Patents by Inventor Zouhair Sbiaa
Zouhair Sbiaa 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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Patent number: 11516597Abstract: A force feedback actuator includes a pair of electrodes and a dielectric member. The pair of electrodes are spaced apart from one another to form a gap. The dielectric member is disposed at least partially within the gap. The dielectric member includes a first portion having a first permittivity and a second portion having a second permittivity that is different from the first permittivity. The dielectric member and the pair of electrodes are configured for movement relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLCInventors: Mohsin Nawaz, Stephen C. Thompson, Michael Pedersen, Peter V. Loeppert, Zouhair Sbiaa
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Publication number: 20210176569Abstract: A force feedback actuator includes a pair of electrodes and a dielectric member. The pair of electrodes are spaced apart from one another to form a gap. The dielectric member is disposed at least partially within the gap. The dielectric member includes a first portion having a first permittivity and a second portion having a second permittivity that is different from the first permittivity. The dielectric member and the pair of electrodes are configured for movement relative to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2020Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventors: Mohsin Nawaz, Stephen C. Thompson, Michael Pedersen, Peter V. Loeppert, Zouhair Sbiaa
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Patent number: 10490728Abstract: Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) devices and related fabrication methods. A piezoelectric stack is formed on a substrate and is separated from the substrate by a dielectric layer. The piezoelectric stack is formed that includes first and second piezoelectric layers with a first electrode below the first piezoelectric layer, as well as a contact pad and a second electrode between the first and second piezoelectric layers. A first contact is formed that extends through the piezoelectric layers and contact pad to the first electrode. A second contact is formed that extends through the second piezoelectric layer to the second electrode. The contact pad prevents an interface to form between the first and second piezoelectric layers in the contact opening, thus preventing corrosion of the piezoelectric layers during contact formation process.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.Inventors: Jia Jie Xia, Minu Prabhachandran Nair, Zouhair Sbiaa, Ramachandramurthy Pradeep Yelehanka, Rakesh Kumar
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Patent number: 10358340Abstract: Integrated circuits having shielded micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices and method for fabricating shielded MEMS devices are provided. In an example, an integrated circuit having a shielded MEMS device includes a substrate, a ground plane including conductive material over the substrate, and a dielectric layer over the ground plane. The integrated circuit further includes a MEMS device over the ground plane. Also, the integrated circuit includes a conductive pillar through the dielectric layer and in contact with the ground plane. The integrated circuit includes a metallic thin film over the MEMS device and in contact with the conductive pillar, wherein the metallic thin film, the conductive pillar and the ground plane form an electromagnetic shielding structure surrounding the MEMS device. Further, the integrated circuit includes an acoustic shielding structure over the substrate and adjacent the electromagnetic shielding structure.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2016Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Globalfoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Humberto Campanella-Pineda, Rakesh Kumar, Zouhair Sbiaa, Nagarajan Ranganathan, Ramachandramurthy Pradeep Yelehanka
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Publication number: 20170313577Abstract: Integrated circuits having shielded micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices and method for fabricating shielded MEMS devices are provided. In an example, an integrated circuit having a shielded MEMS device includes a substrate, a ground plane including conductive material over the substrate, and a dielectric layer over the ground plane. The integrated circuit further includes a MEMS device over the ground plane. Also, the integrated circuit includes a conductive pillar through the dielectric layer and in contact with the ground plane. The integrated circuit includes a metallic thin film over the MEMS device and in contact with the conductive pillar, wherein the metallic thin film, the conductive pillar and the ground plane form an electromagnetic shielding structure surrounding the MEMS device. Further, the integrated circuit includes an acoustic shielding structure over the substrate and adjacent the electromagnetic shielding structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2016Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Humberto Campanella Pineda, Rakesh Kumar, Zouhair Sbiaa, Nagarajan Ranganathan, Ramachandramurthy Pradeep Yelehanka
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Publication number: 20170301853Abstract: A Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) device which includes a piezoelectric stack on a substrate separated by a dielectric layer is disclosed. The piezoelectric stack includes first and second piezoelectric layers with a first electrode below the first piezoelectric layer and a contact pad and a second electrode between the first and second piezoelectric layers. A first contact extends through the piezoelectric layers and contact pad to the first electrode and a second contact extends through the second piezoelectric layer to the second electrode. The contact pad prevents an interface to form between the first and second piezoelectric layers in the contact opening, thus preventing corrosion of the piezoelectric layers during contact formation process.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2016Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Jia Jie XIA, Minu PRABHACHANDRAN NAIR, Zouhair SBIAA, Ramachandramurthy Pradeep YELEHANKA, Rakesh KUMAR
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Patent number: 8403915Abstract: Devices, such as medical devices, are provided which include a body portion having at least one reservoir which has two or more openings, the two or more openings being defined in part by a reservoir cap support; reservoir contents, such as a drug formulation or sensor, disposed inside the reservoir; and a reservoir cap which closes off the two or more reservoir openings. The reservoir cap, which can be ruptured, controls release or exposure of the reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the device is an implantable medical device and provides for the controlled release of drug or exposure of a sensor.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2009Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: MicroCHIPS, Inc.Inventors: John T. Santini, Jr., Zouhair Sbiaa, Jonathan R. Coppeta, Scott A. Uhland, Norman F. Sheppard, Jr.
