Nxp B.v.

Ams International Ag

Sciosense B.v.

Martijn Goossens

Peter G Steeneken

Willem Frederik Adrianus Besling

Casper Van Der Avoort

Remco Henricus Wilhelmus Pijnenburg

Jozef Thomas Martinus Van Beek

Olaf Wunnicke

Hilco Suy

Marten Oldsen

Willem Besling

Freddy Roozeboom

Kim Phan Le

Klaus Reimann

Coenraad Cornelis Tak

Frederik Willem Maurits Vanhelmont

Twan Van Lippen

Geert Langereis

Anderson Singulani

Nynke Verhaegh

Remco Pijnenburg

In an embodiment a system includes a sensor including a base having a base electrode and a first membrane suspended above the base, wherein the first membrane has a first membrane electrode, wherein the first membrane is configured to deflect with respect to the base electrode in response to an environmental condition, and wherein the sensor is configured to measure a capacitance between the base electrode and the first membrane electrode. The system further includes a first device of the system configured to generate electrical interference signals, a first electrically conductive shield layer positioned between the sensor and the first device of the system, wherein the first electrically conductive shield layer defines a plurality of first apertures extending through the first electrically conductive shield layer and a dielectric material disposed in the plurality of first apertures.

Capacitive sensors having temperature stable output

In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate body, an environmental sensor, a cap body and a volume of gas, wherein the environmental sensor and the volume of gas are arranged between the substrate body and the cap body in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to a main plane of extension of the substrate body, wherein at least one channel between the substrate body and the cap body connects the volume of gas with an environment of the semiconductor device such that the channel is permeable for gases, and wherein a thickness of the substrate body amounts to at least 80% of a thickness of the cap body and at most 120% of the thickness of the cap body.

Semiconductor device and method for forming a semiconductor device

In an embodiment, a method for calibrating a pressure sensor device is disclosed. The method involves determining the resonant frequency of a membrane of the pressure sensor device after the pressure sensor device has been attached to a circuit board, calculating a change in the resonant frequency from a resonant frequency stored in memory, calculating strain of the membrane of the pressure sensor device from the change in resonant frequency, and calibrating the pressure sensor device based on a capacitance-to-pressure curve calculated using the strain of the membrane of the pressure sensor device.

Method and apparatus for calibrating pressure sensor integrated circuit devices

A pressure sensor measures pressure by measuring the deflection of a MEMS membrane using a capacitive read-out method. There are two ways to implement the invention. One involves the use of an integrated Pirani sensor and the other involves the use of an integrated resonator, to function as a reference pressure sensor, for measuring an internal cavity pressure.

MEMS capacitive pressure sensor

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a pressure sensor including a pressure sensitive membrane suspended over a cavity, wherein the membrane is secured by a set of anchors to a substrate; and a getter material embedded in the membrane, wherein the surface of the getter is in contact with any gas within the cavity, and wherein two end points of the getter material are attached through the substrate by anchors capable of conducting through the substrate an electrical current through the getter material.

Pressure sensor with geter embedded in membrane

One example discloses a MEMS device, including: a cavity having an internal environment; a seal isolating the internal environment from an external environment outside the MEMS device; wherein the seal is susceptible to damage in response to a calibration unsealing energy; wherein upon damage to the seal, a pathway forms which couples the internal environment to the external environment; and a calibration circuit capable of measuring the internal environment before and after damage to the seal.

MEMS device calibration

Embodiments of a method for forming a suspended membrane include depositing a first electrically conductive material above a sacrificial layer and within a boundary trench. The first electrically conductive material forms a corner transition portion above the boundary trench. The method further includes removing a portion of the first electrically conductive material that removes at least a portion of uneven topography of the first electrically conductive material. The method further includes depositing a second electrically conductive material. The second electrically conductive material extends beyond the boundary trench. The method further includes removing the sacrificial layer through etch openings and forming a cavity below the second electrically conductive material. The first electrically conductive material defines a portion of a sidewall boundary of the cavity.

