Abstract:
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate (2); a transduction microstructure (3) integrated in the substrate (2); a cap (5) joined to the substrate (2) and having a first face (5a) adjacent to the substrate (2) and a second, outer, face (5b); and a channel (15) extending through the cap (5) from the second face (5b) to the first face (5a) and communicating with the transduction microstructure (3). A protective membrane (17) made of porous polycrystalline silicon permeable to aeriform substances is set across the channel (15).
Abstract:
MEMS thermoelectric generator (10) comprising: a thermoelectric cell (100) including one or more thermoelectric elements (110) partially extending on a cavity of the thermoelectric cell (100); a total thermoplastic layer (20; 20, 48) extending on the thermoelectric cell (100) and having a top surface (20a; 52a) and a bottom surface (20b) opposite to each other along a first axis (Z), the bottom surface (20b) facing the thermoelectric cell (100) and the total thermoplastic layer (20; 20, 48) being of thermally insulating material and configured to be processed through laser direct structuring, LDS, technique; a heat sink (14) configured to exchange heat with the thermoelectric cell (100) interposed, along the first axis (Z), between the heat sink (14) and the total thermoplastic layer (20; 20, 48); and a thermal via (30; 30, 50) of metal material, extending through the total thermoplastic layer (20; 20, 48) from the top surface (20a; 52a) to the bottom surface (20b) so that it is superimposed, along the first axis (Z), on the cavity (115), wherein the thermoelectric cell (100) may exchange heat with a thermal source (12) through the thermal via (30; 30, 50).
Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a MEMS micromirror device from a monolithic body (104) of semiconductor material. Initially, a buried cavity (106) is formed in the monolithic body and delimits at the bottom a suspended membrane (105) arranged between the buried cavity (106) and a main surface (104A) of the monolithic body (104). Then, the suspended membrane (105) is defined to form a supporting frame (115) and a mobile mass (114) rotatable about an axis (C) and carried by the supporting frame (115). The mobile mass forms an oscillating mass (107), supporting arms (109), spring portions (111), and mobile electrodes (112) combfingered to fixed electrodes (113). A reflecting region (145) is formed on top of the oscillating mass (107).
Abstract:
A method of fabricating a thermoelectric converter comprises: providing a layer (115; 215) of a Silicon-based material having a first surface and a second surface, opposite to and separated from the first surface by a Silicon-based material layer thickness; forming a plurality of first thermoelectrically active elements (133a; 237; 330a) of a first thermoelectric semiconductor material having a first Seebeck coefficient, and forming a plurality of second thermoelectrically active elements (133b; 249; 330b) of a second thermoelectric semiconductor material having a second Seebeck coefficient, wherein the first and second thermoelectrically active elements are formed to extend through the Silicon-based material layer (115; 215) thickness, from the first surface to the second surface; forming electrically conductive interconnections (143, 413; 257, 413) in correspondence of the first surface and of the second surface of the layer of Silicon-based material (115; 215),, for electrically interconnecting the plurality of first thermoelectrically active elements and the plurality of second thermoelectrically active elements, and forming an input electrical terminal (257') and an output electrical terminal (257") electrically connected to the electrically conductive interconnections, wherein the first thermoelectric semiconductor material and the second thermoelectric semiconductor material comprise Silicon-based materials selected among porous Silicon or polycrystalline SiGe or polycrystalline Silicon.
Abstract:
A semiconductor die (100; 200) comprising: a semiconductor body (2, 6), having a front side (6a) and a back side (2b), housing an electronic circuit (8); a buried region (18) in the semiconductor body between the electronic circuit and the back side, including a first layer of conductive material (20; 48) and a dielectric layer (21; 46) arranged between the first layer of conductive material and the semiconductor body; and at least one first conductive path (24, 25; 50, 52, 55) between the buried region and the front side, which forms a path for electrical access to the first layer of conductive material, wherein the first layer of conductive material forms a first plate of a capacitor (1; 40) buried in the semiconductor body, the dielectric layer forms a dielectric of the capacitor, and the semiconductor body forms a second plate of the capacitor. Main figure: Figure 1
Abstract:
A micro-electro-mechanical pressure sensor device (100), formed by a cap region (102) and by a sensor region (101) of semiconductor material. An air gap (107) extends between the sensor region (101) and the cap region (102; 103); a buried cavity (109) extends underneath the air gap, in the sensor region (101), and delimits a membrane (111) at the bottom. A through trench (110) extends within the sensor region (101) and laterally delimits a sensitive portion (121) housing the membrane, a supporting portion (120), and a spring portion (122), the spring portion connecting the sensitive portion (121) to the supporting portion (120). A channel (123) extends within the spring portion (122) and connects the buried cavity (109) to a face (101A) of the second region (101). The first air gap (107) is fluidically connected to the outside of the device, and the buried cavity (109) is isolated from the outside via a sealing region (106B) arranged between the sensor region (101) and the cap region (102).
Abstract:
Method for manufacturing a micro-electro-mechanical system, MEMS, (50) integrating a first MEMS device (51) and a second MEMS device (52). The first MEMS device is a capacitive pressure sensor and the second MEMS device is an inertial sensor. The steps of manufacturing the first and second MEMS devices are, at least partly, shared with each other, resulting in a high degree of integration on a single die, and allowing to implement a manufacturing process with high yield and controlled costs.
Abstract:
Method for manufacturing a micro-electro-mechanical device (30; 30'), comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate (2), a first protection layer (5) of crystallized aluminum oxide, impermeable to HF; forming, on the first protection layer (5), a sacrificial layer (8, 8') of silicon oxide removable with HF; forming, on the sacrificial layer (8, 8'), a second protection layer (15) of crystallized aluminum oxide; exposing a sacrificial portion (8') of the sacrificial layer (8, 8'); forming, on the sacrificial portion (8'), a first membrane layer (20) of a porous material, permeable to HF; forming a cavity (22) by removing the sacrificial portion (8') through the first membrane layer (20); and sealing pores of the first membrane layer (20) by forming a second membrane layer (24) on the first membrane layer (20).
Abstract:
A method of fabricating a thermoelectric converter comprises: providing a layer (115; 215) of a Silicon-based material having a first surface and a second surface, opposite to and separated from the first surface by a Silicon-based material layer thickness; forming a plurality of first thermoelectrically active elements (133a; 237; 330a) of a first thermoelectric semiconductor material having a first Seebeck coefficient, and forming a plurality of second thermoelectrically active elements (133b; 249; 330b) of a second thermoelectric semiconductor material having a second Seebeck coefficient, wherein the first and second thermoelectrically active elements are formed to extend through the Silicon-based material layer (115; 215) thickness, from the first surface to the second surface; forming electrically conductive interconnections (143, 413; 257, 413) in correspondence of the first surface and of the second surface of the layer of Silicon-based material (115; 215),, for electrically interconnecting the plurality of first thermoelectrically active elements and the plurality of second thermoelectrically active elements, and forming an input electrical terminal (257') and an output electrical terminal (257") electrically connected to the electrically conductive interconnections, wherein the first thermoelectric semiconductor material and the second thermoelectric semiconductor material comprise Silicon-based materials selected among porous Silicon or polycrystalline SiGe or polycrystalline Silicon.