ABSTRACT
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No characteristic of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices sets them
apart from integrated circuits (ICs) more clearly than their sensitivity to surface
contamination. An IC wafer leaves the foundry passivated for normal environmen-
tal exposure; a MEMS wafer does not. As a result, standard back-end processing
steps (dicing, pick and place, die attach, wire bonding or bumping, and packaging)
commonly used for ICs cannot be used for MEMS.
