Wafer-level hermetic MEMS packaging by anodic bonding and its reliability issues

This paper reviews wafer-level hermetic packaging technology using anodic bonding from several reliability points of view. First, reliability risk factors of high temperature, high voltage and electrochemical O₂ generation during anodic bonding are discussed. Next, electrical interconnections through a hermetic package, i.e. electrical feedthrough, is discussed. The reliability of both hermetic sealing and electrical feedthrough must be simultaneously satisfied. In the last part of this paper, a new wafer-level MEMS packaging material, anodically-bondable low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) wafer, is introduced, and its reliability data on hermetic sealing, electrical interconnection and flip-chip mounting on a printed circuit board (PCB) are described.