WO2009095856A2

WO2009095856A2 - A mems structure and a method of manufacturing the same

Info

Publication number: WO2009095856A2
Application number: PCT/IB2009/050328
Authority: WO
Inventors: Josef Lutz
Original assignee: Nxp B.V.
Priority date: 2008-02-01
Filing date: 2009-01-27
Publication date: 2009-08-06
Also published as: WO2009095856A3

Abstract

A MEMS structure (100) comprising a substrate (102), a functional MEMS component (104) comprising a microphone structure, and a contact member (106) for coupling the substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component (104) in a resilient manner.

Description

A MEMS structure and a method of manufacturing the same

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a MEMS structure.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a portable electronic equipment. Moreover, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a MEMS structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The technology of MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) is related to devices comprising an electronic part which may be fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) process sequences, and comprises a micromechanical component which is usually fabricated using compatible "micromachining" processes that selectively remove (for instance etch away) parts of a semiconductor (for instance silicon) wafer and/or that add new structured layers to form the mechanical and electromechanical devices.

US 6,992,399 discloses an apparatus which includes a die with at least first and second portions, the first portion of the die mechanically and electrically connectable with a circuit board. The apparatus includes an integrated circuit component mechanically and electrically connected with the second portion of the die. Upon operation the die serves to generate one or more electrical signals that are passed to the integrated circuit component.

M. Fϋldner, A. Dehe, R. Aigner, T. Bever, and R. Lerch, " Silicon

Microphones with low Stress Membranes", In Proceedings of Transducers 2001, volume 1, pages 126-129, Mϋnchen, June 10 to 14, 2001, discloses microphone sensors in MEMS technology.

However, conventional microphones in MEMS technology may lack sufficient accuracy when being operated over a large temperature range.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a MEMS system operating with sufficient accuracy even when being operated over a large temperature range.

In order to achieve the object defined above, a MEMS structure, a portable electronic equipment, and a method of manufacturing a MEMS structure according to the independent claims are provided.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a MEMS structure is provided which comprises a substrate, a functional MEMS component comprising a microphone structure, and a coupling member for contacting respectively coupling the substrate with the functional MEMS component in a resilient manner.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method of manufacturing a MEMS structure is provided, the method comprising the steps of coupling a substrate with a functional MEMS component that comprises a microphone structure by a contact member in a resilient manner. According to still another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a portable electronic equipment is provided which comprises a MEMS structure having the above mentioned features.

In the context of this application, the term "structure" may particularly denote any layer, layer sequence or other integrated circuit assembly. Particularly, such a structure may comprise a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS).

The term "micro-electro-mechanical systems" (MEMS) may denote the technology of integrating mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common semiconductor substrate (for instance a silicon substrate) through microfabrication technologies. While the electronics are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) process sequences (for instance CMOS, BIPOLAR, or BICMOS processes), it may be possible according to exemplary embodiments of the invention to fabricate also the micromechanical components in semiconductor technology. Micro-electro-mechanical systems may be devices and machines fabricated using techniques generally used in microelectronics, particularly to integrate mechanical or hydraulic functions, etc. with electrical functions. Micro-electro- mechanical systems may integrate mechanical structures with microelectronics. MEMS devices may be custom designed for a purpose that requires a mechanical action to be controlled by a processor. Applications include sensors, medical devices, and process controls. A MEMS "microphone structure" may comprise a back plate and a diaphragm, which may be built on the surface of a wafer along with electrical connections. The diaphragm may be released (for instance through chemical etching) so it can vibrate freely with incoming sound. The changing capacitance of the charged capacitor formed by the back plate and diaphragm may transduce sound into an electrical signal. A MEMS microphone structure may comprise a rigid, perforated back electrode and a flexible silicon membrane that serves as a capacitor, transforming acoustic pressure waves into capacitive variations. An ASIC may detect these variations, may convert them into electrical signals and may pass them to an appropriate processing device, such as a baseband processor or amplifier.

The term "functional component" may particularly denote any component which actually defines or dominates the actual function of the device. Such a functional component, for example in the case of a MEMS microphone, may comprise a movable component like a microphone membrane.

