Patents by Inventor Thierry Laroche

Thierry Laroche 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).

  • Publication number: 20240159710
    Abstract: An acoustic wave sensor device comprises a first interdigitated transducer, a first reflection structure, a second reflection structure, a first resonance cavity comprising a first upper surface and formed between the first interdigitated transducer and the first reflection structure, and a second resonance cavity comprising a second upper surface and formed between the first interdigitated transducer and the second reflection structure. At least one of the first and second upper surfaces is covered at least partly by a metalization layer or a passivation layer. The present invention relates also to an acoustic wave sensor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Sylvain BALLANDRAS, Thierry LAROCHE, Julien GARCIA, Emilie COURJON
  • Publication number: 20240154603
    Abstract: An acoustic wave sensor device comprises a quartz material layer surface; arranged along a first axis, a first interdigitated transducer disposed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a first reflection structure disposed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, and a second reflection structure disposed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer; and arranged along a second axis, a second interdigitated transducer disposed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a third reflection structure disposed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, and a fourth reflection structure disposed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer; and wherein the first axis and the second axis are inclined to each other by a finite angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia, Emilie Courjon
  • Patent number: 11962288
    Abstract: A surface elastic wave filter has resonant cavities and comprises a composite substrate formed of a base substrate and a piezoelectric upper layer; at least one input electroacoustic transducer and an output electroacoustic transducer, arranged on the upper layer, and at least one internal reflecting structure, arranged between the input electroacoustic transducer and the output electroacoustic transducer. The internal reflecting structure comprises a first structure comprising at least one reflection grating having a first period and a second structure comprising at least one reflection grating having a second period, the first period being greater than the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Eric Michoulier, Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche
  • Patent number: 11936364
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device comprising a base substrate, a piezoelectric layer and an electrode layer in between the piezoelectric layer and the base substrate, a comb electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of electrode means with a pitch p, defined asp=A, with A being the wavelength of the standing acoustic wave generated by applying opposite potentials to the electrode layer and comb electrode, wherein the piezoelectric layer comprises at least one region located in between the electrode means, in which at least one physical parameter is different compared to the region underneath the electrode means or fingers. A method of fabrication for such surface acoustic wave device is also disclosed. The physical parameter may be thickness, elasticity, doping concentration of Ti or number of protons obtained by proton exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche
  • Publication number: 20240080012
    Abstract: A coupled cavity filter structure that uses a surface acoustic wave, in particular, a guided surface acoustic wave, comprises an acoustic wave propagating substrate, at least one input transducer structure and one output transducer structure, provided over the substrate, each comprising inter-digitated comb electrodes, at least one reflecting structure comprising at least one or more metallic strips positioned at a distance and in between the input and output transducer structures, in the direction of propagation of an acoustic wave. The acoustic wave propagating substrate is a composite substrate comprising a base substrate and a piezoelectric layer. In additional embodiments, a coupled cavity filter structure comprises a groove. In additional embodiments, a SAW ladder filter device comprises at least two coupled cavity filter structures as described herein, wherein the at least two coupled cavity filter structures are positioned on a single line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche
  • Patent number: 11894830
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes at least one transducer; two acoustic reflectors disposed on either side of the at least one transducer so as to form a cavity, each acoustic reflector comprising an array of electrodes in the form of lines parallel with each other, each array comprising a subset of electrodes connected to a reference potential denoted mass defining a first connection type, and a subset of electrodes that are not connected to any potential, i.e. that have a floating connection defining a second connection type; at least one switching circuit configured to modify the distribution of the connections of at least one part of the electrodes of each array between the different connection types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: THALES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, SOITEC SA, YNCREA HAUTS DE FRANCE ISEN LILLE, UNIVERSITE DE LILLE, ECOLE CENTRALE DE LILLE, UNIVERSITE POLYTECHNIQUE HAUTS-DE-FRANCE
    Inventors: Thi Mai Pham Colomban, Claude Prévot, Paolo Martins, Anne-Christine Hladky-Hennion, Bertrand Dubus, Marianne Sagnard, Thierry Laroche, Sylvain Ballandras, Charles Croenne
  • Patent number: 11848663
    Abstract: A coupled cavity filter structure that uses a surface acoustic wave, in particular, a guided surface acoustic wave, comprises an acoustic wave propagating substrate, at least one input transducer structure and one output transducer structure, provided over the substrate, each comprising inter-digitated comb electrodes, at least one reflecting structure comprising at least one or more metallic strips positioned at a distance and in between the input and output transducer structures, in the direction of propagation of an acoustic wave. The acoustic wave propagating substrate is a composite substrate comprising a base substrate and a piezoelectric layer. In additional embodiments, a coupled cavity filter structure comprises a groove. In additional embodiments, a SAW ladder filter device comprises at least two coupled cavity filter structures as described herein, wherein the at least two coupled cavity filter structures are positioned on a single line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: FREC'N'SYS
