Texas Instruments Corporation

National Semiconductor Corporation

Other

Ann Gabrys

William David French

Peter J Hopper

Roozbeh Parsa

Dok Won Lee

Terry Dyer

Nathan Brockie

Iouri N Mirgorodski

Martin Fallon

Peter B Johnson

Peter Smeys

Paul Mawson

Andrei Papou

Steven Hunt

Ricky A Jackson

Kyuwoon Hwang

David I Anderson

Mark Willam Poulter

Sheldon D Haynie

David Brian McDonald

Peter L Hopper

Mark William Poulter

Anston Joel Lobo

An integrated sensor includes a sensor cell, a signal source, an input optical rotator, and a signal detector. The integrated sensor includes a positioner for a signal-processing component. The positioner may be a linear positioner for the signal-processing component, such as a signal source or a signal detector, or may be a rotational positioner for the signal-processing component, such as a polarizer or a polarized signal source. The signal-processing component is located on a signal path of the integrated sensor. A method of adjusting a linear position or rotational position of a signal-processing component is also disclosed. A linear position or a rotational position of the signal-processing component may be adjusted to improve performance of the integrated sensor.

Component adjustment in a signal path of an integrated sensor

An inductor conductor design which minimizes the impact of skin effect in the conductors at high frequencies in integrated circuits and the method of manufacture thereof is described herein.

Conductor design for integrated magnetic devices

An integrated microfabricated sensor includes a sensor cell having a cell body, a first window attached to the cell body, and a second window attached to the cell body. The cell body laterally surrounds a cavity, so that both windows are exposed to the cavity. The sensor cell contains a sensor fluid material in the cavity. The cavity has concave profiles at cell body walls, so that the cavity is wider in a central region, approximately midway between the first window and the second window, than at the first surface and at the second surface. The cell body walls of the cell body have acute interior angles at both windows. The cell body is formed using an etch process that removes material from the cell body concurrently at the first surface and the second surface, forming the acute interior angles at both the first surface and the second surface.

Concave cavity for integrated microfabricated sensor

An integrated microfabricated alkali vapor cell sensor includes two alkali vapor regions, with a signal path through each. One or two signal emitters, with associated optical signal rotators, such as quarter wave plates, provide circularly polarized input signals into the alkali vapor regions, so that a first signal through the first alkali vapor region is circularly polarized in an opposite direction from a second signal through the second alkali vapor region. Output signals from the two alkali vapor regions are transformed to linearly polarized signals and then measured by one or more signal detectors. A first Larmor frequency is estimated from the output signal from the first alkali vapor region, and a second Larmor frequency is estimated from the output signal from the second alkali vapor region. A heading error-free Larmor frequency is estimated from the first Larmor frequency and the second Larmor frequency.

Integrated microfabricated alkali vapor cell sensor with reduced heading error

A micro-fabricated atomic clock structure is thermally insulated so that the atomic clock structure can operate with very little power in an environment where the external temperature can drop to &#x2212;40&#xb0; C., while at the same time maintaining the temperature required for the proper operation of the VCSEL and the gas within the vapor cell.

Micro-fabricated atomic clock structure and method of forming the atomic clock structure

An integrated microfabricated sensor includes a sensor cell having a cell body, a first window attached to a first surface, and a second window attached to a second surface, opposite to the first window. The cell body laterally surrounds a cavity, so that the first window and the second window are exposed to the cavity. The sensor cell contains a sensor fluid material in the cavity. The cell body has recesses on opposing exterior sides of the cell body; each recess extends from the first surface to the second surface. Exterior portions of the cell body wall in the recesses are recessed from singulation surfaces on the cell body exterior. The cell body is formed by etching the cavity and the recesses concurrently through a body substrate. After the windows are attached, the sensor cell is singulated from the body substrate through the recesses.

Microfabricated atomic clocks and magnetometers utilizing side recesses

A microfabricated sensor includes a sensor cell with a cell body and a window attached to the cell body. A sensor cavity containing sensor fluid material is located in cell body, open to the window. A signal path extends from a signal emitter outside the sensor cell, through the window and sensor cavity, and to a signal detector. The sensor cell may have an asymmetric thermal configuration, conducive to developing a temperature gradient in the sensor cell. One or more heaters are disposed on the sensor cell, possibly in an asymmetric configuration. Power is applied to the heaters, possibly asymmetrically, so as to develop a temperature gradient in the sensor cell with a low temperature region in the sensor cell, sufficient to condense the sensor fluid in the low temperature region, outside of the signal path.

Temperature gradient in microfabricated sensor cavity

A probe card includes a mechanical support fixture having an inner aperture with a plurality of probes secured to the fixture that includes probe tips that extend into the inner aperture for contacting probe pads on die of a wafer to be probed. At least one magnetic shield includes a magnetic material that at least substantially surrounds a projected volume over an area that encloses the probe tips. The magnetic material has a relative magnetic permeability of at least 800.

Magnetic shielded probe card

A fluxgate device that includes a first magnetic core and a second magnetic core. The first magnetic core has a first magnetized direction that deviates from a first sense direction by more than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees. The second magnetic core is arranged orthogonally to the first magnetic core. The second magnetic core has a second magnetized direction that deviates from a second sense direction by more than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees.

Dual-axis fluxgate device

A microelectronic device, possibly a packaged microelectronic device, contains a magnetic sensor component and magnetizable structural features. Magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features are aligned parallel to each other. The microelectronic device is formed by applying a magnetic field so as to align magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features with the applied magnetic field. Application of the magnetic field is subsequently discontinued. The magnetic moments of the magnetizable structural features remain aligned parallel to each other after the applied magnetic field is discontinued.

Reduction of magnetic sensor component variation due to magnetic materials through the application of magnetic field

A magnetic sensor has a circuit segment with a quadrupole region. The quadrupole region includes a supply line, a first return line and a second return line, all in a conductor layer. The first supply line is laterally adjacent to the supply line on a first side, and the second return line is laterally adjacent to the supply line on a second, opposite side. A space between the supply line and the first return line is free of the conductor layer; similarly, a space between the supply line and the second return line is free of the conductor layer. The first return line and the second return line are electrically coupled to the supply line at a terminus of the circuit segment.

Wiring layout to reduce magnetic field

Magnetically shielded probe card

A photodetector detects the absence or presence of light by detecting a change in the inductance of a coil. The magnetic field generated when a current flows through the coil passes through an electron-hole generation region. Charged particles in the electron-hole generation region come under the influence of the magnetic field, and generate eddy currents whose magnitudes depend on whether light is absent or present. The eddy currents generate a magnetic field that opposes the magnetic field generated by current flowing through the coil.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Ann Gabrys