The term "resilient" may particularly denote that some mechanical motion of the substrate with regard to the functional MEMS component can be mediated and enabled by the contact member which does not rigidly connect the substrate and the functional MEMS component to one another, but allows for a little motion of the two elements relative to one another in a manner and to an extent as it may occur by a change of the surrounding temperature due to the phenomenon of thermal expansion. The degree of flexibility may be adjusted to allow for a stress-free operation within an operation temperature range, for instance in a range between -40⁰C and +80⁰C, or in a range between -20⁰C and +60⁰C.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the stress or force acting on a functional MEMS component under circumstances such as a sudden temperature change can be relaxed due to the fact that the MEMS component is mounted flexibly with respect to a supporting substrate to thereby allow an equilibration of forces due to different values of thermal expansion of different components of the MEMS structure, particularly of the substrate and the functional MEMS component. Thus, a negative impact on the MEMS function (particularly a microphone function in which the oscillation properties of a flexible membrane can be used to detect acoustic signals) can be securely prevented. In case of a MEMS microphone, even little thermally induced stress may have a negative impact on the microphone performance since such stress may result in a deteriorated (or more generally modified) sensitivity. According to an exemplary embodiment, a flexible coupling between a MEMS microphone and a supporting (for instance laminate) substrate may suppress thermally induced acoustic artifacts in a reliable manner, thereby improving the microphone performance even under hash conditions. According to an exemplary embodiment, a MEMS device may be provided with a substrate element adapted for attaching a die thereon, wherein the substrate has contact pads that are surrounded by a groove or the like to make the contact pads movable, so that the die can be connected to the substrate in a stress free and resilient manner. - A -

Stress in a membrane is an important parameter for a capacitive differential pressure measurement sensor. To avoid temperature induced stresses in the membrane, forces between substrate and die should be as low as possible. Particularly for flip chip technology, thermal expansion differences between the materials are extremely critical due to the stiff mechanical connection via a solder ball. In contrast to conventional approaches in which an ideal match is not possible or is only possible with very expensive substrate materials (having a thermal expansion which is matched to a thermal expansion of the MEMS die), an exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a substrate element adapted for attaching a die thereon, the substrate comprising a contact pad bearing a stress release structure (such as a beam, a groove, a slot, etc.), which stress release structure may be arranged such that the contact pad forms a movable (for instance bending) bar (or beam). This relaxes the restrictions regarding useable materials, and particularly increases the flexibility regarding usable materials for the substrate.

Such a system may be much easier to assemble and may experience only a very low temperature influence. Thus, such a system may be particularly appropriate for use as a MEMS microphone, for sensor assembling, particularly in flip chip technology.

According to an exemplary embodiment, it is possible to reduce or minimize the transferred forces induced by different temperatures of substrate and chip, by mounting each contact to involve a respective spring element. Thus, individual electrical contacts may be discharged, released or unloaded from mechanical burden.

Next, further exemplary embodiments of the MEMS structure will be explained. However, these embodiments also apply to the portable electronic equipment, and to the method of manufacturing a MEMS structure.

The functional MEMS component may comprise a capacitive pressure measuring capability provided by a first electrode being mounted spatially fixed and by a second electrode configured as a movable membrane. According to an exemplary embodiment, the transfer of ferees due to a different thermal expansion of substrate and functional MEMS component is prevented by the resilient assembly of the system, so that particularly the movable membrane of the capacitive pressure measuring system may be prevented from being influenced by such mechanical forces which may disturb the accurate detection of acoustic signals. Therefore, detection artifacts may be efficiently suppressed. The functional MEMS component may comprise a die, particularly a semiconductor die. Such a die or electronic chip may comprise a semiconductor substrate such as silicon, germanium, any other group IV semiconductor, or any group III- group V semiconductor such as gallium arsenide.

In such a semiconductor die, mechanically movable components may be integrated such as a movable membrane of a silicon microphone. It is also possible that an integrated circuit may be integrated in the die, for instance for controlling detection or evaluating sensing information. It is possible that an energy supply or the exchange of electric control signals is required between such a die and the substrate. This can be performed by conduction elements integrated within the contact member, which may have an electrically conductive portion to provide the die and the substrate with a communicative and supply communication capability.

