U.S. Philips Corporation

Nxp B.v.

Ams International Ag

Reinout Woltjer

Pierre Hermanus Woerlee

Peter G Steeneken

Jan W Slotboom

Willem Frederik Adrianus Besling

Klaus Reimann

Olaf Wunnicke

Gerhard Koops

Twan Van Lippen

Maarten Jacobus Swanenberg

Geert Langereis

Henk Boezen

Frans Bontekoe

A MEMS pressure sensor wherein at least one of the electrode arrangements comprises an inner electrode and an outer electrode arranged around the inner electrode. The capacitances associated with the inner electrode and the outer electrode are independently measured and can be differentially measured. This arrangement enables various different read out schemes to be implemented and also enables improved compensation for variations between devices or changes in device characteristics over time.

MEMS capacitive pressure sensor, operating method and manufacturing method

One or more embodiments provide circuitry for isolation and communication of signals between circuits operating in different voltage domains using capacitive coupling. The embodiments utilize capacitive structures having increased breakdown voltage in comparison to previous parallel plate implementations. The capacitive isolation is provided by parallel plate capacitive structures, each implemented to have parallel plates of different horizontal sizes. Due to the difference in horizontal size, edges of the parallel plates, where electric fields are the strongest, are laterally offset from the region where the parallel plates overlap. As a result, breakdown voltage between the parallel plates is increased.

Interface for communication between voltage domains

A capacitive sensor is configured for collapsed mode, e.g. for measuring sound or pressure, wherein the moveable element is partitioned into smaller sections. The capacitive sensor provides increased signal to noise ratio.

Collapsed mode capacitive sensor

A semiconductor device includes a programmable element having a doped semiconductor region (4) and a conductor region (6) which are separated from one another by at least a portion of an insulating layer (5). The conductor region (6) is of a material suitable for forming a rectifying junction (8) with the material of the semiconductor region (4). To achieve a comparatively high conductivity connection to the semiconductor region (4), the element is further provided with a contact region (3) which has a comparatively low electrical resistance compared with the semiconductor region (4). The contact region (3) is provided at a side of the semiconductor region (4) remote from the insulating layer (5) and is separated from the insulating layer (5) by the semiconductor region (4). Both the semiconductor region (4) and the contact region (5) are laterally bounded by an isolating region (7) at opposing sides. The invention thus offers a device provided with a programmable element of a substantially more compact structure than a comparable conventional programmable element.

Semiconductor device provided having a programmable element with a

A semiconductor device includes a number of programmable elements arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. The elements each have a doped semiconductor region (10) and a conductor region (20) which are mutually separated by an insulating layer (8). The conductor region (20) can be a material suitable for forming a rectifying junction (35) with the material of the semiconductor region (10). Within a row, the conductor regions of the programmable elements present therein are coupled to a common row conductor (21 . . . 23), and within a column the semiconductor regions of the programmable elements situated therein are connected to a common column conductor (11 . . . 14). To program an element, a programming voltage V.sub.PROG can be applied between the column and row conductors associated with the element to be programmed during operation, which voltage is greater than the breakdown voltage of at least a portion of the insulating layer (8) situated between the semiconductor region (10) and the conductor region (20) of the element. The programming voltage is applied with such a polarity that majority charge carriers in the semiconductor region (10) are drawn to an interface (4) between the semiconductor region (10) and the insulating layer (8), forming an accumulation layer (31) there. Between the remaining column and row conductors, on the other hand, the programming voltage is offered with an opposite polarity. Thus the programming of the matrix can take place, if so desired, by means of only a single voltage level V.sub.PROG.

Semiconductor device provided with a number of programmable elements

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Reinout Woltjer