Abstract: A sensor senses a characteristic of an environment, e.g., humidity. The sensor has a substrate with strips of material that is sensitive to corrosion as a result of the characteristic. The strips are configured to respond differently to the characteristic. By means of repeatedly measuring the resistances of the strips, the environment can be monitored in terms of accumulated exposure to the characteristic. The strips are manufactured in a semiconductor technology so as to generate accurate sensors that behave predictably.

Abstract: Disclosed is a temperature sensor (200) comprising a p-n junction device (110), a current device (120, 130) adapted to provide a sequence of different currents to the p-n junction device, a measurement circuit adapted to measure the voltage characteristics of the p-n junction device as a function of said sequence, and a processor adapted to determine the minimum value of the voltage swing from said characteristics and to convert said minimum value to a temperature value. A method of measuring a temperature using such a device is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a integrated circuit comprising an electronic circuit integrated on a substrate (5), and further comprising protections means for protection of the electronic circuit (25). The protection means comprise: i) a first strained encapsulation layer (10) being provided on a first side of the substrate (5), wherein the first strained encapsulation layer (10) has a strain (S1) in a direction parallel to the substrate (5), and ii) disabling means (20) arranged for at least partially disabling the electronic circuit (25) under control of a strain change in the substrate (5). The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such integrated circuit, and to a system comprising such integrated circuit. Such system is selected from a group comprising: a bank-card, a smart-card, a contact-less card and an RFID.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochemical sensor integrated on a substrate, the electrochemical sensor comprising: a field effect transistor integrated on the substrate and having a source, gate and drain connections, said gate of the field effect transistor comprising: a sensing gate conductively coupled to a sensing electrode; and a bias gate, wherein the sensing gate is capacitively coupled to the bias gate and the bias gate is capacitively coupled to the substrate.

Abstract: A sensor (2) for sensing a first substance and a second substance, the sensor comprising first (3) and second (5) sensor components each comprising a first material (20), the first material being sensitive to both the first substance and the second substance, the sensor further comprising a barrier (18) for preventing the second substance from passing into the second sensor component (5).

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid immersion sensor comprising a substrate (10) carrying a conductive sensing element (20) and a corrosive agent (30) for corroding the conductive sensing element, said corrosive agent being immobilized in the vicinity of the conductive sensing element and being soluble in said liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit comprising a substrate (10) carrying a plurality of circuit elements; a metallization stack (12, 14, 16) interconnecting said circuit elements, said metallization stack comprising a patterned upper metallization layer comprising a first metal portion (20); a passivation stack (24, 26, 28) covering the metallization stack; and a sensor including a sensing material (40) on the passivation stack, said sensor being coupled to the first metal portion by a via (34) extending through the passivation stack. A method of manufacturing such an IC is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit having a substrate comprising a plurality of components and a metallization stack over the components, the metallization stack comprising a first sensing element and a second sensing element adjacent to the first sensing element.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit comprising an electrode arrangement for detecting the presence of a liquid, said electrode arrangement comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein, prior to exposure of the electrode arrangement to said liquid, a surface of at least one of the first electrode and second electrode is at least partially covered by a compound that is soluble in the liquid; the electrical properties of the electrode arrangement being dependent on the amount of the compound covering said surface. An package and electronic device comprising such an IC and a method of manufacturing such an IC are also disclosed.

