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This paper presents a CMOS-compatible wafer-level fabrication process for monolithic CMOS/MEMS sensor systems coated with sensitive layers directly deposited by means of flame spray pyrolysis (FSP). Microhotplate (µHP)-based devices, featuring an FSP directly deposited SnO 2 /Pt layer, have successfully been realized on a wafer level. The thermal characterization evidenced a thermal resistance of 10.6 • C mW −1 ; moreover, gas test measurements with ethanol have been performed. Microhotplate membrane deformations during device operation have been investigated and have been reduced by adjustment of the intrinsic stress of a deposited silicon nitride layer.

The influence of air humidity on polymeric microresonators is investigated by means of three different resonator types. SU-8 microbeams, SU-8 microstrings and a silicon micromirror with SU-8 hinges are exposed to relative humidities between 3% and 60%. The shifts of the resonant frequencies as a function of the relative humidity (RH) are explained based on mechanical models which are extended with water absorption models in polymer materials. The dominant effect causing the resonant frequency change is evaluated for each structure type. The eigenfrequency of the microstrings and the micromirror in the out-of-plane mode, which both mainly are defined by the pre-stress of the polymeric structures, are found to be highly sensitive to changes of air humidity. The humidity-induced (hygrometric) volume expansion reversibly reduces the pre-stress which results in relative frequency changes of up to 0.78%/%RH for the microstrings. A maximum coefficient of humidity-induced volume expansion for SU-8 of αhyg = 52.3 ppm/%RH is evaluated by fitting the data with the analytical model. It was found that microstrings that were stored at 150 °C over 150 h are more moisture sensitive compared to structures that were stored at room temperature. For the SU-8 microbeams and the micromirror in the tilt mode, the eigenfrequency is mainly defined by the modulus of the polymer material. The measured relative resonant frequency changes were below 1% for the given RH range. For low RH values, antiplasticization is observed (the modulus increases) followed by a plasticization for increasing RH values.

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The presented wafer-level packaging technology enables the direct integration of electrical interconnects during low-temperature wafer bonding of a cap substrate featuring through silicon vias (TSVs) onto a MEMS device wafer. The hybrid bonding process is based on hydrophilic direct bonding of plasma-activated Si/SiO2 surfaces and the simultaneous interconnection of the device metallization layers with Cu TSVs by transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding of ultra-thin AuSn connects. The direct bond enables precise geometry definition between device and cap substrate, whereas the TLP bonding does not require a planarization of the interconnect metallization before bonding. The complete process flow is successfully validated and the fabricated devices’ characterization evidenced ohmic interconnects without interfacial voids in the TLP bond.