Ams Ag

Ams International Ag

S. C. Johnson Son, Inc.

Knowles Electronics, Inc.

Thomas Froehlich

Colin Steele

Mark Niederberger

Thomas Christen

Wolfgang Duenser

Andreas Fitzi

Jeffrey J Wolf

John J Albers

Goran Stojanovic

Matthias Steiner

Simon Mueller

Scott W Demarest

Jose Porchia

David C Belongia

Jens Hofrichter

Thomas Jaworski

Steven B Mineau

David J Schram

Dean R Holzberger

Thomas Troxler

Erik Jan Lous

Josef Pertl

Lukas Perktold

Anderson Pires Singulani

Weixun Yan

Rene Scheuner

Kara J Mackey

Thomas Mueller

Duy-Dong Pham

José Manuel García González

Dusan Prelog

Markus Bingesser

Michael Leitner

Dominik Hollinger

A sensor includes a substrate; and a corrugated diaphragm offset from the substrate. The corrugated diaphragm is configured to deflect responsive to a sound wave impinging on the corrugated diaphragm. A cavity is defined between the corrugated diaphragm and the substrate, the corrugated diaphragm forming a top surface of the cavity and the substrate forming a bottom surface of the cavity. A pressure in the cavity is lower than a pressure outside of the cavity.

Sensors with corrugated diaphragms

An ADC system comprises a coarse ADC for determining a coarse word representing an input signal, and an incremental ADC for determining a fine word based on a combination of the input signal and a feedback signal. A first combiner generates a first intermediate output word by joining the coarse word and the fine word. A feedback path generates the feedback signal based on the first intermediate output word. A decimation filter generates a second intermediate output word by filtering the first intermediate output word. A correction block determines a correction word based on the coarse word, on the first and the second predetermined number of bits and conversion parameters of the incremental ADC. A second combiner generates an output word by addition of the second intermediate output word and the correction word.

Analog-to-digital converter system, electronic device and analog-to-digital conversion method

A micro-electro-mechanical system, MEMS, microphone assembly comprises an enclosure defining a first cavity, and a MEMS microphone arranged inside the first cavity. The microphone comprises a first die with bonding structures and a MEMS diaphragm, and a second die having an application specific integrated circuit, ASIC. The second die is bonded to the bonding structures such that a gap is formed between a first side of the diaphragm and the second die, with the gap defining a second cavity. The first side of the diaphragm is interfacing with the second cavity and a second side of the diaphragm is interfacing with the environment via an acoustic inlet port of the enclosure. The bonding structures are arranged such that pressure ventilation openings are formed that connect the first cavity and the second cavity.

MEMS microphone assembly and method for fabricating a MEMS microphone assembly

In an embodiment a low-pass filter arrangement has an input terminal for receiving an input voltage, a first voltage source coupled to the input terminal, a serial connection comprising a first and a second filter diode, the serial connection being coupled to the first voltage source, wherein a connection point between the first and the second filter diode is coupled to an output terminal of the filter arrangement, and a first filter capacitor coupled between the output terminal and a filter reference potential terminal. Therein the first voltage source is adapted to provide a first adjustable forward voltage whereby the first and the second filter diodes are both biased in a forward direction.

Low-pass filter arrangement

The assembly comprises a semiconductor device with an active-pixel array, a readout circuit chip or plurality of readout circuit chips mounted outside the active-pixel array, the readout circuit chip or plurality of readout circuit chips being configured to read out voltages or currents provided by the active-pixel array, and electric connections between the active-pixel array and the readout circuit chip or plurality of readout circuit chips.

Assembly for detecting electromagnetic radiation and method of producing an assembly for detecting electromagnetic radiation

A MEMS sensor () comprises a MEMS transducer () being coupled to a MEMS interface circuit (). The MEMS interface circuit () comprises a bias voltage generator (), a differential amplifier (), a capacitor () and a feedback control circuit (). The bias voltage generator () generates a bias voltage (Vbias) for operating the MEMS transducer. The variable capacitor () is connected to one of the input nodes (I) of the differential amplifier (). At least one of the output nodes (A, A) of the differential amplifier is coupled to a base terminal (T) of an output filter () of the bias voltage generator (). Any disturbing signal from the bias voltage generator () is a common-mode signal that is divided equally on the input nodes (I, I) of the differential amplifier () and is therefore rejected.

MEMS sensor

A sensor arrangement includes a sensor having a first terminal and a second terminal, and an amplifier having an amplifier input for applying an input signal and an amplifier output for providing an amplified input signal, the amplifier input being coupled to the second terminal. A quantizer having a quantizer input and a quantizer output is configured to provide a multi-level output signal on the basis of the amplified input signal and a feedback circuit having a feedback circuit input coupled to the quantizer output and a feedback circuit output coupled to the first terminal. The feedback circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter configured to generate an analog signal on the basis of the multi-level output signal, the analog signal being the basis of a feedback signal provided at the feedback circuit output, a feedback capacitor coupled between the feedback circuit output and an output of the digital-to-analog converter, and a voltage source coupled to the feedback circuit output.

