Patents Assigned to IMEC
  • Patent number: 11957443
    Abstract: A system for electrical impedance tomography comprises: a plurality of electrodes; a plurality of impedance measurement units, each being associated with two or more electrodes, and wherein each impedance measurement unit comprises a current generator for generating a stimulation current between the electrodes and an amplifier for amplifying a measurement voltage between the electrodes; wherein the system is configured to perform a plurality of impedance measurements, wherein, for each impedance measurement, one impedance measurement unit is set in a stimulation mode for providing a stimulation current into the object, and wherein the impedance measurement unit being set in the stimulation mode is switched among the plurality of impedance measurement units, and wherein each impedance measurement unit is configured to be set in a calibration mode during at least one of the plurality of impedance measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Seulki Lee, Mario Konijnenburg, Gijs Van Gestel, Nahm Il Koo
  • Patent number: 11955368
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a reconditioning wafer can include a carrier substrate that supports at least one array of regularly spaced protrusions configured to form indentations in a support surface of a wafer holding stage. The protrusions within the same array can have substantially the same shape and dimensions, thereby enabling a more reliable reconditioning process compared to prior art solutions. The protrusions may have the form of pyramids or pillars or other similar shapes with at least the tip of the protrusions formed of a material suitable to make the indentations. The reconditioning wafer can be obtainable by a molding technique wherein an array of molds can be created in a mold substrate. The molds can be filled with an indentation material such as diamond, and can be bonded to the carrier substrate. The mold substrate can be removed by thinning and wet etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventor: Thomas Hantschel
  • Patent number: 11953612
    Abstract: A method of ranging between a first and a second radio signal transceiver comprises calculating a preliminary estimate of a value proportional to a one-way frequency domain channel response, for a frequency of a plurality of frequencies and for each of a first antenna combination and a second antenna combination of a plurality of antenna combinations; calculating a comparison value for the preliminary estimate, for the frequency and for each of the first antenna combination and the second antenna combination; determining, for the frequency and the first antenna combination, a corrected estimate of the value proportional to the one-way frequency domain channel response based on the preliminary estimate and the comparison value, for the first antenna combination and the second antenna combination; and performing a ranging calculation between the first and the second radio signal transceiver based on a plurality of such corrected estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Lichen Yao, Pepijn Boer, Jac Romme
  • Patent number: 11953451
    Abstract: A method is provided for inspection of an item comprising acquiring a projection image of the item using a radiation imaging system and obtaining a plurality of simulated projection images of the item or a component thereof, based on a simulation of a numerical three-dimensional model. A relative orientation of the item with respect to the imaging system is determined by comparing the projection image to the plurality of simulated images, and at least one angle of rotation is determined by taking into account a viewing angle and the relative orientation. The method further comprises moving the item and/or the imaging system in accordance with the at least one angle of rotation and acquiring a further projection image of the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN, IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Jan De Beenhouwer, Jan Sijbers
  • Patent number: 11946849
    Abstract: A differentiation system for differentiating cells includes an input device configured to receive holographic image data of a microscopic particle in suspension, holographic image data processing logic for converting the holographic image data to the frequency domain by performing a Fourier transform of the holographic image data, and a recognizer configured to determine characterization features of the holographic image data of the microscopic particle in the frequency domain for characterization of the microscopic particle, the characterization features comprising rotationally invariant features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Bruno Cornelis, David Blinder, Peter Schelkens, Bart Jansen
  • Patent number: 11946850
    Abstract: A device for detecting particles in air; said device comprising: a receiver for receiving a flow of air comprising particles; a particle capturing arrangement configured to transfer the particles from the flow of air to a liquid for collection of a set of particles in the liquid; a flow channel configured to pass a flow of the liquid comprising the set of particles through the flow channel; a light source configured to illuminate the set of particles in the flow channel, such that an interference pattern is formed by interference between light being scattered by the set of particles and non-scattered light from the light source; and an image sensor comprising a plurality of photo-sensitive elements configured to detect incident light, the image sensor being configured to detect the interference pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Geert Vanmeerbeeck, Ziduo Lin, Abdulkadir Yurt, Richard Stahl, Andy Lambrechts
  • Patent number: 11944965
    Abstract: A microfluidic device, a diagnostic device including the microfluidic device and a method for making the microfluidic device are provided. The microfluidic device includes: (i) a transparent substrate comprising a cavity, the cavity opening up to a top of the transparent substrate; (ii) a transparent layer covering the cavity, and (iii) a semiconductor substrate over the transparent layer and the transparent substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a through hole overlaying the cavity and exposing the transparent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Imec vzw
    Inventors: Giuseppe Fiorentino, Simone Severi, Aurelie Humbert
  • Patent number: 11931160