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Publication number: 20100042075Abstract: Devices, such as medical devices, are provided which include a body portion having at least one reservoir which has two or more openings, the two or more openings being defined in part by a reservoir cap support; reservoir contents, such as a drug formulation or sensor, disposed inside the reservoir; and a reservoir cap which closes off the two or more reservoir openings. The reservoir cap, which can be ruptured, controls release or exposure of the reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the device is an implantable medical device and provides for the controlled release of drug or exposure of a sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2009Publication date: February 18, 2010Applicant: MICROCHIPS, INC.Inventors: John T. Santini, JR., Zouhair Sbiaa, Jonathan R. Coppeta, Scott A. Uhland, Norman F. Sheppard, JR.
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Patent number: 7604628Abstract: Reservoir-based devices are provided in which an individual reservoir has at least two openings with a support structure therebetween and closed by reservoir caps covering the openings to control release or exposure of reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the device is an implantable medical device and provides for the controlled release of drug or exposure of a sensor. The device includes a substrate; at least one reservoir disposed in the substrate, the reservoir having two or more openings; reservoir contents located in the reservoir; two or more discrete reservoir caps, each reservoir cap sealingly covering at least one of the reservoir openings; and control means for selectively disintegrating or permeabilizing the reservoir caps.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2005Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: MicroCHIPS, Inc.Inventors: John T. Santini, Jr., Zouhair Sbiaa, Jonathan R. Coppeta, Scott A. Uhland, Norman F. Sheppard, Jr.
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Publication number: 20090024113Abstract: An implantable medical device is provided for controlled delivery or exposure of reservoir contents. The device may include a substrate; a plurality of discrete reservoirs in the substrate, wherein the reservoirs have interior walls and at least one opening in the substrate; reservoir contents disposed in the reservoirs; a reservoir cap closing the at least one opening of each of the reservoirs to seal the reservoir contents in each of the reservoirs; and control circuitry for selectively disintegrating the reservoir caps to release or expose the reservoir contents in vivo, wherein the interior walls of the reservoirs comprise a material to protect the substrate in vivo. For example, to enhance the resistance of the substrate to etching in vivo, the interior sidewalls of the reservoirs may include a protective coating (such as gold, platinum, carbon, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, or platinum silicide), or the sidewalls may include a doped silicon.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2008Publication date: January 22, 2009Applicant: MICROCHIPS, INC.Inventors: John M. Maloney, Zouhair Sbiaa, John T. Santini, JR., Norman F. Sheppard, JR., Scott A. Uhland
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Patent number: 7413846Abstract: Methods are provided for making a multi-reservoir device comprising (i) patterning one or more photoresist layers on a substrate; (ii) depositing onto the substrate at least one metal layer by a sputtering process to form a plurality of reservoir caps and conductive traces; (iii) removing the photoresist layers using a liftoff process; (iv) forming a plurality of reservoirs in the substrate; (v) loading each reservoir with reservoir contents (such as a drug or sensor); and (vi) sealing each reservoir. Optionally, the reservoir cap comprises a first conductive metal layer coated with one or more protective noble metal films. To enhance the resistance of the substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate) to etching in vivo, the interior sidewalls of the reservoirs optionally can include a protective coating (e.g., gold, platinum, carbon, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, and platinum silicide), or sidewalls comprising silicon can be doped with boron or another impurity.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2004Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: MicroCHIPS, Inc.Inventors: John M. Maloney, Zouhair Sbiaa, John T. Santini, Jr., Norman F. Sheppard, Jr., Scott A. Uhland
