The Ideal Switch®: Glass-Based Device with Demonstrated Reliability

Menlo Microsystems has introduced a MEMS switch that utilizes both a glass substrate and a glass cap with through glass via (TGV) technology to provide an all-glass packaging solution. The MEMS switch technology, created in the R&D labs at GE, combined with an all-glass packaging solution, has resulted in the Ideal Switch®. It is the world’s smallest, most reliable, and efficient micro-mechanical switch that has been used in numerous RF and power applications. The Ideal Switch® gains superior performance as well as mechanical, electrical and thermal reliability from several aspects of the MEMS and glass packaging design including robust electrical contacts, low electrical loss of glass, and hermetic TGVs which provide a well-controlled environment. This controlled environment is crucial for attaining reliable performance over billions of cycles. In addition to long lifetimes, parasitic are reduced by >75% vs. Si based RF devices enabling the devices to have a wide operational bandwidth from DC to > 50 GHz. To enable the volume manufacture of this device Menlo has driven advancements in the glass supply chain, leveraging mostly standard semiconductor manufacturing processes for use on glass substrates (with and without TGV). The device contains multi-layer plated and deposited structures, hermetic wafer level glass to glass bonding, post-bond die singulation and device packaging in multiple formats. These devices pass standard JEDEC reliability testing and have operational lifetime in excess of 3 billion cycles. In this presentation we will discuss a number of advanced packaging processes employed by Menlo in the volume manufacturing process as well as key performance metrics of the Ideal Switch®. Early failure modes seen from this glass-based device are also discussed as well as solutions Menlo has established. Reliable performance relative to JEDEC standards is demonstrated.