This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to develop a compression bonding technology in two versions -- cold flow seals and cold welding -- for room-temperature, hermetic packaging of MEMS. This project addresses key needs in the MEMS industry, where the lack of versatile, low-cost hermetic packaging techniques is holding back the development of many new MEMS types. Room temperature packaging is vital to improving the production yields of many MEMS, especially optical MEMS (MEOMS). Project will test the low and medium yield strength materials combinations that could be used in the two approaches (mentioned above) and to demonstrate the concept in small packages.
The broader impacts from this technology could result in a significant increase to the knowledge base of welding and joining processes, especially as they apply on the micro-scale. The U.S. currently leads in MEMS technology and this project could help maintain that lead.
