Patents by Inventor Bruno FAIN
Bruno FAIN has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240132341Abstract: A MEMS resonant sensor adapted to generate a pulse output signal from a signal of interest, the signal of interest being a signal having a frequency oscillating around a carrier frequency, the MEMS sensor comprising at least one processing channel for processing the signal of interest, each processing channel comprising: a demodulation unit for demodulating the signal of interest in order to form a demodulated signal, the demodulation unit comprising a frequency mixer between the signal of interest and a reference signal, the demodulated signal having a low-frequency component and a high-frequency component; a filtration unit for filtering the demodulated signal in order to form a filtered signal, the filtration unit being adapted to allow through the low-frequency component of the demodulated signal; a comparison unit for comparing the filtered signal with a fixed threshold signal in order to form a comparison signal, the comparison signal comprising rising edges and falling edges; a detection unit for detecType: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Inventors: Emmanuel HARDY, Bruno FAIN, Elisa VIANELLO
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Patent number: 11960036Abstract: A processing system for processing signals from a plurality of transducers of an ultrasonic sensor in order to determine characteristic information relating to an object detected by the ultrasonic sensor is provided. The system comprises a coupling device for transforming the signals received from the transducers into pulses, and a pulse processing unit for determining the characteristic information based on the pulses delivered by the coupling device. The coupling device comprises: a thresholding unit for applying, for each signal received from a transducer, thresholding to a signal derived from the signal received from the transducer and extracting directional information contained in the phase of the derived signal; a transformation unit for transforming the derived signal into pulses containing the phase of the signal, using the information extracted by the thresholding unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Emmanuel Hardy, Bruno Fain, Thomas Mesquida, François Rummens, Elisa Vianello
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Patent number: 11584639Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plurality of resonators, each formed by a membrane sealing a cavity, includes forming a plurality of cavities starting from one face called the front face of a support substrate, the plurality of cavities comprising central cavities and peripheral cavities arranged around the assembly formed by the central cavities, and forming central membranes and peripheral membranes covering the central cavities and peripheral cavities, respectively, by the transfer of a coverage film on the front face of the support substrate. At least part of the peripheral membranes is removed.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Bruno Fain, Caroline Coutier
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Publication number: 20230028853Abstract: An acoustic, preferably ultrasonic, wave emission and/or reception device, including a wave emitter configured to transmit waves at an emission frequency, and a receiver of preferably ultrasonic waves, separate from the emitter, having a resonance frequency, and configured to receive waves generated by the emitter and including direct waves and reflected waves, wherein the device includes a resonance frequency modulator of the receiver and a control unit configured to control the resonance frequency modulator during a predetermined time period, so as to reduce the sensitivity of the receiver during the predetermined time period by moving the resonance frequency of the receiver away from the emission frequency of the emitter. The acoustic device relates to the field of ultrasonic sensors, particularly PMUTs or CMUTs, having a high quality factor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: François GARDIEN, François BLARD, Bruno FAIN
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Patent number: 11511990Abstract: A method for manufacturing a microelectronic device with a membrane suspended above at least one final cavity, may involve providing a supporting substrate having at least one elementary cavity, and a donor substrate. The method may include assembling the supporting and donor substrate, then thinning the donor substrate so as to form the membrane. Advantageously, the method may include forming at least one membrane anchoring pillar. After the forming of the at least one anchoring pillar, and after the assembling, the method may include etching the surface layer of the supporting substrate so as to widen the at least one elementary cavity, to form the final cavity, the etching being configured to selectively etch the surface layer with respect to the anchoring pillar.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Mathilde Cartier, Bruno Fain
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Publication number: 20220342062Abstract: A processing system for processing signals from a plurality of transducers of an ultrasonic sensor in order to determine characteristic information relating to an object detected by the ultrasonic sensor is provided. The system comprises a coupling device for transforming the signals received from the transducers into pulses, and a pulse processing unit for determining the characteristic information based on the pulses delivered by the coupling device. The coupling device comprises: a thresholding unit for applying, for each signal received from a transducer, thresholding to a signal derived from the signal received from the transducer and extracting directional information contained in the phase of the derived signal; a transformation unit for transforming the derived signal into pulses containing the phase of the signal, using the information extracted by the thresholding unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2022Publication date: October 27, 2022Inventors: Emmanuel HARDY, Bruno FAIN, Thomas MESQUIDA, François RUMMENS, Elisa VIANELLO
