MEMS SENSOR WITH SIDE PORT AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME

A MEMS sensor package comprises a MEMS die that includes a substrate having a sensor formed thereon and a cap layer coupled to the substrate. The cap layer has a cavity overlying a substrate region at which the sensor resides. A port extends between the cavity and a side wall of the MEMS die and enables admittance of fluid into the cavity. Fabrication methodology entails providing a substrate structure having sensors formed thereon, providing a cap layer structure having inwardly extending cavities, and forming a channel between pairs of the cavities. The cap layer structure is coupled with the substrate structure and each channel is interposed between a pair of cavities. A singulation process produces a pair of sensor packages, each having a port formed by splitting the channel, where the port is exposed during singulation and extends between its respective cavity and side wall of the sensor package.