MEMS Packaging: Hermeticity, Getters, and Vacuum Requirements

This lecture covers the importance of hermetic capping in MEMS packaging to protect sensor structures and ensure mechanical stability. It discusses gas sources, vacuum requirements, the role of getters, and different getter families. The lecture also explains the activation of getters, provides examples, and compares vacuum packaging methods. It delves into leak rate measurement methods, hermeticity characterization techniques, and typical processes for hermetic packaging. Additionally, it explores the testing of MEMS hermeticity using membrane deflection, resonator, and IR spectroscopy methods, along with the challenges posed by vacuum encapsulation. The lecture concludes with insights into the acceleration and gyroscope hermetic packaging processes, emphasizing the importance of electrical feedthroughs and lateral surface feedthroughs in device connections.