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Publication number: 20210395079Abstract: A method for manufacturing a microelectronic device with a membrane suspended above at least one final cavity, may involve providing a supporting substrate having at least one elementary cavity, and a donor substrate. The method may include assembling the supporting and donor substrate, then thinning the donor substrate so as to form the membrane. Advantageously, the method may include forming at least one membrane anchoring pillar. After the forming of the at least one anchoring pillar, and after the assembling, the method may include etching the surface layer of the supporting substrate so as to widen the at least one elementary cavity, to form the final cavity, the etching being configured to selectively etch the surface layer with respect to the anchoring pillar.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Mathilde CARTIER, Bruno FAIN
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Patent number: 11205747Abstract: The invention concerns a piezoelectric transducer including: a conductive layer between first and second piezo-electric layers; first and third electrodes arranged on the front surface of the second piezoelectric layer; second and fourth electrodes arranged on the rear surface of the first piezoelectric layer; and a control circuit configured to: in a first operating phase, simultaneously apply a non-zero voltage to the first electrode, a non-zero voltage to the fourth electrode, and substantially zero voltages to the second and third electrodes; and in a second operating phase, simultaneously apply a non-zero voltage to the second electrode, a non-zero voltage to the third electrode, and substantially zero voltages to the first and fourth electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Remy Dejaeger, Bruno Fain
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Patent number: 10983082Abstract: The invention relates to a measurement device comprising a suspended semiconductor wire, a first control circuit designed to apply and/or read a first electrical signal between first and second ends of the suspended semiconductor wire and a second control circuit designed to apply and/or read a second electrical signal between first and second intermediate nodes of the suspended semiconductor wire.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignees: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, SAFRANInventors: Bruno Fain, Guillaume Jourdan, Guillaume Lehee
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Publication number: 20200385262Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a plurality of resonators, each formed by a membrane sealing a cavity, the method comprises: a) a step to form a plurality of cavities, advantageously identical, starting from one face called the front face of a support substrate, the plurality of cavities comprise central cavities and peripheral cavities arranged around the assembly formed by the central cavities; b) a step to form membranes, called central membranes and peripheral membranes respectively, covering central cavities and peripheral cavities respectively, by the transfer of a coverage film on the front face of the support substrate; c) a step to remove at least part of the peripheral membranes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Bruno FAIN, Caroline COUTIER
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Publication number: 20200096468Abstract: The invention relates to a measurement device comprising a suspended semiconductor wire, a first control circuit designed to apply and/or read a first electrical signal between first and second ends of the suspended semiconductor wire and a second control circuit designed to apply and/or read a second electrical signal between first and second intermediate nodes of the suspended semiconductor wire.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Bruno FAIN, Guillaume JOURDAN, Guillaume LEHEE
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Patent number: 10585074Abstract: Method of fabricating a microelectromechanical structure et comprising two elements suspended from a support, a cavity made in the support, said cavity having two different depths, including: fabrication of a mask on an element comprising a substrate and a structured layer formed on the substrate, said structured layer comprising the two elements that will be suspended above the cavity, the mask being formed above the structured layer, said mask comprising openings with different sections, the openings being distributed in two zones, each zone comprising openings with the same section, anisotropic etching of the element so as to define the two depths under the two suspended elements in the substrate through the structured layer, isotropic etching of the element so as to make the cavity under the suspended elements.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2018Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Bruno Fain, Carine Ladner, Thomas Alava