Suspended membrane for capacitive pressure sensor

The invention provides MEMS oscillator designs in which the thermal actuation and piezoresistive detection signals are separated. A first approach splits the frequency of the loop into two distinct components, an actuation frequency and a detection frequency. A second approach modifies the design of the MEMS resonator such that the actuation signal follows a different path through the MEMS resonator than the detection signal.

MEMS oscillators

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a micromachined microphone and an accelerometer from a waferhaving a first layer, the method comprising the steps of dividing the first layerinto a microphone layerand into an accelerometer layer, covering a front side of the microphone layerand a front side of the accelerometer layerwith a continuous second layer, covering the second layerwith a third layer, forming a plurality of trenchesin the third layer, removing a partof the waferbelow a back side of the microphone layer, forming at least two wafer trenchesin the waferbelow a back side of the accelerometer layer, and removing a partof the second layerthrough the plurality of trenchesformed in the third layer. The micromachined microphone and the accelerometer according to the invention is advantageous over prior art as it allows for body noise cancellation in order to minimize structure borne sound.

Microphone and accelerometer

The invention relates to an semi-conductor device comprising a first surface and neighboring first and second electric elements arranged on the first surface, in which each of the first and second elements extends from the first surface in a first direction, the first element having a cross section substantially perpendicular to the first direction and a sidewall surface extending at least partially in the first direction, wherein the sidewall surface comprises a first section and a second section adjoining the first section along a line extending substantially parallel to the first direction, wherein the first and second sections are placed at an angle with respect to each other for providing an inner corner wherein the sidewall surface at the inner corner is, at least partially, arranged at a constant distance R from a facing part of the second element for providing a mechanical reinforcement structure at the inner corner.

Robust high aspect ratio semiconductor device

A MEMS switch in which at least first, second and third signal lines are provided over the substrate, which each terminate at a connection region. A lower actuation electrode arrangement is over the substrate. A movable contact electrode is suspended over the connection regions for making or breaking electrical contact between at least two of the three connection regions and an upper actuation electrode provided over the lower actuation electrode. The use of three of more signal lines enables a symmetrical actuation force to be achieved or enables multiple switch functions to be implemented by the single movable electrode, or both.

MEMS switch

The invention relates to an electromechanical transducer (). The electromechanical transducer () comprises a cantilever beam () and an excitation unit () that is adapted for exciting a motion of the cantilever beam (). A detection unit () is adapted for detecting an electrical signal (iout) in response to the excited motion of the cantilever beam ().

Electromechanical transducer and a method of providing an electromechanical transducer

A MEMS device comprises first and second opposing electrode arrangements (), wherein the second electrode arrangement () is electrically movable to vary the electrode spacing between facing sides of the first and second electrode arrangements. At least one of the facing sides has a non-flat surface with at least one peak and at least one trough. The height of the peak and depth of the trough is between 0.01t and 0.1t where t is the thickness of the movable electrode.

MEMS devices

A MEMS switch (), and methods of fabricating thereof, the switch comprising: a sealed cavity (); and a membrane (); wherein the sealed cavity () is defined in part by the membrane (); and the membrane is a 5 metallic membrane (), for example consisting of a single type of metal or metal alloy. The MEMS switch () may comprise a top electrode (), for example extending into the cavity (), located in a hole () in the metallic membrane (). Fabrication may include providing a sacrificial layer () in a partly defined cavity (). The bending stiffness of the membrane () may behigher along an RF line () than along a line () perpendicular to the RF line (), for example by virtue of the cavity () being elliptical.

MEMS switch and fabrication method

A MEMS device comprises first and second opposing electrodes (), wherein the second electrode () is electrically movable to vary the electrode spacing between facing first sides of the first and second electrodes. A first gas chamber () is provided between the electrodes, at a first pressure, and a second gas chamber () is provided on the second, opposite, side of the second electrode at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure. This arrangement provides rapid switching and with damping of oscillations so that settling times are reduced.

Growing community of inventors

Veldhoven, Netherlands

Martijn Goossens