Invensense, Inc.

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Leonardo Baldasarre

Matthew Julian Thompson

Houri Johari-Galle

Ilya Gurin

Sarah Nitzan

Kirt Williams

Alberto Corigliano

Claudia Comi

Sarah Zerbini

Alessandro Tocchio

Bongsang Kim

Nikhil Apte

Mei-Lin Chan

Alexander Castro

Attilio Frangi

Biagio De Masi

Xiaoyue Jiang

Chienliu Chang

Emad Mehdizadeh

A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (PMUT) device may include a plurality of layers including a structural layer, a piezoelectric layer, and electrode layers located on opposite sides of the piezoelectric layer. Conductive barrier layers may be located between the piezoelectric layer and the electrodes to the prevent diffusion of the piezoelectric layer into the electrode layers.

Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer device with piezoelectric barrier layer

The present disclosure relates to measuring misalignment between layers of a semiconductor device. In one embodiment, a device includes a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; one or more first electrodes embedded in the first conductive layer; one or more second electrodes embedded in the second conductive layer; a sensing circuit connected to the one or more first electrodes; and a plurality of time-varying signal sources connected to the one or more second electrodes, wherein the one or more first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes form at least a portion of a bridge structure that exhibits an electrical property that varies as a function of misalignment of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer in an in-plane direction.

Sensor misalignment measuring device

A MEMS sensor includes a proof mass that is suspended over a substrate. A sense electrode is located on a top surface of the substrate parallel to the proof mass, and forms a capacitor with the proof mass. The sense electrodes have a plurality of slots that provide improved performance for the MEMS sensor. A measured value sensed by the MEMS sensor is determined based on the movement of the proof mass relative to the slotted sense electrode.

Electrode layer partitioning

In-plane sensor misalignment measuring device using capacitive sensing

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer senses linear acceleration perpendicular to a MEMS device plane of the MEMS accelerometer based on a rotation of a proof mass out-of-plane about a rotational axis. A symmetry axis is perpendicular to the rotational axis. The proof mass includes a symmetric portion that is symmetric about the symmetry axis and that is contiguous with an asymmetric portion that is asymmetric about the symmetry axis.

Asymmetric out-of-plane accelerometer

The present invention relates to systems and methods for measuring misalignment between layers of a semiconductor device. In one embodiment, a method includes applying an input voltage to respective ones of one or more first electrodes associated with a first conductive layer of a semiconductor device; sensing an electrical property of one or more second electrodes associated with a second conductive layer of the semiconductor device in response to applying the input voltage to the respective ones of the one or more first electrodes; and calculating a misalignment between the first conductive layer of the semiconductor device and the second conductive layer of the semiconductor device in an in-plane direction as a function of the electrical property of the one or more second electrodes.

A MEMS sensor includes a MEMS layer, a cap layer, and a substrate layer. The MEMS layer includes a suspended spring-mass system that moves in response to a sensed inertial force. The suspended spring-mass system is suspended from one or more anchors. The anchors are coupled to each of the cap layer and the substrate layer by anchoring components. The anchoring components are offset such that a force applied to the cap layer or the substrate layer causes a rotation of the anchor and such that the suspended spring-mass system substantially remains within the original MEMS layer.

MEMS sensor with offset anchor load rejection

A sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate and a mechanical structure. The mechanical structure includes at least two proof masses including a first proof mass and a second proof mass. The mechanical structure also includes a flexible coupling between the at least two proof masses and the substrate. The at least two proof masses move in an anti-phase direction normal to the plane of the substrate in response to acceleration of the sensor normal to the plane and move in anti-phase in a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate in response to an acceleration of the sensor parallel to the plane. The at least two proof masses move in a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate in response to an acceleration of the sensor parallel to the plane.

MEMS accelerometer with proof masses moving in an anti-phase direction

An integrated detection structure has a first inertial mass and a second inertial mass, each of which is elastically anchored to a substrate and has a linear movement along a first horizontal axis, a first detection movement of rotation about a first axis of rotation parallel to a second horizontal axis and a second detection movement of translation along the second horizontal axis; driving electrodes cause linear movement of the inertial masses, in opposite directions of the first horizontal axis; a pair of flexural resonator elements and a pair of torsional resonator elements are elastically coupled to the inertial masses, the torsional resonator elements having a resonant movement of rotation about a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation, parallel to one another and to the first axis of rotation.

Acceleration and angular velocity resonant detection integrated structure, and related MEMS sensor device

A z-axis micro-electro-mechanical detection structure, having a substrate defining a plane and a suspended mass carried by two anchorage elements. The suspended mass includes a translating mass, suspended over the substrate, mobile in a transverse direction to the plane and arranged between the anchorage elements and two tilting masses, each of which is supported by the anchorage elements through respective elastic anchorage elements so as to be able to rotate with respect to respective oscillation axes. The oscillation axes are parallel to each other to enable a translation movement of the translating mass. Fixed electrodes face at a distance the tilting masses or the translating mass so as to be able to detect displacement of the suspended mass as a result of external forces. Elastic supporting elements are arranged between the translating mass and the tilting masses to enable relative rotation between the translating mass and the tilting masses.

High-sensitivity, z-axis micro-electro-mechanical detection structure, in particular for an MEMS accelerometer

A shock sensor includes: a supporting body; a bistable mechanism, configured to switch from a first stable mechanical configuration to a second stable mechanical configuration in response to an impact force applied along a detection axis and such as to supply to the bistable mechanism an amount of energy higher than a transition energy; and a detection device, coupled to the bistable mechanism and having a first state, when the bistable mechanism is in an initial stable mechanical configuration and a second state, after the bistable mechanism has made a transition from the initial stable mechanical configuration to a final stable mechanical configuration. The bistable mechanism includes at least one elastic element, constrained to the supporting body in at least two opposite peripheral regions and defining a first concavity in the first stable mechanical configuration and a second concavity, opposite to the first concavity, in the second stable mechanical configuration.

Shock sensor with bistable mechanism and method of shock detection

A sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate and at least two proof masses. The sensor also includes a flexible coupling between the at least two proof masses and the substrate. The at least two coupling proof masses move in an anti-phase direction normal to a plane of the substrate in response to acceleration.

Growing community of inventors

Gavirate, Italy

Leonardo Baldasarre