Online proceedings - EDA Publishing Association

11-13 May, Aix-en-Provence, France
Q-factor monitoring as a 100% leak screen in
industrial applications
Wolfgang Reinert
Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology,
Fraunhofer Str. 1
D-25524 Itzehoe, Germany
E: wolfgang.reinert@isit.fraunhofer.de T: +49 (0) 4821 17 4617
ABSTRACT:
Neon ultra fine leak testing enables a fast screen of the initial leak rate of hermetically sealed MEMS microresonating
devices. The method is based on monitoring the Q-factor of resonating structures before and after a defined Neon gas
bombing.
The presentation will highlight the main characteristics of this method and the different modifications of the
procedure that may be used in high volume production to save process time. Limitations and instabilities of the
electronic Q factor measurement will be discussed to provide a better understanding and avoid false data
interpretation. Last the role of H 2 O as a possible test gas for nano-leaks will be shortly explained.
BIOGRAPHY:
Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Reinert studied Physics at the University of Bonn (Germany) . After a post-doctoral scholarship at
the Technical University of Trondheim (Norway), he spent six years, as a scientist at the Centre for Microjoining
Technology (CEM) in Germany. For the last 11 years, he is the group manager of „Advanced Packaging“ at the
Fraunhofer ISIT.
His research interests include: the construction of cap wafers for IR and interial sensors, the hermetic packaging of
MEMS based on metallic sealing, the development of avanced getter and the development of pilot lines for MEMS
module assembly.
Dr. Reinert is the inventor of 46 patents or patent applications and has contributed to 3 technical books. He has
authored numerous technical papers in the field of packaging.
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