    Abstract: A brain interaction apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of filaments; and a brain invasive launcher having a plurality of launching channels extending in a longitudinal direction between a proximal end and a distal end thereof. Each launching channel is configured for holding one of the plurality of filaments moveably arranged therein. At least one of the plurality of filaments is provided with a steering tip affixed to a distal end thereof. The steering tip comprises a portion tapering in a longitudinal direction of the at least one of the plurality of filaments thereby narrowing toward a distal end of the steering tip. The tapered portion is rotationally asymmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the at least one of the plurality of filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: Imec vzw, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, VIB
    Inventors: Sebastian Haesler, Luis Diego Leon Hoffman
  • Patent number: 11927479
    Abstract: A smart contact lens (400) for detecting a ratiometric change in an incident light (126) intensity is provided, including one or more, preferably concentric, rings (410-1, 410-2, . . . , 410-N) of a liquid crystal display, LCD, type, each ring being operable between a state having a lower attenuation of light and a state having a higher attenuation of light; a circuit (420, 100, 101) for detecting a ratiometric change in an incident light intensity; and a controller (430) configured to operate the one or more rings based on an intensity of an incident light and to, as a response to the circuit (420, 100, 10 101) detecting a ratiometric change in the intensity of the incident light from a higher intensity state to a lower intensity state indicating that at least a beginning of a blinking of an eye of a user has occurred, initiate a re-polarization of the one or more rings. A method of operating the smart contact lens and various uses of the circuit are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, STICHTING IMEC NEDERLAND
    Inventors: Chris Van Liempd, Andres Felipe Vasquez Quintero, Herbert De Smet
  • Patent number: 11929385
    Abstract: A method for forming a pixelated optoelectronic stack comprises forming a stacked layer structure that comprises a bottom electrode layer, an optoelectronic layer over the bottom electrode layer, and a patterned hard-mask comprising a pattern over the optoelectronic layer. The method comprises replicating the pattern into the optoelectronic layer and the bottom electrode layer, thereby forming a first intermediate pixelated stack comprising at least two islands of stack separated from one another by stack-free areas; providing an electrically insulating layer on the first intermediate pixelated stack; removing a top portion of the electrically insulating layer and removing any remaining hard-mask so that a top surface of the electrically insulating layer is coplanar with an exposed top surface of the first intermediate pixelated stack, yielding a second intermediate pixelated stack; and forming a top transparent electrode layer over the second intermediate pixelated stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Imec vzw
    Inventors: Yunlong Li, Stefano Guerrieri, Ming Mao, Luis Moreno Hagelsieb
  • Patent number: 11927586
    Abstract: A method and system for inspection of an item, and a use thereof, are presented. The method comprises acquiring a plurality of projection images of an item at a plurality of projection angles for performing a tomographic reconstruction of the item. A plurality of objects are detected in the tomographic reconstruction and each object has a generic shape described by a parametric three-dimensional numerical model. Said detection comprises determining initial estimates of position and/or orientation of each object and at least one geometrical parameter of the three-dimensional model for each object. The initial estimates are iteratively refining by using a projection-matching approach, in which forward projection images are simulated for the objects according to operating parameters of the radiation imaging device and a difference metric between acquired projection images and simulated forward projection images is reduced at each iteration step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN, IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Jan De Beenhouwer, Jan Sijbers
  • Patent number: 11923198
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for forming a patterning mask over a layer to be patterned, the method comprising: (a) providing a first layer over a substrate, the substrate comprising the layer to be patterned, the first layer being capable to bond with a monolayer comprising a compound comprising a functional group for bonding to the first layer and a removable organic group, (b) bonding the monolayer to the first layer, (c) exposing the monolayer to an energy beam, thereby forming a pattern comprising a first area comprising the compound with the removable organic group and a second area comprising the compound not having the removable organic group, and (d) selectively depositing an amorphous carbon layer on top of the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU LEUVEN R&D
    Inventors: Mikhail Krishtab, Silvia Armini
  • Patent number: 11911136
    Abstract: A device for calculating a subject's cardiac pulse transit or arrival time information is configured to receive an electronic audio signal with information indicative of a human voice signal and a primary cardiac pulse signal; generate a power spectral profile of a section of the electronic audio signal, and detect a fundamental frequency (F0) of the generated power spectral profile; generate a denoised audio signal; generate a time-domain intermediate signal that captures frequency, amplitude and/or phase of the denoised audio signal; detect at least one intermediate signal fiducial point, within a human cardiac band, in the intermediate signal; detect at least one primary cardiac pulse fiducial point, within a human cardiac band, in the primary cardiac pulse signal; calculate pulse transit time or pulse arrival time information between the at least one detected primary cardiac signal fiducial point and the at least one detected intermediate signal fiducial point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Carlos Agell, Evelien Hermeling, Vojkan Mihajlovic
  • Patent number: 11910725
