Room-temperature wafer-level vacuum sealing by compression of high-speed wire bonded gold bumps

This paper reports experimental results of a novel room temperature vacuum sealing process based on compressing wire bonded gold “bumps”, causing a material flow into the access ports of vacuum-cavities. The leak rate out of manufactured cavities was measured over 5 days and evaluated to less than the detection limit, 6×10^-12 mbarL/s, per sealed port. The cavities have been sealed at a vacuum level below 10 mbar. The method enables sealing of vacuum cavities at room temperature using standard commercial tools and processes.