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Publication number: 20080015494Abstract: A pump patch device is provided for drug delivery. The device may include a substrate having a plurality of discrete reservoirs, each reservoir having a reservoir opening; a drug disposed in the reservoirs; a pump for delivering a carrier fluid through or adjacent to the reservoir openings; a flow channel for receiving and combining the carrier fluid from the pump with the drug from the reservoirs to form a fluidized drug; and a needle for delivering the fluidized drug into the skin or another biological tissue of a patient. A device is provided for use in dialysis that includes a non-disposable module including a pump or pressure generator; and a disposable cassette operably connected to the pump or pressure generator and including a plurality of discrete reservoirs containing drug and sensors. A fluidics connection device is provided that includes a compression cold weld seal for a microfluidic via.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Applicant: MICROCHIPS, INC.Inventors: John Santini, Michael Cima, Jonathan Coppeta, James Prescott, Zouhair Sbiaa, Mark Staples
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Publication number: 20060105275Abstract: Methods are provided for making a multi-reservoir device comprising (i) patterning one or more photoresist layers on a substrate; (ii) depositing onto the substrate at least one metal layer by a sputtering process to form a plurality of reservoir caps and conductive traces; (iii) removing the photoresist layers using a liftoff process; (iv) forming a plurality of reservoirs in the substrate; (v) loading each reservoir with reservoir contents (such as a drug or sensor); and (vi) sealing each reservoir. Optionally, the reservoir cap comprises a first conductive metal layer coated with one or more protective noble metal films. To enhance the resistance of the substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate) to etching in vivo, the interior sidewalls of the reservoirs optionally can include a protective coating (e.g., gold, platinum, carbon, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, and platinum silicide), or sidewalls comprising silicon can be doped with boron or another impurity.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2004Publication date: May 18, 2006Inventors: John Maloney, Zouhair Sbiaa, John Santini, Norman Sheppard, Scott Uhland
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Publication number: 20060057737Abstract: Reservoir-based devices are provided in which an individual reservoir has at least two openings with a support structure therebetween and closed by reservoir caps covering the openings to control release or exposure of reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the device is an implantable medical device and provides for the controlled release of drug or exposure of a sensor. The device includes a substrate; at least one reservoir disposed in the substrate, the reservoir having two or more openings; reservoir contents located in the reservoir; two or more discrete reservoir caps, each reservoir cap sealingly covering at least one of the reservoir openings; and control means for selectively disintegrating or permeabilizing the reservoir caps.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2005Publication date: March 16, 2006Inventors: John Santini, Zouhair Sbiaa, Jonathan Coppeta
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Patent number: 6875208Abstract: Microchip devices and methods of manufacture thereof are provided to increase the uniformity and reliability of active exposure and release of microchip reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the microchip device for the controlled release or exposure of molecules or secondary devices comprises: (1) a substrate having a plurality of reservoirs; (2) reservoir contents comprising molecules, a secondary device, or both, located in the reservoirs; (3) reservoir caps positioned on the reservoirs over the reservoir contents; (4) electrical activation means for disintegrating the reservoir cap to initiate exposure or release of the reservoir contents in selected reservoirs; and (5) a current distribution means, a stress induction means, or both, operably engaged with or integrated into the reservoir cap, to enhance reservoir cap disintegration.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2002Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: John T. Santini, Jr., Michael J. Cima, Norman F. Sheppard, Jr., Nolan T. Flynn, Scott A. Uhland, Zouhair Sbiaa, John M. Maloney
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Publication number: 20020183721Abstract: Microchip devices and methods of manufacture thereof are provided to increase the uniformity and reliability of active exposure and release of microchip reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the microchip device for the controlled release or exposure of molecules or secondary devices comprises: (1) a substrate having a plurality of reservoirs; (2) reservoir contents comprising molecules, a secondary device, or both, located in the reservoirs; (3) reservoir caps positioned on the reservoirs over the reservoir contents; (4) electrical activation means for disintegrating the reservoir cap to initiate exposure or release of the reservoir contents in selected reservoirs; and (5) a current distribution means, a stress induction means, or both, operably engaged with or integrated into the reservoir cap, to enhance reservoir cap disintegration.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2002Publication date: December 5, 2002Inventors: John T. Santini, Michael J. Cima, Norman F. Sheppard, Nolan T. Flynn, Scott A. Uhland, Zouhair Sbiaa