Invensense, Inc.

Mcube, Inc.

Atmel Corporation

Invensence, Inc.

Anthony Francis Flannery, Jr

Steven Saeed Nasiri

Martin Lim

Hong Wan

Daniel N Koury, Jr

Shingo Yoneoka

Joseph Seeger

Alexander Castro

Raymond Merrill, Jr

A method of bonding of germanium to aluminum between two substrates to create a robust electrical and mechanical contact is disclosed. An aluminum-germanium bond has the following unique combination of attributes: (1) it can form a hermetic seal; (2) it can be used to create an electrically conductive path between two substrates; (3) it can be patterned so that this conduction path is localized; (4) the bond can be made with the aluminum that is available as standard foundry CMOS process. This has the significant advantage of allowing for wafer-level bonding or packaging without the addition of any additional process layers to the CMOS wafer.

Method of fabrication of Al/Ge bonding in a wafer packaging environment and a product produced therefrom

A method and structure for operating a magnetoresistive sensor system includes applying a set-reset process wherein the set-reset signal is phased through the magnetoresistive element in such a way that the set-reset field of each region is not released until the adjacent field is aligned. Starting at one end of the magnetoresistive element, the set-reset signal is activated. This aligns the domains directly underneath the first of the set-reset elements. Before this field is released, the adjacent set-reset is activated, which aligned the domains in the adjacent field. Once the adjacent field has been realigned, the set-reset field in the first region can be released, and the set-reset field in the next region can be activated. In this way, no more than two set-reset elements must be active at any one time.

Method and device for magnetoresistive sensor

A method and structure for a three-axis magnetic field sensing device. An IC layer having first bond pads and second bond pads can be formed overlying a substrate/SOI member with a first, second, and third magnetic sensing element coupled the IC layer. One or more conductive cables can be formed to couple the first and second bond pads of the IC layer. A portion of the substrate member and IC layer can be removed to separate the first and second magnetic sensing elements on a first substrate member from the third sensing element on a second substrate member, and the third sensing element can be coupled to the side-wall of the first substrate member.

Three axis magnetic sensor device and method using flex cables

An improved MEMS transducer apparatus and method. The method includes providing a movable base structure having a base surface region overlying a substrate and a center cavity with a cavity surface region. At least one center anchor structure and one spring structure can be spatially disposed within a substantially circular portion of the surface region. The spring structure(s) can be coupled the center anchor structure(s) to a portion of the cavity surface region. The substantially circular portion can be configured within a vicinity of the center of the surface region. At least one capacitor element, having a fixed and a movable capacitor element, can be spatially disposed within a vicinity of the cavity surface region. The fixed capacitor element(s) can be coupled to the center anchor structure(s) and the movable capacitor element(s) can be spatially disposed on a portion of the cavity surface region.

Method for fabricating a transducer apparatus

An integrated pressure sensing device and method of fabrication thereof are disclosed. The method can include providing a substrate member having a surface region and forming a CMOS IC layer overlying the substrate and forming an oxide layer overlying the CMOS IC layer. A portion of the oxide layer can be removed to form a cavity region. A single crystalline silicon wafer can be bonded overlying the oxide surface region to seal the cavity region. The bonding process can include a fusion bonding or eutectic bonding process. The wafer can be thinned to a desired thickness and portions can be removed and filled with metal materials to form via structures. A pressure sensor device can be formed from the wafer, and can be co-fabricated with another sensor from the wafer. The pressure sensor and the other sensor can share a cavity pressure or have separate cavity pressures.

Method and structure of monolithically integrated absolute pressure sensor

A method for providing acceleration data with reduced substrate-displacement bias includes receiving in an accelerometer an external acceleration, determining the acceleration data with reduced substrate displacement bias in a compensation portion in response to a first and a second displacement indicators from a MEMS transducer, and, in response to substrate compensation factors from a MEMS compensation portion, outputting the acceleration data with reduced substrate displacement bias, wherein the first displacement indicator and the second displacement indicator are determined by the MEMS transducer relative to a substrate in response to the external acceleration and to a substrate displacement, and wherein the substrate compensation factors are determined by the MEMS compensation portion relative to the substrate in response to the substrate displacement.

Substrate curvature compensation methods and apparatus

A method and structure for fabricating a monolithic integrated MEMS device. The method includes providing a substrate having a surface region and forming at least one conduction material and at least one insulation material overlying at least one portion of the surface region. At least one support structure can be formed overlying at least one portion of the conduction and insulation surface regions, and at least one MEMS device can be formed overlying the support structure(s) and the conduction and insulation surface regions. In a variety of embodiments, the support structure(s) can include dielectric or oxide materials. The support structure(s) can then be removed and a cover material can be formed overlying the MEMS device(s), the conduction and insulation materials, and the substrate. In various embodiments, the removal of the support structure(s) can be accomplished via a vapor etching process.

Oxide retainer method for MEMS devices

Method of fabrication of Al/GE bonding in a wafer packaging environment and a product produced therefrom

An improved MEMS transducer apparatus and method is provided. The apparatus includes a movable base structure having a base surface region. An anchor structure is disposed within a substantially circular portion of the surface region typically at or near the center of the surface region. A spring structure is coupled to the anchor structure and at least one portion of the base surface region. A capacitor, having a fixed capacitor element and a movable capacitor element, are disposed near the base surface region. The fixed capacitor element can be coupled to the anchor structure and the movable capacitor element can be spatially disposed on a portion of the base surface region near the anchor structure.

Anchor design and method for MEMS transducer apparatuses

Method of fabrication of AI/GE bonding in a wafer packaging environment and a product produced therefrom

A dual-axis sensor for measuring X and Y components of angular velocity in an X-Y sensor plane is provided. The dual-axis sensor includes a first subsensor for measuring the X component of angular velocity, and a second subsensor for measuring the Y component of angular velocity. The first subsensor and the second subsensor are contained within a single hermetic seal within the dual-axis sensor.

Growing community of inventors

Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Anthony Francis Flannery, Jr