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche
  • Publication number: 20230396236
    Abstract: A surface elastic wave filter has resonant cavities and comprises a composite substrate formed of a base substrate and a piezoelectric upper layer; at least one input electroacoustic transducer and an output electroacoustic transducer, arranged on the upper layer, and at least one internal reflecting structure, arranged between the input electroacoustic transducer and the output electroacoustic transducer. The internal reflecting structure comprises a first structure comprising at least one reflection grating having a first period and a second structure comprising at least one reflection grating having a second period, the first period being greater than the second period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Eric Michoulier, Thierry LaRoche
  • Patent number: 11828668
    Abstract: An acoustic wave pressure sensor device configured to measure a pressure, comprising a substrate configured to bend when pressure is applied to the substrate such that an area of a first kind of strain and an area of a second kind of strain are formed in the substrate; an interdigitated transducer formed over the substrate; a first Bragg mirror formed over the substrate and arranged on one side of the interdigitated transducer; a second Bragg mirror formed over the substrate and arranged on another side of the interdigitated transducer; a first resonance cavity formed between the interdigitated transducer and the first Bragg mirror; a second resonance cavity formed between the interdigitated transducer and the second Bragg mirror; and wherein the first resonance cavity is formed over the area of the first kind of strain and the second resonance cavity is formed over the area of the second kind of strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: FREC'N'SYS
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Emilie Courjon, Florent Bernard, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia
  • Publication number: 20230366755
    Abstract: A resonator device for measuring stress comprises at least two resonators, each resonator comprising an inter-digitated transducer structure arranged between two reflecting structures on or in a piezoelectric substrate, wherein the at least two resonators are arranged and positioned such that they have two different wave propagation directions, and each resonator comprises at least two parts with the area between the two parts of the at least two resonators forming a cavity, wherein the cavity is shared by the at least two resonators and wherein for at least one resonator, in particular, all resonators, the inter-digitated transducer structure comprises a first material and the reflecting structures a second material different from the first material and/or the inter-digitated transducer structure and the reflecting structures have different geometrical parameters. A differential sensing device comprises at least one resonator device as described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Emilie Courjon, Florent Bernad, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia, Alexandre Clairet, Sylvain Ballandras
  • Publication number: 20230361751
    Abstract: An acoustic wave sensor device comprises a quartz material layer comprising a planar surface, a first interdigitated transducer formed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a first reflection structure formed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a second reflection structure formed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a first resonance cavity formed between the first interdigitated transducer and the first reflection structure and a second resonance cavity formed between the first interdigitated transducer and the second reflection structure. The planar surface of the quartz material layer is defined by a crystal cut of a quartz material of the quartz material layer with angles ? in the range of ?14° to ?24°, ? in the range of ?25° to ?45° and ? in the range of +8° to +28°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia, Emilie Courjon, Florent Bernard
  • Publication number: 20230308074
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave (SAW) device comprises an interdigitated transducer structure and at least one acoustic wave reflective structure provided on or in an acoustic wave propagating substrate. The interdigitated transducer structure comprises a first material and the at least one acoustic wave reflective structure comprises a second material different from the first material and/or the acoustic wave reflective structure and the interdigitated transducer structure have different geometrical parameters. A sensor comprises a SAW device as described herein, and a method is used for manufacturing a SAW device comprising at least one acoustic wave reflective structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Emilie Courjon, Florent Bernard, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia, Alexandre Clairet
  • Publication number: 20220341881
    Abstract: An acoustic wave sensor device, comprising an interdigitated transducer; a first reflection structure arranged on one side of the interdigitated transducer, and a second reflection structure arranged on another side of the interdigitated transducer; a first resonance cavity comprising a first upper surface and formed between the interdigitated transducer and the first reflection structure; a second resonance cavity comprising a second upper surface and formed between the interdigitated transducer and the second reflection structure; and wherein the second upper surface comprises a physical and/or chemical modification as compared to the first upper surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Emilie Courjon, Florent Bernard, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia
  • Publication number: 20220326102
