Mass Fabrication of MEMS-based Micro Detonator Technology

Potential applications of micro-explosives range from munitions, anti-tamper devices and automotive airbags, to spacecraft components and fire suppression. By applying IC manufacturing methods to explosives devices, MEMS technology enables miniaturization, cost savings, and more intelligent systems. A less obvious feature of this technology is its reliability: ultra-pure materials and statistical process controls make IC techniques ideal for producing devices with consistent behavior. A key barrier to applying this new technology has been packaging. With few exceptions, MEMS require hermetic packaging. This is true of chemical systems such as explosives, as well as most other types of MEMS. In the special case of an explosive device, the processing temperature is also a consideration. Hermetic packages usually require temperatures in excess of 300ºC during the sealing step, which exceeds the safe handling temperature of many explosives. To meet the packaging requirements of MEMS - i.e. reduced cost, temperature, and size - work was begun by the MicroAssembly team ten years ago, to develop a new type of hermetic package. In this approach, IC manufacturing techniques were employed in the package itself. Reduction of the seal contact area allowed application of extremely high pressures. This allowed a uniform seal to be accomplished at room temperature.