The (contact) coupling member may be adapted for (contacting) coupling the substrate and a functional MEMS component in a manner to allow for a release of stress exerted on the MEMS structure as a result of different thermal expansion properties of the substrate and the functional MEMS component. Therefore, the mechanical coupling properties between functional MEMS component and substrate which are translated via the one or more contact members may be performed in a manner so as to allow for an equilibration of mechanical tensions resulting from temperature effects.

The coupling member may be adapted for electrically coupling the substrate with a functional MEMS component. Thus, in addition to the mechanical connection property, the coupling member may also synergistically serve as an electrically contacting element for transmitting control signals and/or supply signals.

The contact member may comprise a bendable beam element. More particularly, it is possible that the contact member includes a plurality of bendable beam elements. Such beam elements may be arranged symmetrical with regard to a structure of the functional MEMS component, for instance can be arranged similar to legs of a table in a manner to spatially distribute the forces or loads acting thereon. When the functional MEMS component is a die having a rectangular cross-section, it is possible to provide four bendable beam elements each located close to a corner of the rectangle.

The substrate and/or the functional MEMS component may have a groove in a (contacting) coupling portion with the contact member so that the bendable beam element may be at least partially surrounded by the groove and may be arranged at least partially within the substrate and/or the functional MEMS. By such a groove which may be formed at an interface between substrate and contact member and/or at an interface between functional MEMS component and contact member, the flexibility may be locally increased so that the depth of such a groove and the angle around the contact member along which the groove is provided may be used as design parameters for adjusting the degree of flexibility and allowing to adjust a symmetric or asymmetric angular characteristic of the flexibility. At the interfaces, the beam element may be connected to substrate or functional

MEMS component by soldering, adhering, welding, press fit, lock-in connection, a magnetic connection, etc.

The groove may extend around an entire circumference of the bendable beam element but may extend vertically only through a part of the substrate and/or the functional MEMS component. Thus, in the present embodiment, the groove may be shaped as an annular blind hole, which does not extend through the entire substrate/functional MEMS component. However, by the circumferential arrangement of the groove, an isotropic motion characteristic may be enabled, regardless of the direction along which a stress force acts.

Alternatively, the groove may extend around only a part of a circumference of the bendable beam element. It may or may not extend entirely through the substrate and/or the functional MEMS component. Thus, the groove may be some kind of slit or through hole arranged only along a part of the circumference of the bendable beam element to maintain stability. In such a configuration, a very soft and flexible arrangement may be enabled which however has some preferential motion direction, which can be used to adjust desired asymmetric bending properties.

The groove may extend adjacent to an acoustical opening of the functional MEMS component. This may specifically allow for a very simple guiding of the groove.

The bendable beam element may extend perpendicularly to a main surface of the substrate and/or of the functional MEMS component. The main surface of the respective members may be one of the surfaces, which have the largest area of the respective member. In a cuboid geometry, there may be two main surfaces, which are the two of the six surfaces having the largest area. With such a configuration, the beams or bars may easily follow a motion direction occurring upon a significant change of the temperature.

The contact member may be integrally formed with one of the group consisting of the substrate and the functional MEMS component. In other words, the contact member may be a part of substrate or functional MEMS component, particularly may be made of the same material as the remaining part of the substrate or functional MEMS component. For instance, a groove shaped as an annulus or as a part of an annulus may simply be etched in a surface portion of the substrate and/or of the functional MEMS component so that a for instance post-like structure remaining after the etching forms a compliant or flexible contact member. This provides for a high mechanical stability of the contact member as well as for a properly adjustable degree of flexibility. Alternatively, the contact member may be provided as a member being formed separately from substrate and functional MEMS component, and being connected thereto, for example by adhering.

Particularly, the MEMS structure may be mounted in flip chip technology. A flip chip may be denoted as a chip that has bumped termination spaced on the face of the device and is designed for face-down mounting. Flip chip technology may be a chip-on-board technology in which the silicon die is inverted and mounted directly to the printed wiring board. The provision of a resilient contact member may be particularly advantageously in the context of flip chip technology since this is a very powerful technology, which may however be specifically sensitive to temperature changes and temperature induced forces.