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to magnetic devices. In particular, the disclosure relates to magnetic memory and logic devices that employ the voltage control of magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect for magnetization switching. The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a magnetic structure for such a magnetic device. The method comprising the following steps: providing a bottom electrode layer, forming a SrTiO3 (STO) stack on the bottom electrode layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of at least two different STO nanolaminates, forming a magnetic layer on the STO stack, and forming a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) promoting layer on the magnetic layer, the PMA promoting layer being configured to promote PMA in the magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Bart Vermeulen, Mihaela Ioana Popovici, Koen Martens, Gouri Sankar Kar
  • Patent number: 11900987
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a non-volatile (NV) static random-access memory (SRAM) device, and to a method of operating the same. The NV-SRAM device includes a plurality of bit-cells, wherein each bit-cell comprises: an SRAM bit-cell; a first bit-line connected via a first access element to the SRAM bit-cell; a NV bit-cell connected via a switch to the SRAM bit-cell; and a second bit-line connected via a second access element to the NV bit-cell. The NV-SRAM device is configured to independently write data from the first bit-line into the SRAM bit-cell through the first access element, and respectively from the second bit-line into the NV bit-cell through the second access element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: IMEC vzw, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Mohit Gupta, Manu Komalan Perumkunnil
  • Patent number: 11898958
    Abstract: A spot on a layer of a 2D semiconductor material deposited on a substrate is irradiated so as to generate excitons, so that photons are emitted from the layer. The photoluminescence spectrum is recorded for different values of the charge carrier concentration in the layer. The modulation of the charge carrier concentration may be realized by modulating the output power of the light source used to irradiate the sample. The relation is recorded between the ratio of the photoluminescence intensity of a first peak in the spectrum related to radiative recombination from indirect bandgaps to the intensity of a second peak in the spectrum related to radiative recombination from direct bandgaps, and the carrier concentration. This relation is fitted to a model of the ratio that takes into account multiple recombination mechanisms, radiative and non-radiative. From this process, the trap density within the bandgap is derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Katholieke Universitiet
    Inventors: Alessandra Leonhardt, Cesar Javier Lockhart De La Rosa, Stefan De Gendt, Cedric Huyghebaert, Steven Brems, Thomas Nuytten
  • Patent number: 11886014
    Abstract: A silicon-based photonic chip is provided that includes an interface for optically coupling the photonic chip to an optical fiber or an optical fiber assembly. The interface includes: a single-mode waveguide configured to guide light and to provide a first light beam; a first optical element configured to expand the light beam in a first direction in-plane of the photonic chip, thereby providing an expanded light beam; and a second optical element configured to deflect and to further expand the expanded light beam in a second direction, thereby providing an output light beam from the photonic chip. Also provided are methods for fabricating such a photonic chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Imec VZW
    Inventors: Junwen He, Joris Van Campenhout, Geert Van Steenberge, Jeroen Missinne, Yigit Yilmaz, Do Won Kim, Douglas Charles La Tulipe
  • Patent number: 11888683
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method and control system for controlling provisioning of a service in a network. A network function specification data structure of a network function of the service is obtained, wherein the network function specification data structure is associated with at least a first network function implementation, e.g. a physical network function implementation, and a second network function implementation, e.g. a virtual network function implementation, for performing the network function of the service. Network service provisioning is controlled comprising selecting the first network function implementation or the second network function implementation of the network function in the network function specification data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignees: Koninklijke KPN N.V., Imec VZW, Universiteit Gent
    Inventors: Hendrik Moens, Jeroen Famaey
  • Patent number: 11864876
    Abstract: A light-to-digital converter (2) comprises a light-to-current converter (10); a current integrator (4) with an integrator output (30) resettable to a baseline level; and a counter (18) with a digital output (26), wherein the light-to-current converter (10) is switchably connectable as a positive integration input to the current integrator (4), for, during a light-collecting phase (404-406), integrating a current from the light-to-current converter (10), the integrator output (30) starting from the baseline value and ending at a value to be digitized; a reference current source (14) is switchably connectable as a negative integration input to the current integrator (4), for, during a counting phase (406-408) subsequent to the light-collecting phase (404-406), integrating a reference current from the reference current source (14), the integrator output (30) starting from the value to be digitized and ending at the baseline value, the time spent integrating the reference current corresponding to the value to be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN KU LEUVEN, STICHTING IMEC NEDERLAND
    Inventors: Qiuyang Lin, Jiawei Xu, Shuang Song, Nick Van Helleputte, Filip Tavernier
  • Patent number: 11862452
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for forming a contact isolation for a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a semiconductor structure comprising a trench exposing a contact thereunder, filling a bottom of the trench with a sacrificial material, infiltrating the sacrificial material with a ceramic material, and removing the sacrificial material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Boon Teik Chan, Waikin Li, Zheng Tao