S3C, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130214370 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINIMIZING DEFLECTION OF A MEMBRANCE OF AN ABSOLUTE PRESSURE SENSOR - A Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) pressure sensor is disclosed, comprising a gauge wafer, comprising a micromachined structure comprising a membrane region and a pedestal region, wherein a first surface of the micromachined structure is configured to be exposed to a pressure medium that exerts a pressure resulting in a deflection of the membrane region. The gauge wafer also comprises a plurality of sensing elements patterned on the electrical insulation layer on a second surface in the membrane region, wherein a thermal expansion coefficient of the material of the sensing elements substantially matches with a thermal expansion coefficient of the material of the gauge wafer. The pressure sensor comprises a cap wafer coupled to the gauge wafer, which includes a recess on an inner surface of the cap wafer facing the gauge wafer that defines a sealed reference cavity that encloses and prevents exposure of the sensing elements to an external environment. | 08-22-2013 |
20130137207 | MEDIA-COMPATIBLE ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED PRESSURE SENSOR FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE APPLICATIONS - A method for manufacturing a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System pressure sensor, including forming a gauge wafer including a diaphragm and a pedestal region. The method includes forming an electrical insulation layer disposed on a second surface of the diaphragm region and forming a plurality of sensing elements patterned on the electrical insulation layer disposed on the second surface in the diaphragm region, forming a cap wafer with a central recess in an inner surface and a plurality of through-wafer embedded vias made of an electrically conductive material in the cap wafer, creating a sealed cavity by coupling the inner recessed surface of the cap wafer to the gauge wafer, such that electrical connections from the sensing elements come out to an outer surface of the cap wafer through the vias, and attaching a spacer wafer with a central aperture to the pedestal region with the central aperture aligned to the diaphragm region. | 05-30-2013 |
20130130424 | PROCESS FOR MINIMIZING CHIPPING WHEN SEPARATING MEMS DIES ON A WAFER - A method for separating a plurality of dies on a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) wafer comprising scribing a notch on a first side of the wafer between at least two of the plurality of dies on a first surface and depositing a metal on the first surface of the plurality of dies. The method further comprises scribing a second side of the wafer between at least two of the plurality of dies from a second surface thereof through the notch. The first side and second side are substantially parallel and opposite each other and the first surface and the second surface are substantially parallel and opposite each other. In a process in accordance with the present invention, a method to minimize chipping of the bonding portion of a MEMs device during sawing of the wafer is provided, which minimally affects the process steps associated with separating the die on a wafer. | 05-23-2013 |
20130125634 | MECHANICAL PACKAGING TECHNIQUE OF ATTACHING MEMS AND FLEX CIRCUIT - The present invention disclosed provides for a rugged, compact sensing device for various implementations including those of automotive, marine, and other combustion technologies that require low cost accurate pressure sensing during internal combustion engine process. In one or more aspects of the present invention, a MEMS sensor connection with a flexible circuit is presented and the communication of which is preferably achieved through the use of wire bond technology. | 05-23-2013 |
20130118266 | SUBMERSIBLE ELECTRONIC SENSOR - The invention provides a submersible, electrically-powered sensor assembly that incorporates a flexible seal assembly having operative and non-operative electrical traces of a uniform vertical height for carrying clamping loads and avoiding signal loss along a signal carrying trace due to compression of the flex seal, minimizing fluid leak paths between two flange surfaces, providing stability in compression, and enabling electrical communication in an environment having an operating fluid. | 05-16-2013 |
20110050353 | TEMPERATURE COMPENSATED RC OSCILLATOR FOR SIGNAL CONDITIONING ASIC USING SOURCE BULK VOLTAGE OF MOSFET - A temperature compensated CMOS RC oscillator circuit changes the source-bulk voltage to stabilize the MOSFET's threshold voltage variation over temperature using a resistor and temperature-correlated bias current. The MOSFET's source is connected to ground through a resistor. This temperature-correlated bias current also runs through this resistor. When temperature increases, the bias current also increases, which increases the MOSFET's source-bulk voltage. The increased source-bulk voltage helps to stabilize the threshold voltage of MOSFET at high temperature. A power saving logic is also embedded in this oscillator to achieve higher frequency at lower power consumption. In the present invention, there is no high gain op amp or high speed comparator, which makes the resultant oscillator to be low power design and which can be integrated into a single chip with other system. | 03-03-2011 |
20100304518 | Media-Compatible Electrically Isolated Pressure Sensor For High Temperature Applications - A method for manufacturing a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System pressure sensor. The method includes forming a gauge wafer including a diaphragm and a pedestal region. The method includes forming an electrical insulation layer disposed on a second surface of the diaphragm region and forming a plurality of sensing elements patterned on the electrical insulation layer disposed on the second surface in the diaphragm region. The method includes forming a cap wafer with a central recess in an inner surface and a plurality of through-wafer embedded vias made of an electrically conductive material in the cap wafer. The method includes creating a sealed cavity by coupling the inner recessed surface of the cap wafer to the gauge wafer, such that electrical connections from the sensing elements come out to an outer surface of the cap wafer through the vias. The method includes attaching a spacer wafer with a central aperture to the pedestal region with the central aperture aligned to the diaphragm region. | 12-02-2010 |
20100224004 | MEDIA-COMPATIBLE ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED PRESSURE SENSOR FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE APPLICATIONS - A pressure sensor is described with sensing elements electrically and physically isolated from a pressurized medium. An absolute pressure sensor has a reference cavity, which can be at a vacuum or zero pressure, enclosing the sensing elements. The reference cavity is formed by bonding a recessed cap wafer with a gauge wafer having a micromachined diaphragm. Sensing elements are disposed on a first side of the diaphragm. The pressurized medium accesses a second side of the diaphragm opposite to the first side where the sensing elements are disposed. A spacer wafer may be used for structural support and stress relief of the gauge wafer. In one embodiment, vertical through-wafer conductive vias are used to bring out electrical connections from the sensing elements to outside the reference cavity. In an alternative embodiment, peripheral bond pads on the gauge wafer are used to bring out electrical connections from the sensing elements to outside the reference cavity. In various embodiments, a regular silicon-on-insulator wafer or a double silicon-on-insulator wafer may be used as the gauge wafer, and appropriate micromachining steps are adopted to define the diaphragm. A layer of corrosion resistant material is deposited on the surface of the diaphragm that is accessed by the pressurized medium. | 09-09-2010 |
20100044809 | Sensor Device Packaging And Method - A sensor device and a method of forming comprises a die pad receives a sensor device, such as a MEMS device. The MEMS device has a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The die pad is made of a material having a second CTE compliant with the first CTE. The die pad includes a base and a support structure with a CTE compliant with the first and second CTE. The die pad has a support structure that protrudes from a base. The support structure has a height and wall thickness which minimize forces felt by the die pad and MEMS device when the base undergoes thermal expansion or contraction forces from a header. | 02-25-2010 |