Particularly in a portable electronic equipment, which may be transported by users to different environments (for instance may be operated indoor at a temperature of

+25°C, and may then be brought outdoor at a temperature of -20⁰C in winter time). Thus, the temperature stability of the MEMS structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention incorporated in the portable electronic equipment is specifically advantageous in such a scenario. Examples for portable electronic equipments in which a MEMS structure according to an exemplary embodiment may be incorporated are mobile phones, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a voice recorder, a dictating machine, an acoustic probe, an MP3 player having a record function, a voice control electronic equipment (such as an alarm clock which can be controlled by the voice of the user), a hands-free speaking system (such as the one used in a car for using a mobile phone during driving), an answering machine, a handheld device, a camcorder (which can have a video and audio function), a hearing aid or any other portable medical device, or a laptop. However, these examples are not exhaustive.

The functional MEMS component may additionally comprise a micro-electromechanical resonator, a micro-electro-mechanical switch, a micro-electro-mechanical capacitor, a micro-electro-mechanical accelerometer, a micro-electro-mechanical sensor or a microfluidic device comprising one or more microfluidic channels.

The manufacture of the MEMS component may be carried out in CMOS technology. Since the described procedures are compatible with CMOS technology, it may be possible to form a MEMS purely in semiconductor technology.

For any method step, any conventional procedure as known from semiconductor technology may be implemented. Forming layers or components may include deposition techniques like CVD (chemical vapour deposition), PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition), ALD (atomic layer deposition), or sputtering. Removing layers or components may include etching techniques like wet etching, vapour etching, etc., as well as patterning techniques like optical lithography, UV lithography, electron beam lithography, etc.

Embodiments of the invention are not bound to specific materials, so that many different materials may be used. For conductive structures, it may be possible to use metallization structures, suicide structures or polysilicon structures. For semiconductor regions or components, crystalline silicon may be used. For insulating portions, silicon oxide or silicon nitride may be used.

The structure may be formed on a purely crystalline silicon wafer or on an SOI wafer (Silicon On Insulator).

Any process technologies like CMOS, BIPOLAR, BICMOS may be implemented.

The aspects defined above and further aspects of the invention are apparent from the examples of embodiment to be described hereinafter and are explained with reference to these examples of embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples of embodiment but to which the invention is not limited. Fig. 1 illustrates a MEMS structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a functional MEMS element and contact members attached thereto.

Fig. 3 to Fig. 5 are different configurations of contact members according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The illustration in the drawing is schematical. In different drawings, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

Fig. 1 shows a micro-electro mechanical structure 100 comprising a laminate substrate 102 and a silicon microphone 104 as a functional MEMS component.

For illustrating the interior constitution of the silicon microphone chip 104, it is cut in the middle to show the internal components.

Fig. 1 shows the micro-electro mechanical structure 100 in a partially assembled state. Fig. 1 is a view before the silicon microphone 104 is attached at a portion 136 to an upper surface of a bar 114 formed in the laminate substrate 102. This is indicated by double arrows 150 and by the twice use of reference numeral 136. A contact member 106 contacts the substrate 102 with the functional MEMS component 104 in a resilient or flexible manner.

The functional MEMS component 104 comprises a silicon substrate 112 (etched to have a recess 152) and providing a capacitive pressure sensor formed by a flexible membrane 110 and an epitaxial electrode 108. The system is embedded in a silicon oxide structure 130. A first electric contact 132 is provided to be electrically coupled to the membrane 110, whereas a second electrical terminal 134 is electrically coupled to the electrode 108.

As indicated schematically in Fig. 1, a lower surface of the silicon substrate/die 112 of the functional MEMS structure 104 is to be coupled to bendable bars 114 of the contact member 106. A corresponding connection 136 may be performed by an adhering connection or a soldering connection.

Around the bar 114, a groove 116 is located which is formed in the laminate substrate 102 and extends to a bottom portion 138.

