Patents Assigned to IMEC
  • Publication number: 20100230668
    Abstract: A two-terminal organic light-emitting device structure is presented with low absorption losses and high current densities. Light generation and emission occur at a predetermined distance from any metallic contact, thereby reducing optical absorption losses. High current densities and thus high emitted light intensity are achieved by combining two types of conduction in one device: by combining space charge limited conduction and field-effect conduction or by combining ohmic conduction and field-effect conduction, thereby optimizing the current densities. This results in a very high local concentration of excitons and therefore a high light intensity, which can be important for applications such as organic lasers, and more in particular electrically pumped organic lasers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicants: IMEC, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
    Inventors: Sarah Schols, Stijn Verlaak, Paul Heremans
  • Patent number: 7795113
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for bonding two elements by means of a bonding agent such as a glue layer, wherein the bonding agent is removable, and wherein between the bonding agent and at least one element, a sacrificial layer is applied which is selectively removable with respect to that element. According to embodiments, the elements comprise a die or a substrate bonded to a carrier wafer. The nature and type of the die or substrate and of the carrier can vary within the scope of embodiments of the invention. Also disclosed is a composite substrate obtainable by methods of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Bart Swinnen, Eric Beyne
  • Patent number: 7797691
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for automatically transforming essentially sequential code into a plurality of codes which are to be executed in parallel to achieve the same or equivalent result to the sequential code. User-defined task boundaries are determined in the input code to thereby define a plurality of tasks. It is then determined if the essentially sequential application code can be separated at at least one of said user-defined tasks boundaries and if so at least one code of the plurality of codes for at least one of said tasks is automatically generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Johan Cockx, Bart Vanhoof, Richard Stahl, Patrick David
  • Patent number: 7795112
    Abstract: A method of forming a transistor structure on a substrate (SOI) is disclosed, wherein the substrate comprises a supporting Si layer, a buried insulating layer, and a top Si layer. The method comprises forming a gate region of the transistor structure on the top Si layer, wherein the gate region is separated from the top Si layer by a dielectric layer, and wherein the top Si layer comprises a high dopant level. The method further comprises forming an open area on the top Si layer demarcated by a demarcating oxide and/or resist layer region, forming high level impurity or heavily-damaged regions by ion implantation, and exposing the open area to an ion beam, wherein the ion beam comprises a combination of beam energy and dose, and wherein the demarcating layer region and the gate region act as an implantation mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignees: IMEC, NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Youri V. Ponomarev, Josine Johanna Gerarda Petra Loo
  • Publication number: 20100225369
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a device comprising at least one delay line for applying a variable delay to a clock signal and a controller for controlling the variable delay of the delay line. Each delay line comprises a plurality of concatenated delay banks which provide different delay values with respect to each other, a bypass parallel over each of said the delay banks, and switching elements associated with each of the delay banks for selecting either the respective delay bank or the respective bypass. Each of the delay banks is provided with a delay bank status indicator for indicating propagation of the clock signal through the delay bank towards the controller. The controller is provided for taking the indicated propagation of the clock signal into account upon setting said switching elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICROELEKTRONICA CENTRUM (IMEC)
    Inventor: Mustafa Badaroglu
  • Publication number: 20100226414
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wireless communications system, in particular to a method for transmitting and receiving concatenated data bursts in a wireless communications system. The invention is particularly useful in the field of impulse-based ultra-wideband systems. In an aspect of the invention, a transmitting device is presented for generating and transmitting concatenated bursts or string. In another aspect of the invention, a receiving device is presented for receiving the string. The receiving device further uses frequency domain equalization approach to mitigate inter-symbol interference within the string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Stichting IMEC Nederland 31
    Inventors: Dries Neirynck, Olivier Rousseaux
  • Publication number: 20100224215
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for performing a physical force-assisted cleaning process on a patterned surface of a substrate, including providing a substrate having at least one patterned surface, supplying a cleaning liquid to the patterned surface, and applying a physical force to the cleaning liquid in contact with the patterned surface, whereby the physical force leads to bubble formation in the cleaning liquid. Furthermore, and prior to applying the physical force, an additive is supplied to the surface, and the additive is maintained in contact with the surface for a given time, the additive and the time being chosen so that a substantially complete wetting of the surface by the cleaning liquid is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Paul Mertens, Sandip Halder, Antoine Pacco, Tom Janssens
  • Patent number: 7790600