    Abstract: An acoustic wave pressure sensor device configured to measure a pressure, comprising a substrate configured to bend when pressure is applied to the substrate such that an area of a first kind of strain and an area of a second kind of strain are formed in the substrate; an interdigitated transducer formed over the substrate; a first Bragg mirror formed over the substrate and arranged on one side of the interdigitated transducer; a second Bragg mirror formed over the substrate and arranged on another side of the interdigitated transducer; a first resonance cavity formed between the interdigitated transducer and the first Bragg mirror; a second resonance cavity formed between the interdigitated transducer and the second Bragg mirror; and wherein the first resonance cavity is formed over the area of the first kind of strain and the second resonance cavity is formed over the area of the second kind of strain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Emilie Courjon, Florent Bernard, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia
  • Publication number: 20220173721
    Abstract: A method of interrogating an acoustic wave sensor comprises transmitting, by an interrogator, an interrogation radiofrequency signal to the acoustic wave sensor by way of a transmission antenna, receiving, by the interrogator, a response radiofrequency signal from the acoustic wave sensor by way of a reception antenna, and processing by a processing means of the interrogator the received response radiofrequency signal to obtain in-phase and quadrature components both in the time domain and the frequency domain, determining by the processing means perturbations of the obtained in-phase and quadrature components both in the time domain and the frequency domain and determining by the processing means a value of a measurand based on the detected perturbations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche, Julien Garcia
  • Patent number: 11316241
    Abstract: An electrical device adapted to operate at a high operating ambient temperature includes an electrical component mounted inside a casing, a transmission/reception antenna and at least one electrical and mechanical connection between the electrical component and the antenna. The electrical and mechanical connection comprises a metal pad positioned under the casing, the antenna being connected to the pad; an electrical connection tab having a first end connected to the electrical component; and fixing means adapted to secure the pad and a second end of the connection tab of the component. The device is applicable to, for example, temperature sensors of the surface guided elastic wave type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: FREC |N| SYS
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Alexandre Raveski, Florent Bernard, Julien Garcia, Emilie Courjon, Thierry LaRoche
  • Publication number: 20220060173
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device: includes at least one transducer; two acoustic reflectors disposed on either side of the at least one transducer so as to form a cavity, each acoustic reflector comprising an array of electrodes in the form of lines parallel with each other, each array comprising a subset of electrodes connected to a reference potential denoted mass defining a first connection type, and a subset of electrodes that are not connected to any potential, i.e. that have a floating connection defining a second connection type; at least one switching circuit configured to modify the distribution of the connections of at least one part of the electrodes of each array between the different connection types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Thi Mai PHAM COLOMBAN, Claude PRÉVOT, Paolo MARTINS, Anne-Christine HLADKY- HENNION, Bertrand DUBUS, Marianne SAGNARD, Thierry LAROCHE, Sylvain BALLANDRAS, Charles CROENNE
  • Publication number: 20210343560
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for real-time sensing of properties in industrial manufacturing equipment are described. The sensing system includes first plural sensors mounted within a processing environment of a semiconductor device manufacturing system, wherein each sensor is assigned to a different region to monitor a physical or chemical property of the assigned region of the manufacturing system, and a reader system having componentry configured to simultaneously and wirelessly interrogate the plural sensors. The reader system uses a single high frequency interrogation sequence that includes (1) transmitting a first request pulse signal to the first plural sensors, the first request pulse signal being associated with a first frequency band, and (2) receiving uniquely identifiable response signals from the first plural sensors that provide real-time monitoring of variations in the physical or chemical property at each assigned region of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry Laroche, Kimihiro Matsuse, Jacques Berg, Tomohide Minami
  • Patent number: 11114321
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for real-time sensing of properties in industrial manufacturing equipment are described. The sensing system includes first plural sensors mounted within a processing environment of a semiconductor device manufacturing system, wherein each sensor is assigned to a different region to monitor a physical or chemical property of the assigned region of the manufacturing system, and a reader system having componentry configured to simultaneously and wirelessly interrogate the plural sensors. The reader system uses a single high frequency interrogation sequence that includes (1) transmitting a first request pulse signal to the first plural sensors, the first request pulse signal being associated with a first frequency band, and (2) receiving uniquely identifiable response signals from the first plural sensors that provide real-time monitoring of variations in the physical or chemical property at each assigned region of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry Laroche, Kimihiro Matsuse, Jacques Berg, Tomohide Minami
  • Publication number: 20210265980
    Abstract: A coupled cavity filter structure that uses a surface acoustic wave, in particular, a guided surface acoustic wave, comprises an acoustic wave propagating substrate, at least one input transducer structure and one output transducer structure, provided over the substrate, each comprising inter-digitated comb electrodes, at least one reflecting structure comprising at least one or more metallic strips, positioned at a distance and in between the input and output transducer structures, in the direction of propagation of an acoustic wave. The acoustic wave propagating substrate is a composite substrate comprising a base substrate and a piezoelectric layer. In additional embodiments, a coupled cavity filter structure comprises a groove. In additional embodiments, a SAW ladder filter device comprises at least two coupled cavity filter structures as described herein, wherein the at least two coupled cavity filter structures are positioned on a single line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Sylvain Ballandras, Thierry LaRoche