Invensense, Inc.

Analog Devices,inc.

Fang Liu

Kuang L Yang

Martin Lim

Michael Julian Daneman

Peter George Hartwell

Anthony D Minervini

Brian H Kim

Yushi Yang

Michael Henderson Perrott

Jongwoo Shin

Julius Ming-Lin Tsai

Jong Il Shin

Xiang Li

Thomas Chen

Mike Daneman

Zhineng Zhu

Jong Ii Shin

Jim Salvia

The present invention relates to methods for detecting gases in an environment using chemical and thermal sensing. In one embodiment, a method includes exposing a chemiresistor embedded within a sensor pixel to a gas in an environment; setting a heater embedded within the sensor pixel to a sensing temperature, the sensing temperature being greater than room temperature; measuring an electrical resistance of the chemiresistor in response to setting the heater to the sensing temperature; and in response to a difference between the electrical resistance of the chemiresistor and a reference electrical resistance being less than a threshold, supplying a fixed power input to the heater embedded within the sensor pixel and measuring a temperature of the sensor pixel relative to a reference temperature.

Gas sensing method with chemical and thermal conductivity sensing

Facilitating live fingerprint detection utilizing an integrated ultrasound and infrared (IR) sensor is presented herein. A fingerprint sensor can comprise a first substrate comprising the IR sensor, and a second substrate comprising an ultrasonic transducer. The second substrate is attached to a top portion of the first substrate, and a temperature output of the IR sensor facilitates a determination that a fingerprint output of the ultrasonic transducer corresponds to a finger. The IR sensor can comprise polysilicon comprising a thermopile and an array of photonic crystals thermally coupled to the thermopile.

Live fingerprint detection utilizing an integrated ultrasound and infrared sensor

The present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting gases in an environment using chemical and thermal sensing. In one embodiment, a method includes exposing a chemiresistor embedded within a sensor pixel to a gas in an environment; setting a heater embedded within the sensor pixel to a sensing temperature, the sensing temperature being greater than room temperature; measuring an electrical resistance of the chemiresistor in response to setting the heater to the sensing temperature; and in response to a difference between the electrical resistance of the chemiresistor and a reference electrical resistance being less than a threshold, supplying a fixed power input to the heater embedded within the sensor pixel and measuring a temperature of the sensor pixel relative to a reference temperature.

Gas sensing device with chemical and thermal conductivity sensing

A gas sensor device with temperature uniformity is presented herein. In an implementation, a device includes a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrate layer, a dielectric layer and a gas sensing layer. The dielectric layer is deposited on the CMOS substrate layer. Furthermore, the dielectric layer includes a temperature sensor and a heating element coupled to a heat transfer layer associated with a set of metal interconnections. The gas sensing layer is deposited on the dielectric layer.

CMOS integrated microheater for a gas sensor device

Microelectromechanical microphones include structures that permit differential capacitive sensing. In certain structures, a movable plate is disposed between a rigid plate and a substrate. A first capacitor is formed between the movable plate and the substrate and a second capacitor is formed between the movable plate and the rigid plate. Respective bias voltages can be applied to the rigid plate and the substrate, and a differential capacitive signal can be probed in response to displacement of the movable plate caused by a pressure wave. The movable plate and the rigid plate are mechanically coupled to first and second portions of the substrate, respectively. A dielectric member mechanically couples the movable plate and the rigid plate, thus providing mechanical stability.

Microelectromechanical microphone with differential capacitive sensing

A MEMS device includes a MEMS substrate with a movable element. Further included is a CMOS substrate with a cavity, the MEMS substrate disposed on top of the CMOS substrate. Additionally, a back cavity is connected to the CMOS substrate, the back cavity being formed at least partially by the cavity in the CMOS substrate and the movable element being acoustically coupled to the back cavity.

