Environmentally Isolating Packaging for MEMS Sensors

Microelectronic systems employing MEMS devices are often constrained by limits on size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C), while also being exposed to severe shock and vibration during storage, transport, and operation. This combination of requirements has proven difficult to meet using current technology. Incorporating isolators into microelectronic systems improves performance through shock and vibration, but at the expense of cost and size metrics. Systems based on MEMS technologies have the potential to improve upon size and cost metrics for many applications. MEMS technology has made significant strides in performance in recent years. MEMS-based devices are commonly found in consumer applications for a variety of functions. However, MEMS based devices have been known to experience performance degradation while operating through stressing shock and vibration environments. The goal of this work was to develop MEMS technology that is sufficiently robust as to operate through the demanding environments of systems, and to include the design, simulation, and prototype of micro-isolators capable of attenuating shock and vibration prior to their input into the MEMS devices, thereby isolating them from the harsh environment.