Although not shown in Fig. 1, the electric contacts 132, 134 may be electrically coupled to the bendable bars 114 in an assembled state of the system 100 so as to enable a communicative connection between the functional MEMS component 104 and the substrate 102. Via such a connection, an energy supply signal for supplying the silicon microphone 104 with electric energy and also a transfer of signals (for instance a sensing signal of the silicon microphone 104) may be transmitted between the silicon microphone 104 and the substrate 102.

The contact member 106 contacts the substrate 102 with the functional MEMS component 104 to allow for a release of mechanical stress exerted on the MEMS structure 100 as a result of different thermal expansion properties of the substrate 102 and the functional MEMS component 104 upon change of the ambient temperature. Since the substrate 102 and the functional MEMS component 104 are made of different materials, a temperature increase or decrease may have different influences on the substrate 102 as compared to the functional MEMS component 104. By a corresponding bending of the flexible bars 114, corresponding mechanical forces may be equilibrated to prevent particularly the flexible membrane 110 from stress and therefore reduce artifacts during acoustic detection. Thus, an arrangement for reducing or minimizing temperature influences on the MEMS microphone sensor 104 may be provided.

In the following, some basic recognitions of the present inventor will be explained based on which exemplary embodiments of the invention have been developed. Microphone sensors in MEMS technology comprise capacitive sensors in which one electrode may serve as a member with high compliance. Since the compliance may be inversed proportional to the stress of the membrane, the sensitivity of the sensor may be defined or influenced by the stress. Thus, the stress is a defining factor, which should be as constant as possible and as independent of the surrounding parameters such as temperature as possible.

Specifically, when employing mobile devices such as mobile phones, etc., stress should be constant over a very broad temperature range. In the sensor die, the stress is not changed significantly as a function of the temperature, since the main components are manufactured from silicon. The sensor die however has to be mechanically fastened (for instance adhered) on a substrate. Due to the in many cases very different temperature coefficients (for instance silicon: 2.7 ppm, laminate: 11 to 15 ppm), relatively large forces may exert on the die at the event of temperature changes, thereby having an impact on the stress. These effects can be reduced by the use of very soft glues and/or very stable dies, however involving additional costs.

Due to electronic reasons, and due to reasons of miniaturizing, electrically contacting by flip chip technology may be preferred. In this method, due to the solder, a strong mechanical coupling may be present between die and substrate (short distance and high elastic module for metallic connection). Thus, already small differences in the temperature coefficients may have a strong impact on the stress in the membrane. One possibility to reduce or minimize the temperature influence is the use of substrate materials having a similar temperature coefficient as silicon (Low Temperature Cofired Ceramics (LTCC), etc.). However, such materials are much more expensive than laminates. In view of the above mentioned recognitions, exemplary embodiments of the invention bridge different thermal expansions of materials (silicon and substrate) by providing bendable (or movable) mechanical elements in order to reduce or minimize the transferred forces. When the mechanical/electric coupling is realized via bars, very small forces result when theses bars are perpendicular to the motion direction at a temperature change.

This is indicated schematically in Fig. 2 showing a MEMS structure 200 in which an edge of die 104 is shown as well as bending bars delimited by grooves (see reference numeral 202). A contact pad is denoted with reference numeral 114. A double arrow indicates a differential motion 204. Such elements (bars, levers, etc.) can be realized in the substrates (for instance essentially within the substrates or with additional elements) by forming a groove 202 surrounding the contact pad 114. Alternatively, such elements may be mounted on the substrate and/or on the functional MEMS component.

The groove 202 can extend through the entire vertical thickness of the substrate (slits), or only up to a certain thickness (the deeper, the softer the mechanical coupling). The removal of the substrate material along the entire thickness may also depend on the acoustical frame conditions, and may be adjusted if required.

Fig. 3 shows an arrangement 300 in which a contact pad 114 is surrounded by a groove 302 only along a portion of the circumference of the contact pad 114. The electrical contact may be realized via a bar or a web, or by means of a wire directly below the contact pad 114. The length of the web, the width of the web and the depth of the groove 302 may have an influence on the softness of the mechanical coupling.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement 400 in which the groove 402 surrounds the entire circumference of the contact pad 114. Thus, the groove 402 surrounds the contact pad 114 entirely. The groove 402 does not extend around the entire vertical thickness of the substrate in this embodiment. The electrical contacting can be performed by means of wires from a lower layer of the laminate substrate.

