Challenges of wafer-level MEMS packaging

Today's packaging standard for consumer MEMS sensors are plastic mold packages of the LGA or QFN type. Multiple chips are placed on a substrate or leadframe, electrically connected by wire bonds and protected by overmolding the sensitive devices. While being a flexible and very effective packaging technology it contributes significantly to the overall sensor dimensions in x-, y- and z-direction. The main driving forces for further market penetration of consumer MEMS sensors are however further thickness and footprint reduction, while retaining performance and reliability at lowest cost. The obvious approach to achieve these required reductions are new packaging technologies that partly or completely remove the substrate, the wire bonds and the encapsulation mold material. This is why we consider wafer level packaging being the future of Consumer MEMS. It will be presented that wafer level MEMS packaging of existing products already realizes a massive reduction of the sensor dimensions while mastering the challenges of this new technology.