The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Thomas F Marinis

Joseph W Soucy

Richard S Anderson

David S Hanson

Frederick J Kasparian

Gregory M Romano

Cathy McEleney

Dariusz R Pryputniewicz

Marc Steven Weinberg

Mark Joseph Mescher

Richard P Tumminelli

Gary B Tepolt

Mathew Varghese

Michael F McManus

Richard D Elliott

Peter G Sherman

Caroline K Bjune

James H Connelly

Jerome B Sohn

Jeffery W Warren

Matthew S Bottkol

Shan Mohiuddin

John E Pritchett

Charles H Lange

Michael Y Feng

Caroline A Kondoleon

A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement system facilitates accurate location and/or attitude measurements via passive thermal management of MEMS inertial sensors. Accuracy of the system is also improved by subjecting the inertial sensors to programmed single-axis gimbal motion, and by performing coarse and fine adjustments to the attitude estimates obtained by the system based on the programmed motion and on the passive thermal management of the sensors.

Inertial measurement systems, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

In various embodiments, a crystal is inserted within a flexible membrane through an opening formed by manipulation of the membrane.

Methods and apparatus for mounting a crystal

Packaging is substantially entirely removed from an integrated circuit die. The method allows the batch processing of several integrated circuit dies, such that packaging is removed from each die approximately simultaneously.

Removal of integrated circuits from packages

A crystal oscillator is mounted in a flexible harness rather than at discrete points. The crystal oscillator and associated control circuitry may be formed on a common substrate, decreasing component size and minimizing temperature fluctuations by shortening the thermal path between the crystal and the control circuitry.

Structures for crystal packaging including flexible membranes

A sensor isolation system including a sensor, a package for the sensor, and a compliant interposer disposed between the sensor and the package and interconnecting the sensor to the package to isolate the sensor from thermal and mechanical stresses and yet at the same time providing a physical interconnect between the sensor and the package.

Sensor isolation system

A coplanar mounting member for a MEM sensor includes a first surface coplanar with a connection pad on the surface of a MEM sensor board containing the MEM sensor control circuit; a second surface inclined to the surface of the board for mounting a MEM sensor and an electrical conductor array for interconnecting the MEM sensor with the connection pad on the board.

Coplanar mounting member for a MEM sensor

A suspension of a chip-scale device is accomplished using a suspension frame and at least one first tether. The chip-scale suspension frame defines a first plane and an opening through the suspension frame. At least one first tether crosses the opening at a first angle relative to the first plane and can be used to position the chip-scale device at least partially within the opening.

Apparatus and system for suspending a chip-scale device and related methods

An integrated sensor and electronics package wherein a micro-electromechanical sensor die is bonded to one side of the package substrate, one or more electronic chips are bonded to an opposite side of the package substrate, internal electrical connections run from the sensor die, through the package substrate, and to the one or more electronic chips, and input/output connections on the package substrate are electrically connected to one or more of the electronic chips.

Integrated sensor and electronics package

A micromechanical sensor is fabricated on a semiconductor wafer, and a control circuit is fabricated on another semiconductor wafer. A cavity is etched on the back side of the control circuit wafer, the cavity being formed such that the sensor on the other wafer fits within the cavity when the wafers are brought together in an adjoining relationship. Through-holes are etched through the back side of the control circuit wafer to allow access to electrical contact points, and a patterned layer of metal is deposited to form electrical interconnections between the electrical contact points and termination points on the back side of the wafer via the through-holes. The termination points are arranged such that electrical contacts of the sensor contact the termination points when the wafers are placed in the adjoining relationship. The wafers are then cleaned and bonded together in the adjoining relationship. In a typical process the wafers contain multiple sensors and control circuits, respectively, and thus the bonded wafers are diced to yield individual bonded sensor-circuit pairs. The bonded pairs are then packaged in an integrated-circuit package such as a leadless chip carrier in a known manner.

Integrated packaging of micromechanical sensors and associated control circuits

A chip carrier and lid are sealed by mounting the chip carrier in an inverted position and mounting a lid having a sealing preform in an inverted position beneath and facing the chip carrier. The chip carrier and lid are then heated to melt the sealing preform and the chip carrier and lid are moved together to join them at the sealing preform.

Growing community of inventors

Haverhill, MA, United States of America

Thomas F Marinis