Nxp B.v.

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Aarnoud Laurens Roest

Klaus Reimann

Linda Van Leuken-Peters

Mareike K Klee

Jin Liu

Rudiger Gunter Mauczok

Jozef Thomas Martinus Van Beek

John Douglas Fraser

Freddy Roozeboom

Robertus Adrianus Maria Wolters

Michael Joehren

Friso Jedema

Yukiko Furukawa

Robertus Andrianus Maria Wolters

Markus Petrus Josephus Tiggelman

Willem F A Besling

Vahid Shabro

A MEMS electrostatic actuator comprises first and second opposing electrode arrangements, wherein at least one of the electrode arrangements is movable. A dielectric material () is adjacent the one of the electrode arrangements (). The second electrode arrangement is patterned such that it includes electrode areas () and spaces adjacent the electrode areas, wherein the dielectric material () extends at least partially in or over the spaces. The invention uses a multitude of electrode portions as one plate. The electric field lines thus form clusters between the individual electrode portions and the opposing electrode. This arrangement provides an extended range of continuous actuation and tunability.

MEMS electrostatic actuator

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating an electronic component, comprising fabricating, on a substrate () at least one integrated MIM capacitor () having a top capacitor electrode () and a bottom capacitor electrode () at a smaller distance from the substrate than the top capacitor electrode; fabricating an electrically insulating first cover layer () on the top capacitor electrode, which first cover layer partly or fully covers the top capacitor electrode and is made of a lead-containing dielectric material; thinning the first cover layer; fabricating an electrically insulating second cover layer () on the first cover layer, which second cover layer partly or fully covers the first cover layer and has a dielectric permittivity smaller than that of the first cover layer; and fabricating an electrically conductive resistor layer () on the second cover layer, which resistor layer has a defined ohmic resistance.

Method for fabricating an integrated-passives device with a MIM capacitor and a high-accuracy resistor on top

The present invention relates to an electronic component, that comprises, on a substrate, at least one integrated MIM capacitor, () an electrically insulating first cover layer () which partly or fully covers the top capacitor electrode () and is made of a lead-containing dielectric material, and a top barrier layer () on the first cover layer. The top barrier layer serves for avoiding a reduction of lead atoms comprised by the first cover layer under exposure of the first cover layer to a reducing substance. An electrically insulating second cover layer () on the top barrier layer has a dielectric permittivity smaller than that of the first cover layer establishes a low parasitic capacitance of the cover-layer structure. The described cover-layer structure with the intermediate top barrier layer allows to fabricate a high-accuracy resistor layer () on top.

3D integration of a MIM capacitor and a resistor

The invention relates to electronic device having an operation temperature range, wherein the electronic device comprises a tunable capacitor (CST) comprising a first electrode (BE), a second electrode (TE), and a dielectric (FEL) arranged between the first electrode (BE) and the second electrode (TE). The dielectric (FEL) comprises dielectric material (FEL) having a value of a relative dielectric constant (&#x2208;) varying at least within the operation temperature range. The electronic device further comprises a temperature varying means (RES) being thermally coupled to the tunable capacitor for providing a temperature of the dielectric (FEL) causing a predetermined capacitance of the tunable capacitor (CST). The invention, which relies on the idea of varying temperature to vary a capacitance of a capacitor stack, provides an alternative tunable capacitor type for the known types. Advantageous embodiments feature high-tuning ratio, small device area, and stable capacitance value in case the temperature is well controlled. The invention further relates to a semiconductor device comprising the electronic device in accordance with the invention, to an electronic circuit comprising such electronic device, and to a method of manufacturing such electronic device.

Tunable capacitor

The invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a physical structure () for use in a physical unclonable function, wherein the physical structure () comprises a lead-zirconium titanate layer (), and a silicon-comprising dielectric layer () deposited on the lead-zirconium-titanate layer (), wherein the silicon-comprising dielectric layer () has a rough surface (SR), the physical structure () further comprising a conductive layer () provided on the rough surface (SR) of the silicon-comprising dielectric layer (). The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such semiconductor device. The invention also relates to a card, such as a smartcard, and to a RFID tag comprising such semiconductor device. The inventors have found that depositing of a silicon- comprising dielectric layer () on a lead-zirconium titanate layer () using vapor deposition results in a silicon-comprising dielectric layer () having a rough surface (SR). This rough surface (SR) can be used in a PUF to make a resistor (R) with a variable random value by depositing a conductive layer () on the rough surface (SR). Alternatively, the combination of both layers () can be used in a PUF as composite dielectric to make a capacitor (C) with a variable random capacitance value.

Physical structure for use in a physical unclonable function

An electronic device includes a metal-insulator-metal capacitive device. In connection with an example embodiment, a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor device is in a substrate having a surface and a three dimensional structure with high aspect ratio sidewalls. The MIM capacitor device includes a first capacitor electrode including a platinum group metal (PGM)-based layer and a Ta-based layer that is between the PGM-based layer and one of the sidewalls. The MIM capacitor also includes a second capacitor electrode and an insulator material between the first and second electrodes.

Tantalum-based electrode stack

The present invention relates to an electric component comprising at least one first MIM capacitor having a ferroelectric insulator with a dielectric constant of at least 100 between a first capacitor electrode of a first electrode material and a second capacitor electrode of a second electrode material. The first and second electrode materials are selected such that the first MIM capacitor exhibits, as a function of a DC voltage applicable between the first and second electrodes, an asymmetric capacitance hysteresis that lets the first MIM capacitor, in absence of the DC voltage, assume one of at least two possible distinct capacitance values, in dependence on a polarity of a switching voltage last applied to the capacitor, the switching voltage having an amount larger than a threshold-voltage amount. The invention is applicable for ESD sensors, memories and high-frequency devices.

Generating and exploiting an asymmetric capacitance hysteresis of ferroelectric MIM capacitors

A method of fabricating a trench capacitor, and a trench capacitor fabricated thereby, are disclosed. The method involves the use of a vacuum impregnation process for a sol-gel film, to facilitate effective deposition of high-permittivity materials within a trench in a semiconductor substrate, to provide a trench capacitor having a high capacitance while being efficient in utilization of semiconductor real estate.

Trench capacitor and method for producing the same

A capacitive ultrasound transducer includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, the third electrode including a central region disposed in collapsibly spaced relation with the first electrode, and a peripheral region disposed outward of the central region and disposed in collapsibly spaced relation with the second electrode. The transducer further includes a layer of a high dielectric constant material disposed between the third electrode and the first electrode, and between the third electrode and the second electrode. The transducer may be operable in a collapsed mode wherein the peripheral region of the third electrode oscillates relative to the second electrode, and the central region of the third electrode is fully collapsed with respect to the first electrode such that the dielectric layer is sandwiched therebetween. Piezoelectric actuation, such as dand dmode piezoelectric actuation, may further be included. A medical imaging system includes an array of such capacitive ultrasound transducers disposed on a common substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Geldrop, Netherlands

Aarnoud Laurens Roest