    Abstract: A method is provided for incorporating zeolite crystals in patterned structures, the zeolite crystals having pores (channels) with an orientation which is defined by the topology of the zeolite crystal type and the geometry of the patterned structure, resulting in pores parallel with the length axis of the patterned structures. The patterned structures may be vias (vertical contacts) and trenches (horizontal lines) in a semiconductor substrate. These zeolite crystals can advantageously be used for dense and aligned nanocarbon growth or in other words growth of carbon nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) within the pores of the zeolite structure. The growth of CNT is achieved within the porous structure of the zeolite crystals whereby the pores can be defined as confined spaces (channels) in nanometer dimensions acting as a micro-reactor for CNT growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignees: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Pierre Jacobs, Bert Sels, Jasper Van Noyen, Caroline Whelan, Karen Maex, Filip de Clippel
  • Patent number: 7791250
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and corresponding method for ultrafast controlling of the magnetization of a magnetic element. A device (100) includes a surface acoustic wave generating means (102), a transport layer (104), which is typically functionally and partially structurally comprised in said SAW generating means (102), and at least one ferromagnetic element (106). A surface acoustic wave is generated and propagates in a transport layer (104) which typically consists of a piezo-electric material. Thus, strain is induced in the transport layer (104) and in the ferromagnetic element (106) in contact with this transport layer (104). Due to magneto elastic coupling this generates an effective magnetic field in the ferromagnetic element (106). If the surface acoustic wave has a frequency substantially close to the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequency ?FMR the ferromagnetic element (106) is absorbed well and the magnetization state of the element can be controlled with this FMR frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Wouter Eyckmans, Liesbet Lagae
  • Publication number: 20100219481
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dual work function device is disclosed. In one aspect, the process includes a first and second region in a substrate. The method includes forming a first transistor in the first region which has a first work function. Subsequently, a second transistor is formed in the second region having a different work function. The process of forming the first transistor includes providing a first gate dielectric stack having a first gate dielectric layer and a first gate dielectric capping layer on the first gate dielectric layer, performing a thermal treatment to modify the first gate dielectric stack, the modified first gate dielectric stack defining the first work function, providing a first metal gate electrode layer on the modified first gate dielectric stack, and patterning the first metal gate electrode layer and the modified first gate dielectric stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicants: IMEC, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua Tseng, Yasutoshi Okuno, Lars-Ake Ragnarsson, Tom Schram, Stefan Kubicek, Thomas Y. Hoffmann, Naohisa Sengoku
  • Publication number: 20100222695
    Abstract: The present invention provides a Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential monitoring system comprising an autonomous integrated system. The integrated system comprises an output being arranged for transferring a stimulation signal via an actuator to an equilibrium organ of a person, a processing and controlling block having an integrated radio and antenna, and an array of electrodes being attachable in the vicinity of at least one muscle of said person and being arranged for recording the responsive signal and for transferring this signal to the processing and controlling block. The processing and controlling block of the integrated system is arranged for generating a stimulus, for storing and processing the recorded signals, and for sending the processed data via a WL link to a processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicants: IMEC, UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN
    Inventors: Tom Torfs, Chris Van Hoof, Floris Wuyts, Robby Vanspauwen
  • Publication number: 20100216308
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing 3D structures in a semiconductor substrate using Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE), comprising at least the steps of: providing a substrate, and then grinding the backside of the substrate in order to achieve a thinned substrate, wherein extrusions and native oxides are left after said grinding step, and then performing a surface treatment selected from the group consisting of a wet etching step and a dry etching step in order to remove at least said native oxides and extrusions on the surface of said backside of the substrate which are causes for the grass formation during subsequent etching, and then performing deep reactive ion etching in order to achieve 3D vias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Patrick Verdonck, Marc Van Cauwenberghe, Alain Phommahaxay, Ricardo Cotrin Teixeira, Nina Tutunjyan
  • Patent number: 7782594
    Abstract: One inventive aspect relates a variable capacitor comprising first and second electrically conductive electrodes, arranged above a support structure and spaced apart from each other and defining the capacitance of the capacitor. At least one of the electrodes comprises at least one bendable portion. The bendable portion(s) are actuated by a DC voltage difference which is applied over the electrodes to vary the capacitance. In preferred embodiments, the support structure comprises a layer of higher permittivity than the atmosphere surrounding the electrodes and the electrodes configure as an interdigitated structure upon actuation. Also disclosed is a 2-mask process for producing such capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventor: Xavier Rottenberg
  • Patent number: 7781349
