Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Nxp USA, Inc.

Mark Edward Schlarmann

Yizhen Lin

Stephen Ryan Hooper

Keith L Kraver

Deyou Fang

Chad S Dawson

Hemant D Desai

Woo Tae Park

Michael B Vincent

Scott M Hayes

Andrew C McNeil

Mike A Margules

Julien Juéry

Paige M Holm

Dwight Lee Daniels

Peter T Jones

Eric W Tisinger

Fengyuan Li

Colin Bryant Stevens

Heinz Loreck

Yau Kin Hon

Hiroto Sahara

Phillipe Lance

A device package includes a die that includes a substrate having first and second surfaces. A sensor is formed at a sensor region of the first surface. A trench extends entirely through the substrate between the first and second surfaces, in which the trench at least partially surrounds the sensor region. An isolation material, formed at the first surface, may extend across the trench A ring structure is coupled to the first surface of the substrate to create a first cavity in which the sensor is contained, the ring structure being laterally displaced away from and surrounding the sensor region and the trench. A molded compound body may abut an outer wall of the ring structure. The molded compound body has a second cavity that is concentric with the first cavity to enable fluid communication between the sensor and an environment external to the device package.

Stress isolated device package and method of manufacture

A no-gel sensor package is disclosed. In one embodiment, the package includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) die having a first substrate, which in turn includes a first surface on which is formed a MEMS device. The package also includes a polymer ring with an inner wall extending between first and second oppositely facing surfaces. The first surface of the polymer ring is bonded to the first surface of the first substrate to define a first cavity in which the MEMS device is contained. A molded compound body having a second cavity that is concentric with the first cavity, enables fluid communication between the MEMS device and an environment external to the package.

No-gel pressure sensor package

A pressure sensor includes a diaphragm suspended across a cavity in a substrate. A first group of piezoresistors is provided in the diaphragm, the piezoresistors of the first group being coupled to one another to form a first Wheatstone bridge having first positive and negative output nodes. A second group of piezoresistors is provided in the diaphragm, the piezoresistors of the second group being coupled to one another to form a second Wheatstone bridge having second positive and negative output nodes. The first negative output node of the first Wheatstone bridge is electrically connected to the second positive output node of the second Wheatstone bridge to directly chain the outputs of the Wheatstone bridges. The first and second Wheatstone bridges each produce an output signal as a function of an external pressure stimulus that is combined via the chained arrangement of the Wheatstone bridges to produce a composite output signal.

Pressure sensor having sense elements in multiple wheatstone bridges with chained outputs

A multi-die sensor system comprises a package and one or more transducer dies mounted in the package. Each transducer die includes one or more transducers, a temperature control element, and temperature sensor. The temperature control element changes the temperature of at least a portion of the transducer during operation of the temperature control element. A temperature sensor senses the temperature of at least the portion of the transducer. An output circuitry die mounted in the package receives transducer signals and a sensed temperature signal from the temperature sensor.

Multi-chip device with temperature control element for temperature calibration

A method of testing includes attaching a first and second die to first and second die sites of a lead frame and forming a plurality of wire bonds coupling a plurality of pins of the first die site to the first die and a plurality of pins of the second die site to the second die. The first and second die are encapsulated. An isolation cut is performed to isolate the plurality of pins of the first die site from the plurality of pins of the second die site, while maintaining electrical connection between the first tie bar of the first die site and the first tie bar of the second die site. The first and second die are tested while providing a first power supply source to the first and second die via the first tie bars. After testing, the dies sites are fully singulated to result in packaged IC device.

Devices and methods for testing integrated circuit devices

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring operation of MEMS accelerometers (). In these embodiments a control loop () having a forward path () is coupled a MEMS transducer (), and a test signal generator () and test signal detector () is provided. The test signal generator () is configured to generate a test signal and apply the test signal to the forward path () of the control loop () during operation of the MEMS accelerometer transducer (). The test signal detector () is configured to receive an output signal from the control loop and detect the effects of the test signal in the output signal. Finally, the test signal detector () is further configured to generate a monitor output indicative of the operation of the sensing device to provide for the continuous monitoring of the operation of the MEMS accelerometer ().

System and method for monitoring an accelerometer

A tester configured to test a strip of devices is provided. The tester may include a communications system, a plurality of communication lines, a plurality of multiplexors, each multiplexor having at least two outputs, wherein each multiplexor is configured to receive a signal generated by the communications system via one of the plurality of communication lines, and each multiplexor may be selectably coupled to at least two of the devices in the strip of devices. The tester may be configured to index the plurality of communication lines to a first subset of the devices, initiate at least one test, command the devices to generate data for each of the at least one tests, retrieve data from a first set of the devices, and retrieve data from a second set of the devices.