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Patent number: 10371711Abstract: Linear accelerometer comprising a fixed part, a rotationally moving part in the plane of the accelerometer around an axis of rotation orthogonal to the plane of the accelerometer, the moving part comprising a centre of gravity distinct from the point of intersection of the axis of rotation and the plane of the accelerometer, means forming pivot link between the moving part and the fixed part, means for detecting the displacement of the moving part with respect to the fixed part, means for viscous damping the displacement of the moving part in said plane, said viscous damping means comprising interdigitated combs, at least one first comb on the moving part and at least one second comb on the fixed part (2), the first comb and the second comb being interdigitated.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2017Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Bruno Fain, Aboubacar Chaehoi, Philippe Robert
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Publication number: 20190229256Abstract: The invention concerns a piezoelectric transducer including: a conductive layer between first and second piezo-electric layers; first and third electrodes arranged on the front surface of the second piezoelectric layer; second and fourth electrodes arranged on the rear surface of the first piezoelectric layer; and a control circuit configured to: in a first operating phase, simultaneously apply a non-zero voltage to the first electrode, a non-zero voltage to the fourth electrode, and substantially zero voltages to the second and third electrodes; and in a second operating phase, simultaneously apply a non-zero voltage to the second electrode, a non-zero voltage to the third electrode, and substantially zero voltages to the first and fourth electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2019Publication date: July 25, 2019Inventors: Remy DEJAEGER, Bruno FAIN
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Patent number: 10345176Abstract: A MEMS and/or NEMS pressure sensor including, in a substrate: a stationary portion and a portion movable relative to the stationary portion, the movable portion including a sensitive element configured to move in the plane of the sensor under effect of a pressure variation; a stress gauge detecting movement of the sensitive element in the plane of the sensor due to the pressure variation; electrodes actuating the sensitive element, the actuating electrodes being borne partially by the stationary portion and partially by the movable portion, the actuating electrodes being commanded to automatically control positionwise the movement of the sensitive element; a mechanism commanding the actuating electrodes, which is configured, on the basis of signals emitted by the gauge, to bias the actuating electrodes to automatically control positionwise the movement of the sensitive element.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2015Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Bruno Fain, Philippe Robert, Thierry Verdot
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Publication number: 20180202982Abstract: Method of fabricating a microelectromechanical structure et comprising two elements suspended from a support, a cavity made in the support, said cavity having two different depths, including: fabrication of a mask on an element comprising a substrate and a structured layer formed on the substrate, said structured layer comprising the two elements that will be suspended above the cavity, the mask being formed above the structured layer, said mask comprising openings with different sections, the openings being distributed in two zones, each zone comprising openings with the same section, anisotropic etching of the element so as to define the two depths under the two suspended elements in the substrate through the structured layer, isotropic etching of the element so as to make the cavity under the suspended elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2018Publication date: July 19, 2018Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Bruno FAIN, Garine Ladner, Thomas Alava
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Publication number: 20170363493Abstract: A MEMS and/or NEMS pressure sensor including, in a substrate: a stationary portion and a portion movable relative to the stationary portion, the movable portion including a sensitive element configured to move in the plane of the sensor under effect of a pressure variation; a stress gauge detecting movement of the sensitive element in the plane of the sensor due to the pressure variation; electrodes actuating the sensitive element, the actuating electrodes being borne partially by the stationary portion and partially by the movable portion, the actuating electrodes being commanded to automatically control positionwise the movement of the sensitive element; a mechanism commanding the actuating electrodes, which are configured, on the basis of signals emitted by the gauge, to bias the actuating electrodes to automatically control positionwise the movement of the sensitive element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2015Publication date: December 21, 2017Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Bruno FAIN, Philippe ROBERT, Thierry VERDOT
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Publication number: 20170261528Abstract: Linear accelerometer comprising a fixed part, a rotationally moving part in the plane of the accelerometer around an axis of rotation orthogonal to the plane of the accelerometer, the moving part comprising a centre of gravity distinct from the point of intersection of the axis of rotation and the plane of the accelerometer, means forming pivot link between the moving part and the fixed part, means for detecting the displacement of the moving part with respect to the fixed part, means for viscous damping the displacement of the moving part in said plane, said viscous damping means comprising interdigitated combs, at least one first comb on the moving part and at least one second comb on the fixed part (2), the first comb and the second comb being interdigitated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Bruno FAIN, Aboubacar Chaehoi, Philippe Robert