Abstract: A container for containing a perishable substance has a container wall with an inner side and an outer side. The wall has an electrically conductive layer extending between the inner side and the outer side. The inner side faces the space containing the substance. The container comprises electronic circuitry having a sensor for sensing a physical property or condition of the substance, and an antenna for communicating an RF signal to a receiver, external to the container. The RF signal is indicative of the physical property or condition sensed. The sensor is positioned so as to be exposed to the space containing the substance in operational use of the container. The antenna is positioned at the outer side, or between the outer side and the electrically conductive layer, and is electrically isolated from the electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: The invention describes a charge-pump circuit (1, 1?) comprising a supply voltage input node (10) for applying an input voltage (Uin) to be boosted, a boosted voltage output node (11) for outputting a boosted voltage (Uout), and a plurality of transistor stages connected in series between the supply voltage input node (10) and the boosted voltage output node (11), wherein at least one transistor stage comprises a multiple-gate transistor (D1, . . . , D5), which transistor (D1, . . . , D5) comprises at least two gates, of which one is a first gate (G) for switching the transistor (D1, . . . , D5) on or off according to a voltage applied to the first gate (G), and one is an additional second gate (Gi) for controlling the threshold voltage of the multiple-gate transistor (D1, . . . , D5), independently of the first gate (G), according to a control voltage (?1, ?2) applied to the second gate (Gi).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining a charged particle concentration in an analyte (100), the method comprising steps of: i) determining at least two measurement points of a surface-potential versus interface-temperature curve (c1, c2, c3, c4), wherein the interface temperature is obtained from a temperature difference between a first interface between a first ion-sensitive dielectric (Fsd) and the analyte (100) and a second interface between a second ion-sensitive dielectric (Ssd) and the analyte (100), and wherein the surface-potential is obtained from a potential difference between a first electrode (Fe) and a second electrode (Se) onto which said first ion-sensitive dielectric (Fsd) and said second ion-sensitive dielectric (Ssd) are respectively provided, And ii) calculating the charged particle concentration from locations of the at least two measurement points of said curve (c1, c2, c3, c4).

Abstract: A capacitive sensor for detecting the presence of a substance includes a plurality of upstanding conductive pillars arranged within a first layer of the sensor, a first electrode connected to a first group of the pillars, a second electrode connected to a second, different group of the pillars, and a dielectric material arranged adjacent the pillars, for altering the capacitance of the sensor in response to the presence of said substance.

Abstract: A sensor is provided for sensing a value of a physical parameter characteristic of the sensor's environment. The sensor is implemented in semiconductor technology. A behavior of the sensor's electronic circuitry is affected by stress. The stress is induced by a film covering the circuitry or only part thereof. The stress is caused by the film's material, whose dimensions depend on a value of the parameter. This dependence is different from the 5 dependence of the circuitry's substrate on the same parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a integrated circuit comprising an electronic circuit integrated on a substrate (5), and further comprising protections means for protection of the electronic circuit (25). The protection means comprise: i) a first strained encapsulation layer (10) being provided on a first side of the substrate (5), wherein the first strained encapsulation layer (10) has a strain (S1) in a direction parallel to the substrate (5), and ii) disabling means (20) arranged for at least partially disabling the electronic circuit (25) under control of a strain change in the substrate (5). The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such integrated circuit, and to a system comprising such integrated circuit. Such system is selected from a group comprising: a bank-card, a smart-card, a contact-less card and an RFID.

Abstract: A sensor comprising a silicon substrate having a first and a second surface, integrated circuitry provided on the first surface of the silicon substrate, and a sensor structure provided on the second surface of the silicon substrate. The sensor structure and the integrated circuitry are electrically coupled to each other.

Abstract: An electrochemical sensor device including a sensor chip having an integrated electrochemical sensor element; and a substrate having a first surface on which the sensor chip is mounted, the substrate comprising a reference electrode structure for the integrated electrochemical sensor element, the reference electrode structure connected to the sensor chip via an electrical connection on the first surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a stack of patterned metal layers (12) separated by dielectric layers (14), said stack comprising a first conductive support structure (20) and a second conductive support structure (21) and a cavity (42) in which an inertial mass element (22) comprising at least one metal portion is conductively coupled to the first support structure and the second support structure by respective conductive connection portions (24), at least one of said conductive connection portions being designed to break upon the inertial mass element being exposed to an acceleration force exceeding a threshold defined by the dimensions of the conductive connection portions. A method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sensor senses a characteristic of an environment, e.g., humidity. The sensor has a substrate with strips of material that is sensitive to corrosion as a result of the characteristic. The strips are configured to respond differently to the characteristic. By means of repeatedly measuring the resistances of the strips, the environment can be monitored in terms of accumulated exposure to the characteristic. The strips are manufactured in a semiconductor technology so as to generate accurate sensors that behave predictably.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved electrochemical energy source, comprising: a substrate, and at least one stack deposited onto said substrate, the stack comprising: an first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate solid-state electrolyte separating the first electrode and the second electrode. The invention also relates to an electronic device provided with such an electrochemical energy source.