Tester and method for testing a strip of devices

A MEMS device () includes a movable element () suspended above a substrate () by a spring member () having a spring constant (). A spring softening voltage () is applied to electrodes () facing the movable element () during a powered mode () to decrease the stiffness of the spring member () and thereby increase the sensitivity of the movable element () to an input stimulus (). Upon detection of a stiction condition (), the spring softening voltage () is effectively removed to enable recovery of the movable element () from the stiction condition (). A higher mechanical spring constant () yields a stiffer spring () having a larger restoring force () in the unpowered mode () in order to enable recovery from the stiction condition (). A feedback voltage () can be applied to feedback electrodes () facing the movable element () to provide electrical damping.

Stiction resistant mems device and method of operation

A multi-mass resonator and a common-mode detection circuit are provided. The common-mode detection circuit, for example, may include a plurality of sensing electrodes, an interface circuit configured to interface with the plurality of sensing electrodes, and a common-mode capacitance extractor circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the interface circuit and configured to detect common-mode capacitance between the plurality of sensing electrodes and output a voltage representative the detected common-mode capacitance, and a differential-mode capacitance extractor circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the interface circuit and configured to detect differential-mode capacitance between the plurality of sensing electrodes and output a voltage representative the detected differential-mode capacitance.

Electro-mechanical oscillator and common-mode detection circuit

An assembly () includes a MEMS die () and an integrated circuit (IC) die () attached to a substrate (). The MEMS die () includes a MEMS device () formed on a substrate (). A packaging process () entails forming the MEMS device () on the substrate () and removing a material portion of the substrate () surrounding the device () to form a cantilevered substrate platform () suspended above the substrate () at which the MEMS device () resides. The MEMS die () is electrically interconnected with the IC die (). A plug element () can be positioned overlying the platform (). Molding compound () is applied to encapsulate the die (), the IC die (), and substrate (). Following encapsulation, the plug element () can be removed, and a cap () can be coupled to the substrate () overlying an active region () of the MEMS device ().

MEMS device assembly and method of packaging same

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) package is disclosed herein. The MEMS package includes a movable mass. The MEMS package further includes a first and second sense electrodes spaced apart from the movable mass. The first and second sense electrodes are configured to be electrically coupled with a controller. The MEMS package further includes a first test electrode and a second test electrode spaced apart from the movable mass. The first and the second test electrodes are configured to be electrically connected to first and second external electrical connectors, respectively. The first and second test electrodes are biased at a first voltage and a second voltage, respectively, when the first and second external electrical connectors are connected to external voltage sources.

Microelectromechanical system package and method of testing

A MEMS resonator system comprises a MEMS resonator, kick start circuitry, feedback circuitry, an oscillator, and a switch. The MEMS resonator system is configured to provide a pulsed kick-start signal having a frequency and period such that energy delivered to the MEMS resonator is optimized in a short period of time, resulting is reduced oscillator startup time. The MEMS resonator system is configured to switch out the kick-start signal when the MEMS resonator oscillation has been achieved, and switch in feedback circuitry to maintain the MEMS resonator in a state of oscillation.

System and method for improved MEMS oscillator startup

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring operation of MEMS gyroscopes (). A test signal generator () is configured to generate and apply a test signal to the rate feedback loop () of a MEMS gyroscope (). A test signal detector () is coupled to the quadrature feedback loop () of the MEMS gyroscope () and is configured to receive a quadrature output signal from the quadrature feedback loop (). The test signal detector () demodulates the quadrature output signal to detect effects of the test signal. Finally, the test signal detector () is configured to generate a monitor output indicative of the operation of the sensing device based at least in part on the detected effects of the test signal in the quadrature output signal. Thus, the system is able to provide for the continuous monitoring of the operation of the MEMS gyroscope ().

System and method for monitoring a gyroscope

Systems and methods are provided for improved multifunction sensing. In these embodiments a multifunction sensing device () includes a microelectromechanical (MEMS) gyroscope () and at least a second sensor (). The MEMS gyroscope () is configured to generate a first clock signal, and the second sensor includes a second clock signal. The multifunction sensing device further includes a reset mechanism (), the reset mechanism () configured to generate a reset signal to set the relative periodic phase alignment of the second clock signal to the first clock signal. Consistently setting the relative periodic phase alignment of the clocks for the other sensor devices () to the clock of the MEMS gyroscope () can improve the performance of the devices by reducing the probability that varying output offsets will occur in the multiple sensing devices.

Growing community of inventors

Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Mark Edward Schlarmann