Leveraging Standard IC Packaging for MEMS Oscillators

Packaging has been one of the largest barriers to commercialization of MEMS timing references. To ensure commercial viability and long-term stability, MEMS resonators must be hermetically sealed in an inexpensive and contaminant free environment. SiTime's thin film encapsulation process creates robust vacuum cavities for each resonator below the surface of the wafer, protecting the devices from contamination and handling damage. This supports back end processes such as dicing, die attach, and molding, allowing the use of standard IC packaging and leveraging the investments in process and equipment made by the mainline semiconductor industry.