    Abstract: In the present invention, a BARC stack comprising at least a first BARC layer and at least a second BARC layer is optimized for reducing substrate reflectivity in lithographic processing applications. The first BARC layer is positioned adjacent the resist layer, while the second BARC layer is positioned adjacent the first BARC layer. The optical parameters of the first BARC layer are determined to be slightly different from the optical parameters of the resist, thus resulting in a small optical step at the interface resist/first BARC. Furthermore, the second BARC may be selected to have optical parameters such that the optical step at the interface first BARC/second BARC is slightly larger but still relatively small compared to the optical step between resist and substrate. The thicknesses for the BARC layers can be determined from substrate reflectivity calculations. The latter allows obtaining a low substrate reflectivity for various pitches in a pattern to be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventor: Maria Op de Beeck
  • Publication number: 20100211594
    Abstract: A method and system for sensor signal data analysis are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes acquiring sensor signal data from a plurality of sensors. Signal processing is performed on the sensor signal data to extract one or more features of the sensor signal data. The features are signal extracts that are distinguishable among and reproducible along the sensor signal data. With at least one of the features, a plurality of information attributes is associated, and information evaluation is performed on the plurality of information attributes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicants: Stichting IMEC Nederland, I-Know
    Inventors: Julien Penders, Michael Rik Frans Brands
  • Publication number: 20100210073
    Abstract: Manufacturing a semiconductor device involves forming (200) a sacrificial layer where a micro cavity is to be located, forming (210) a metal layer of thickness greater than 1 micron over the sacrificial layer, forming (220) a porous layer from the metal layer, the porous layer having pores of length greater than ten times their breadth, and having a breadth in the range 10 nm-500 nanometers. The pores can be created by anodising, electrodeposition or dealloying. Then the sacrificial layer can be removed (230) through the porous layer, to form the micro cavity, and pores can be sealed (240). Encapsulating MEMS devices with a porous layer can reduce costs by avoiding using photolithography for shaping the access holes since the sacrificial layer is removed through the porous membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicants: IMEC, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, K.U. LEUVEN R&D
    Inventors: Ann Witvrouw, Chris Van Hoof, Jan Fransaer, Jean-Pierre Celis, Raquel Consuelo Hellin Rico, Anthony Joseph Muscat
  • Publication number: 20100207177
    Abstract: A method for producing a contact through the pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer of an integrated circuit, between the front end of line and the back end of line, and the device produced thereby are disclosed. The PMD layer includes oxygen. In one aspect, the method includes producing a hole in the PMD, depositing a conductive barrier layer at the bottom of the hole, depositing a CuMn alloy on the bottom and side walls of the hole, filling the remaining portion of the hole with Cu. The method further includes performing an anneal process to form a barrier on the side walls of the hole, wherein the barrier has an oxide including Mn. The method further includes performing a CMP process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicants: IMEC, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. (TSMC)
    Inventors: Chung-Shi Liu, Gerald Beyer, Steven Demuynck, Zsolt Tokei, Roger Palmans, Chao Zhao, Chen-Hua Yu
  • Patent number: 7777662
    Abstract: An analogue-to-digital (A/D) converter converts an analogue input signal to a digital code representing the analogue input signal. The A/D converter includes a comparator for comparing the input signal with a reference signal, a search logic block for determining the digital code, and an A/D converter arranged for receiving input from the search logic block and for providing the reference signal to be applied to the comparator. At least a first portion of the A/D converter is implemented with equal capacitors and may be controlled by a thermometer coded signal. Additionally, the A/D converter may include a second portion implemented using binary weighted capacitors controlled by a thermometer coded or binary coded signal. The A/D converter may also include a plurality of A/D converters coupled by an analogue addition circuit or a weighted summing amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Guy Meynants, Juan Santana, Richard van den Hoven
  • Publication number: 20100204415
    Abstract: A water soluble functional polyethylene glycol-grafted polysiloxane polymer comprising a polysiloxane backbone and polyethylene glycol side chains is provided having the general formula: wherein A is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, methoxy and functional polyethylene glycol based chains, B is a functional group for binding biologically-sensitive materials, D is a functional group for binding to a substrate, m is from 3 to 5, v is from 0 to 5, w is from 4 to 11, x is from 0 to 35 and z is from 1 to 33. In order to be water soluble, the polysiloxane polymer h the following properties: x+y+z is from 8 to 40, n is from 8 to 30, and y is from 7 to 35.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Cheng Zhou, Gustaaf Borghs, Wim Laureyn
  • Patent number: 7772055
    Abstract: The present invention recites a new method for manufacturing Group III-N field-effect devices, such as HEMT, MOSHFET, MISHFET devices or MESFET devices, grown by Metal-Organic Vapor Phase Expitaxy, with higher performance (power), by covering the surface with a thin SiN layer on the top AlGaN layer, in the reactor where the growth takes place at high temperature, prior cooling down the structure and loading the sample out of the reactor, as well as a method to produce some HEMT transistors on those heterostructures, by depositing the contact on the surface without any removal of the SiN layer by MOCVD. The present invention recites also a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Marianne Germain, Joff Derluyn, Maarten Leys