This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is concerned with wafer-to-wafer transfer that enables the batch assembly of microstructures onto a target wafer. MEMS sense elements may be bonded directly onto CMOS, using micro-bump bonding. Parasitics are reduced, potentially eliminating the need for monolithic integration of interface electronics. Micromachined package lids may also be transferred and sealed over MEMS structures. This enables wafer-at-a-time hermetic packaging, potentially reducing costs by two orders of magnitude. In contrast to monolithic approaches, the transfer process harvests structures from a finished wafer and "grafts' them to a target substrate. This enables modularization of MEMS, electronics, and packaging technology. A number of process compatibility problems are eliminated, product development should be accelerated. The process is performed at room temperature, ensuring wide compatibility across substrates and processes. The proposed work addresses a $1.2 billion market. Applications include: packaging of MEMS-based RF filters (IF, MHz, GHz); fabrication and packaging of surface-micromachined resonators (replacement for quartz oscillator in wristwatches, computers, etc.); and hermetic/vacuum packaging for low-cost inertial sensors (disk drive vibration compensation).
