutectic phase.

US Patent:

6531341, Mar 11, 2003

Filed:

May 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/573424

Inventors:

Kenneth A. Peterson - Albuquerque NM
Robert D. Watson - Tijeras NM

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 2144

US Classification:

438123, 438121, 438125, 257680

Abstract:

A method of fabricating a microelectronic device package with an integral window for providing optical access through an aperture in the package. The package is made of a multilayered insulating material, e. g. , a low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) or high-temperature cofired ceramic (HTCC). The window is inserted in-between personalized layers of ceramic green tape during stackup and registration. Then, during baking and firing, the integral window is simultaneously bonded to the sintered ceramic layers of the densified package. Next, the microelectronic device is flip-chip bonded to cofired thick-film metallized traces on the package, where the light-sensitive side is optically accessible through the window. Finally, a cover lid is attached to the opposite side of the package. The result is a compact, low-profile package, flip-chip bonded, hermetically-sealed package having an integral window.