Fig. 5 shows a MEMS structure 500 according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. Fig. 5 shows a groove 502 partially surrounding a contact pad 114 and being arranged next to an acoustic opening 504 for the microphone function.

With such an embodiment of the microphone constitution, the acoustic opening 504 can be arranged adjacent to the electrical contact for the sensor (bottom sound opening). In this embodiment, the guidance of the groove 502 can be easier starting from the acoustic opening 504.

Advantages of exemplary embodiments of the invention are the reduction of the forces between substrate and sensor, an temperature independency of the stress in the sensor and therefore of the sensitivity, and the opportunity to use cheap laminates for the substrate. A reduction of the size of the die may be possible due to the relaxed requirements regarding stability, resulting in lower costs. Furthermore, it is possible to provide separate solutions for acoustically closed and opened applications. Required structures can be provided in the substrate and/or in the sensor, or in a combination thereof. Finally, it should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be capable of designing many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" and "comprises", and the like, does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the specification as a whole. The singular reference of an element does not exclude the plural reference of such elements and vice-versa. In a device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of software or hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A MEMS structure (100), the MEMS structure ( 100) comprising a substrate (102); a functional MEMS component (104) comprising a microphone structure; a coupling member (106) for coupling the substrate (102) and the functional

MEMS component (104) in a resilient manner.

2. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the functional MEMS component (104) comprises a capacitive pressure measuring capability provided by a first electrode (108) being mounted spatially fixed and by a second electrode (110) configured as a movable membrane.

3. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the functional MEMS comprises a die (112), particularly a semiconductor die (112).

4. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member (106) is adapted for coupling the substrate (102) with the functional MEMS component (104) in a manner to allow for a release of stress exerted on the MEMS structure (100) as a result of different thermal expansion properties of the substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component (104).

5. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member (106) is adapted for electrically coupling the substrate (102) with the functional MEMS component (104).

6. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the contact member (106) comprises a bendable beam element (114), particularly comprises a plurality of bendable beam elements (114).

7. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the group consisting of the substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component (104) has a groove (116) at a coupling portion with the coupling member (106) such that the bendable beam element (114) is at least partially surrounded by the groove (116).

8. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 7, wherein the groove (116) extends around an entire circumference of the bendable beam element (114) and extends only through a part of at least one of the group consisting of the substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component (104).

9. The MEMS structure (200) according to claim 7, wherein the groove (202) extends around only a part of a circumference of the bendable beam element (114) and extends entirely through at least one of the group consisting of the substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component (104).

10. The MEMS structure (500) according to claim 7, wherein the groove (502) extends adjacent to an acoustical opening (504) of the functional MEMS component (104).

11. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 6, wherein the bendable beam element (114) is aligned perpendicularly to a main surface (118) of at least one of the group consisting of the substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component (104).

12. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the contact member (106) is integrally formed with one of the group consisting of the substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component (104).

13. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, mounted in flip-chip technology.

14. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the functional MEMS component (104) is implemented in CMOS technology.

15. The MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the functional MEMS component (104) further comprises at least one of the group consisting of a micro- electro -mechanical resonator, a micro-electro-mechanical switch, a micro-electro-mechanical capacitor, a micro-electro-mechanical accelerometer, a micro-electro-mechanical sensor, and a microfluidic channel.

16. A portable electronic equipment, the portable electronic equipment comprising a MEMS structure (100) according to claim 1.

17. The portable electronic equipment according to claim 16, adapted as one of the group consisting of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a voice recorder, a dictating machine, an acoustic probe, an MP3 player, a voice controlled electronic equipment, a hands- free speaking system, an answering machine, a hand-held device, a camcorder, a hearing aid, a portable computer, and a laptop.

18. A method of manufacturing a MEMS structure (100), the method comprising the method steps of providing a functional MEMS component (104) that comprises a microphone structure; and coupling a substrate (102) and the functional MEMS component in a resilient manner.