Sensor arrangement

A signal processing arrangement has a signal input for connecting a capacitive sensor. An amplifier circuit is coupled between the signal input and a feedback point. A loop filter is coupled downstream to the feedback point. A quantizer is connected downstream to the loop filter and provides a multi-bit output word. The multi-bit output word consists of one or more higher significance bits and one or more lower significance bits. A first feedback path is coupled between a quantizer and the feedback point for providing a first feedback signal to the feedback point being representative of the one or more lower significance bits. A second feedback path is coupled to the quantizer for providing a second feedback signal to the signal input being representative of the one or more higher significance bits.

Signal processing arrangement, sensor arrangement and signal processing method

An integrated circuit includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier. A first impedance matching circuit is coupled to the first amplifier, a first charge pump, and a single MEMS transducer. A second impedance matching circuit is coupled to the second amplifier, a second charge pump, and to the single MEMS transducer. A first capacitive load as measured at an input of first amplifier, and a second capacitive load as measured at an input of the second amplifier exist. The first capacitive load and the second capacitive load are balanced with respect to each other. A single pressure change causes the single MEMS transducer to create a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal. Both the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal are matched or approximately matched in magnitude, and 180 degrees or approximately 180 degrees out of phase with respect to each other.

Split signal differential MEMS microphone

An amplifier arrangement has an input transistor being connected between reference potential terminals by a current source and a current sink. An amplifier stage has an amplifier output coupled to a first connection node between the current sink and a first terminal of the input transistor by means of a feedback path, and an amplifier input connected to a second connection node between the current source and the second terminal of the input transistor. A level-shifting structure has a level-shifting element with one end connected to a reference connection, wherein the level-shifting element is adapted to perform a level-shifting of a potential at the second connection node with respect to a potential at the reference connection. The reference connection is coupled to one of the following: the amplifier output, the first connection node, a control terminal of the input transistor.

Amplifier arrangement and amplification method

A microphone assembly includes a capacitive MEMS transducer and a bias circuit having a DC output coupled to the transducer. The microphone assembly also includes a differential amplifier having a first input coupled to a first output of the transducer, the differential amplifier having a second input coupled to a second output of the transducer. The microphone assembly further includes a first impedance matching network and a second impedance matching network configured to balance a first capacitive load at the first input of the amplifier and a second capacitive load at the second input of the amplifier. Electrical signals applied by the transducer to the first and second inputs of the amplifier are matched or approximately matched in magnitude and 180 degrees or approximately 180 degrees out of phase with respect to each other.

A delta-sigma modulator () comprises a modulator loop () and a code generator (). The modulator loop () comprises a loop filter (). The code generator () is configured to generate a generator signal (BS) that is realized as an extended Barker code. The code generator () comprises a generator output () that is coupled to the loop filter ().

Delta-sigma modulator and method for signal conversion

An electric amplifier circuit for amplifying an output signal of a microphone comprises a supply input terminal (V) to apply a supply potential (VDDA) for operating the electric amplifier circuit and a differential amplifier () having a first input terminal (E) for applying the output signal of the microphone (), a second input terminal (E) and an output terminal (A) for outputting an amplified output signal (OUT) of the microphone (). A feedback path (FP) is provided between the output terminal (A) of the differential amplifier () and the second input terminal (E) of the differential amplifier (). A charge supplying circuit () is coupled to the feedback path (FP) to supply an amount of the charge to the feedback path (FP) in dependence on the supply potential (VDDA). The amount of charge supplied to the feedback path may be dependent on a change of the supply potential (VDDA).

Electric amplifier circuit for amplifying an output signal of a microphone

A microphone amplifier comprises an input terminal (E) for applying an input signal (IN), an output terminal (A) for outputting an output signal (OUT), and an additional output terminal (A) for outputting an additional output signal (VBIAS). The microphone amplifier also contains an amplifying circuit () for generating the output signal (OUT) by amplifying the input signal (IN), wherein the amplifying circuit () is connected between the input terminal (E) and the output terminal (A), and a voltage generator () for generating the additional output signal (VBIAS). A supply voltage terminal (V) of the voltage generator () is connected to the output terminal (A) of the microphone amplifier. Since the amplifying circuit () makes available a supply voltage (V) for the voltage generator (), the microphone amplifier can be operated without a separate supply voltage terminal.

Microphone amplifier

A differential amplifier comprises a first amplifier (A) with a signal input (Inp) and a signal output (Out) that is fed back to a first feedback input (In) of the first amplifier (A) and is also connected to a first output (outp) of the differential amplifier. Furthermore, a buffer circuit (Buff) is connected to the first output (outp). A nonlinear resistor circuit (Rnl, Rnl) is coupled via a first output node (Vmid) with the first output (outp) and via a second output node (Vmid) with the buffer circuit (Buff).

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Ottikon bei Kemptthal, Switzerland

Thomas Froehlich