Packaging MEMS, The Great Challenge of the $21^{st}$ Century

MEMS, Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems, present one of the greatest advanced packaging challenges of the next decade. Historically hybrid technology, generally thick film, provided sensors and actuators while integrated circuit technologies provided the microelectronics for interpretation and control of the sensor input and actuator output. Brought together in MEMS these technical fields create new opportunities for miniaturization and performance. Integrated circuit processing technologies combined with hybrid design systems yield innovative sensors and actuators for a variety of applications from single crystal silicon wafers. MEMS packages, far more simple in principle than today's electronic packages, provide only physical protection to the devices they house. However, they cannot interfere with the function of the devices and often must actually facilitate the performance of the device. For example, a pressure transducer may need to be open to atmospheric pressure on one side of the detector yet protected from contamination and blockage. Similarly, an optical device requires protection from contamination without optical attenuation or distortion being introduced. Despite impediments such as package standardization and complexity, MEMS markets expect to double by 2003 to more than ＄9 billion, largely driven by micro-fluidic applications in the medical arena. Like the semiconductor industry before it. MEMS present many diverse demands on the advanced packaging engineering community. With focused effort, particularly on standards and packaging process efficiency. MEMS may offer the greatest opportunity for technical advancement as well as profitability in advanced packaging in the first decade of the 21st century! This paper explores MEMS packaging opportunities and reviews specific technical challenges to be met.