3D integration processes for advanced sensor systems and high-performance RF components

Sensor systems are the key elements of todays automotive, health care, environmental and Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. By using MEMS sensors data like physical or electrical parameters in production equipment, gas concentration in the environment or chemical parameters in fluids can be recorded, digitized and transferred for further processing e.g. by means of big data algorithms in a server or cloud environment. For realizing such systems advanced sensors, which are in many cases based on sophisticated nano-technologies have to be combined with standard CMOS devices, which digitize the analogue sensor signals and optimize the overall data acquisition and data transmission. 3D integration processes are most suitable for high performant and reliable integration of sensor functions and electronic processing and simultaneously minimize the footprint, weight and form-factor of the sensor/IC product. 3D integration processes as fine-pitch Trough-Silicon-Vias (TSV) technology and various wafer bond technologies will be introduced in this paper.