Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120125113 | PRESSURE TRANSDUCER HAVING STRUCTURE FOR MONITORING SURFACE CHARGE - A pressure transducer includes a substrate, a piezoresistive element, a first conductive element, a first terminal, and a test structure. The substrate has a surface and a cavity. A diaphragm layer is formed over the cavity and over the surface of the substrate. The piezoresistive element is formed in the diaphragm layer. The first conductive element is formed in the diaphragm layer, and has a first conductivity type. The first conductive element is coupled to the piezoresistive element. The first terminal is formed over a surface of the diaphragm layer and coupled to the first conductive element. The test structure has the first conductivity type and is formed in the diaphragm layer. The test structure has an edge spaced apart from an edge of the first conductive element by a predetermined distance. A surface charge accumulation on the diaphragm layer is detected using the test structure. | 05-24-2012 |
20120229153 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING SURFACE CHARGE - Systems and methods are provided for detecting surface charge on a semiconductor substrate having a sensing arrangement formed thereon. An exemplary sensing system includes the semiconductor substrate having the sensing arrangement formed thereon, and a module coupled to the sensing arrangement. The module obtains a first voltage output from the sensing arrangement when a first voltage is applied to the semiconductor substrate, obtains a second voltage output from the sensing arrangement when a second voltage is applied to the semiconductor substrate, and detects electric charge on the surface of the semiconductor substrate based on a difference between the first voltage output and the second voltage output. | 09-13-2012 |
20120247175 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO COMPENSATE FOR TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE IN PIEZO RESISTIVE DEVICES - A method and system to calibrate temperature and pressure in piezo resistive devices for non-linear sensors having two variables, where a piezo resistive device such as a piezo resistive transducer (PRT) used for example in a pressure sensor system is calibrated to calculate actual/ambient temperature and pressure even though the PRT impedance is unbalanced relative to pressure. | 10-04-2012 |
20130297248 | TESTER AND METHOD FOR TESTING A STRIP OF DEVICES - A tester configured to test a strip of devices is provided. The tester may include a communications system, a plurality of communication lines, a plurality of multiplexors, each multiplexor having at least two outputs, wherein each multiplexor is configured to receive a signal generated by the communications system via one of the plurality of communication lines, and each multiplexor may be selectably coupled to at least two of the devices in the strip of devices. The tester may be configured to index the plurality of communication lines to a first subset of the devices, initiate at least one test, command the devices to generate data for each of the at least one tests, retrieve data from a first set of the devices, and retrieve data from a second set of the devices. | 11-07-2013 |
20130317772 | SENSOR DEVICE AND RELATED OPERATING METHODS - Apparatus, systems, and fabrication methods are provided for sensing devices. An exemplary sensing device includes a first sensing arrangement to measure a first property and provide one or more measured values for the first property, a second sensing arrangement to measure a second property, a storage element coupled to the second sensing arrangement to maintain a stored value for the second property measured by the second sensing arrangement, and a control system coupled to the first sensing arrangement and the storage element to determine one or more calibrated measurement values for the first property using the one or more measured values for the first property from the first sensing arrangement and the stored value for the second property. | 11-28-2013 |
20140182353 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO COMPENSATE FOR TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE IN PIEZO RESISTIVE DEVICES - A method and system to calibrate temperature and pressure in piezo resistive devices for non-linear sensors having two variables, where a piezo resistive device such as a piezo resistive transducer (PRT) used for example in a pressure sensor system is calibrated to calculate actual/ambient temperature and pressure even though the PRT impedance is unbalanced relative to pressure. | 07-03-2014 |
20140210018 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM DEVICES HAVING CRACK RESISTANT MEMBRANE STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR THE FABRICATION THEREOF - Methods for fabricating crack resistant Microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices are provided, as are MEMS devices produced pursuant to such methods. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a sacrificial body over a substrate, producing a multi-layer membrane structure on the substrate, and removing at least a portion of the sacrificial body to form an inner cavity within the multi-layer membrane structure. The multi-layer membrane structure is produced by first forming a base membrane layer over and around the sacrificial body such that the base membrane layer has a non-planar upper surface. A predetermined thickness of the base membrane layer is then removed to impart the base membrane layer with a planar upper surface. A cap membrane layer is formed over the planar upper surface of the base membrane layer. The cap membrane layer is composed of a material having a substantially parallel grain orientation. | 07-31-2014 |
20140287547 | INHIBITING PROPAGATION OF SURFACE CRACKS IN A MEMS DEVICE - A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device ( | 09-25-2014 |
20140376586 | MULTI-CHIP DEVICE WITH TEMPERATURE CONTROL ELEMENT FOR TEMPERATURE CALIBRATION - A multi-die sensor system comprises a package and one or more transducer dies mounted in the package. Each transducer die includes one or more transducers, a temperature control element, and temperature sensor. The temperature control element changes the temperature of at least a portion of the transducer during operation of the temperature control element. A temperature sensor senses the temperature of at least the portion of the transducer. An output circuitry die mounted in the package receives transducer signals and a sensed temperature signal from the temperature sensor. | 12-25-2014 |
20150048848 | TEST STRUCTURE AND METHODOLOGY FOR ESTIMATING SENSITIVITY OF PRESSURE SENSORS - A test structure includes two capacitor structures, wherein one of the capacitor structures has conductor plates spaced apart by a cavity, and the other capacitor structure does not include a cavity. Methodology entails forming the test structure and a pressure sensor on the same substrate using the same fabrication process techniques. Methodology for estimating the sensitivity of the pressure sensor includes detecting capacitances for each of the two capacitor structures and determining a ratio of the capacitances. A critical dimension of the cavity in one of the capacitor structures is estimated using the ratio, and the sensitivity of the pressure sensor is estimated using the critical dimension. | 02-19-2015 |
20150059484 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM DEVICES HAVING CRACK RESISTANT MEMBRANE STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR THE FABRICATION THEREOF - Methods for fabricating crack resistant Microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices are provided, as are MEMS devices produced pursuant to such methods. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a sacrificial body over a substrate, producing a multi-layer membrane structure on the substrate, and removing at least a portion of the sacrificial body to form an inner cavity within the multi-layer membrane structure. The multi-layer membrane structure is produced by first forming a base membrane layer over and around the sacrificial body such that the base membrane layer has a non-planar upper surface. A predetermined thickness of the base membrane layer is then removed to impart the base membrane layer with a planar upper surface. A cap membrane layer is formed over the planar upper surface of the base membrane layer. The cap membrane layer is composed of a material having a substantially parallel grain orientation. | 03-05-2015 |