Integrated CMOS back cavity acoustic transducer and the method of producing the same

A piezoelectric acoustic resonator based sensor is presented herein. A device can include an array of piezoelectric transducers and an array of cavities that has been attached to the array of piezoelectric transducers to form an array of resonators. A resonator of the array of resonators can be associated with a first frequency response corresponding to a first determination that the resonator has been touched, and a second frequency response corresponding to a second determination that the resonator has not been touched. The array of piezoelectric transducers can include a piezoelectric material; a first set of electrodes that has been formed a first side of the piezoelectric material; and a second set of electrodes that has been formed on second side of the piezoelectric material.

Piezoelectric acoustic resonator based sensor

A micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device is provided. The MEMS device includes: a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a port disposed through the first substrate, wherein the port is configured to receive acoustic waves and wherein the first surface is exposed to an environment outside the MEMS device; and a diaphragm coupled to and facing the second surface and configured to deflect in response to pressure differential at the diaphragm in response to the received acoustic waves. The MEMS device also includes a second substrate coupled to and facing the diaphragm, and including circuitry, wherein the second substrate includes a recess region forming an integrated back cavity in the MEMS device. The MEMS device also includes an electrical connection electrically coupling the first substrate and the second substrate and configured to transmit an electrical signal indicative of the deflection of the diaphragm.

Systems and apparatus having top port integrated back cavity micro electro-mechanical system microphones and methods of fabrication of the same

Various embodiments provide for a method for roughening a surface of a MEMs device or the surface of a CMOS surface. A first material can be deposited in a thin layer over a surface made of a second material. After heating, the first and second materials, they can partially melt and interdiffuse, forming an alloy. The first material can then be removed and the alloy is removed at the same time. The surface of the second material that is left behind has then been roughened due to the interdiffusion of the first and second materials.

Film induced interface roughening and method of producing the same

A microphone system includes a diaphragm suspended by springs and including a sealing layer that seals passageways which, if left open, would degrade the microphone's frequency response by allowing air to pass from one side of the diaphragm to the other when the diaphragm is responding to an incident acoustic signal. In some embodiments, the sealing layer may include an equalization aperture to allow pressure to equalize on both sides of the diaphragm.

Low frequency response microphone diaphragm structures and methods for producing the same

A method for measuring retained surface charges within a MEMS device includes performing an initial voltage sweep on the MEMS device, and recording the capacitance between a first and second electrode of the MEMS device. The method may then (1) apply a stress signal to the MEMS device that causes a first and/or second electrode within the MEMS device to retain a surface charge, and (2) perform at least one additional voltage sweep on the MEMS device. The method may record the capacitance during the additional voltage sweep(s), and calculate a C-V center voltage shift based upon the data obtained during the initial voltage sweep and additional voltage sweep. The voltage shift is representative of the retained surface charge.

System and method for detecting surface charges of a MEMS device

A microphone system has two diaphragms and are mechanically interconnected such that they respond in antiphase to an acoustic signal impinging on one of the diaphragms. The two diaphragms produce two variable capacitances that vary proportionately but inversely to one another. Voltage signals produced by the two variable capacitances are summed to provide an output signal proportional to the acoustic signal, but with greater sensitivity than a single-diaphragm microphone.

Microphone system with mechanically-coupled diaphragms

An array of microbumps with a layer or coating of non-superhydrophobic material yields a superhydrophobic surface, and may also have a contact angle hysteresis of 15 degrees or less. A surface with such an array may therefore be rendered superhydrophobic even though the surface structure and materials are not, by themselves, superhydrophobic.

Method for wafer-level surface micromachining to reduce stiction

A method for producing a MEMS device having improved charge elimination characteristics includes providing a substrate having one or more layers, and applying a first charge elimination layer onto at least one portion of one given layer of the substrate. The method may then (1) apply a sacrificial layer onto the first charge elimination layer, (2) apply a second charge elimination layer onto at least a portion of the sacrificial layer, and (3) deposit a movable layer onto at least a portion of the second charge elimination layer. To form a structure within the movable layer the method may etch the movable layer. The method may then etch the sacrificial layer to release the structure.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Fang Liu