Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Fabio Bottinelli

Carlo Alberto Romani

Enrico Pozzati

Roberto Carminati

Manuel Santoro

Carmela Marchese

A method of manufacturing an electronic module includes providing a base substrate having a first surface, providing a first supporting element having a first portion with an inclined top surface, and affixing the first supporting element to the first surface such that the inclined top surface is inclined with respect to the base substrate. A first reflector is coupled to the inclined top surface such that a rear surface of the first reflector is in physical contact with the inclined top surface of the first portion of the first supporting element, and a spacer structure is configured to form an interface for mounting lateral walls to the base substrate. A cap is positioned over and supported by the lateral walls to thereby define a chamber. The emitter, as well as a detector, are coupled to the first surface of the base substrate.

Integrated electronic module for 3D sensing applications, and 3D scanning device including the integrated electronic module

A substrate and a covering structure coupled to the substrate form a chamber. The chamber houses an emitter configured to emit a radiation, a resonant reflector, a detector, and a fixed reflector. First and second windows extend through the covering structure. The emitter, the first reflector and the second reflector are reciprocally arranged such that radiation emitted from the emitter is reflected by the fixed reflector towards the MEMS reflector for further reflection towards the first window to form an output signal. The detector and the second window are reciprocally arranged such that an incoming radiation passing through the second window is received by the detector. The electronic module can be used for a 3D sensing application.

A reading circuit for a magnetic-field sensor, provided with a detection structure generating an electrical detection signal as a function of an external magnetic field, has a signal-conditioning stage, which is electrically coupled to the detection structure and generates an output signal as a function of the electrical detection signal; the reading circuit is provided with a full-scale-control stage that is able to select automatically a full-scale value for the signal-conditioning stage, as a function of the value of the external magnetic field, such as to prevent saturation of the same conditioning stage.

Magnetic sensor reading device, system and method

A method reading a magnetic-field sensor provided with at least one first magnetoresistive element envisages generation of an output signal, indicative of a magnetic field, as a function of a detection signal supplied by the magnetic-field sensor. The reading method envisages: determining an offset signal present in the output signal; generating at least one compensation quantity as a function of the offset signal; and feeding back the compensation quantity at input to the reading stage so as to apply a corrective factor at input to the reading stage as a function of the compensation quantity, such as to reduce the value of the offset signal below a given threshold.

Reading circuit with automatic offset compensation for a magnetic-field sensor, and related reading method with automatic offset compensation

A reading circuit for a magnetic-field sensor, generating an electrical detection quantity as a function of a detected magnetic field and of a detection sensitivity, is provided with an amplification stage, which is coupled to the magnetic-field sensor and generates an output signal as a function of the electrical detection quantity. In particular, the reading circuit is provided with a calibration stage, integrated with the amplification stage and configured so as to control a feedback loop in such a way as to compensate a variation of the detection sensitivity with respect to a nominal sensitivity value.

Reading circuit for a magnetic field sensor with sensititivy calibration, and related reading method

Described herein is a biasing circuit for a magnetic-field sensor; the magnetic-field sensor is provided with a first detection structure, which generates a first electrical detection quantity as a function of a first component of an external magnetic field, and a second detection structure, which generates a second electrical detection quantity as a function of a second component of an external magnetic field. The biasing circuit electrically supplies the first detection structure and the second detection structure in respective biasing time intervals, at least partially distinct from one another, which preferably do not temporally overlap one other.

Biasing circuit for a magnetic field sensor, and corresponding biasing method

A reading circuit for a magnetic-field sensor, generating an electrical detection quantity as a function of a detected magnetic field and of a detection sensitivity, is provided with an amplification stage, which is coupled to the magnetic-field sensor and generates an output signal as a function of the electrical detection quantity and of an amplification gain. In particular, the amplification gain is electronically selectable, and the reading circuit is moreover provided with a calibration stage, integrated with the amplification stage and configured so as to vary a value of the amplification gain in such a way as to compensate a variation of the detection sensitivity with respect to a nominal sensitivity value.

Reading circuit for a magnetic field sensor with sensitivity calibration, and related reading method

A magnetic-field sensor adapted to detect an external magnetic field. The magnetic-field sensor including a first chip, having a first magnetoresistive structure for detection of the external magnetic field, the first magnetoresistive detection structure including an electrical-contact pad and magnetoresistive element, and a second chip housing an integrated electronic circuit and a magnetic-field generator. The first and second chips being mutually arranged in such a way that the integrated electronic circuit can be electrically coupled to the electrical-contact pad of the magnetoresistive structure and in such a way that the magnetic-field generator can be magnetically coupled to the magnetoresistive structure.

Magnetoresistive sensor with reduced parasitic capacitance, and method

A comparator formed by first and second stages. The second stage is formed by a pair of output transistors connected between a power-supply line and respective output nodes; a pair of bias transistors, connected between a respective output node and a current source; a pair of memory elements, connected between the control terminals of the output transistors and opposite output nodes; and switches coupled between the control terminals of the respective output transistors and the respective output nodes. In an initial autozeroing step, the first stage stores its offset so as to generate an offset-free current signal. In a subsequent tracking step, the second stage receives the current signal and the memory elements store control voltages of the respective output transistors. In a subsequent evaluating step, the first stage is disconnected from the second stage and the memory elements receive the current signal and switch the first and the second output node depending on the current signal. In subsequent comparisons, the tracking and evaluating steps follow one another without performing the autozeroing step.

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Malnate, Italy

Fabio Bottinelli