Patents Assigned to IMEC
  • Patent number: 6384317
    Abstract: The solar cell in the semiconductor substrate includes at least a radiation receiving front surface and a second surface. The substrate includes a first region of one type of conductivity and a second region of the opposite conductivity type with at least a first part located adjacent to the front surface and a second part located adjacent to the second surface. The front surface includes conductive contacts to the second region and the second surface has separated contacts to the first region and to the second region. The contacts to the second region at the second surface are connected to the contacts at the front surface through a limited number of vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Emmanuel Van Kerschaver, Jozef Szlufcik, Roland Einhaus, Johan Nijs
  • Patent number: 6380605
    Abstract: A device for thermal sensing is disclosed based on only one thermopile. The cold junctions of said thermopile are coupled thermally to a first channel comprising a first substance while the hot junctions of said thermopile are coupled thermally to a second channel comprising a second substance, said first and said second channel are separated and thermally isolated one from another. Said device can further comprise a membrane to thermally and electrically isolate said thermopile and to mechanically support said thermopile. Particularly a liquid rubber, i.e. ELASTOSIL LR3003/10A, B can be used as a membrane material. Further disclosed is a method for fabricating such a device using micromachining techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventor: Katarina Verhaegen
  • Patent number: 6380039
    Abstract: A scaleable device concept and particularly a method for fabrication thereof is disclosed, which allows for a minimal well-controlled gate overlap by using low resistivity source/drain extension regions with shallow junctions. By using such shallow junctions, which are obtained using L-shaped spacers, the gate overlap is no longer dependent on the junction depth of the source/drain contact regions. Particularly the L-shaped spacers are used to locally reduce the penetration depth of the source/drain implantation in the substrate. This concept is particularly interesting for FET's having a channel length below 0.25 &mgr;m because this approach broadens the process window of the silicidation process of the source/drain contact regions. Moreover, the extension regions have to be subjected only to a limited thermal budget.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC VZW)
    Inventors: Goncal Badenes, Ludo Deferm, Stephan Beckx, Serge Vanhaelemeersch
  • Patent number: 6366382
    Abstract: An optical decision circuit, based on gain clamped semiconductor optical amplifiers, is disclosed. This optical decision circuit can be used for 2R signal regeneration in optical communication systems. By adding a clock signal to the input of said optical decision circuit, said circuit is also suited for 3R regeneration. Such a circuit can easily be implemented as an integrated circuit or an OEIC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignees: IMEC, University of Gent
    Inventors: Geert Morthier, Roel Baets
  • Patent number: 6362484
    Abstract: The present invention may provide a particle or radiation detector or imager which may be used for accurate recording of medical (2-D) X-ray images. The imager includes at least one detector panel. The detector panel includes a microgap detector with an array of pixel electrodes of a novel form. Each pixel electrode is insulated from a planar cathode by means of an insulating layer. Each pixel electrode is connected to an underlying contact by means of a via hole in the insulating layer. The insulating layer is preferably conformal with the electrodes. The underlying contact is connected to an electronic measuring element which preferably lies underneath the electrode and is about the same size as the electrode. The measuring element may be a storage device, a digital counter or similar. A switching transistor is connected to the measuring device. The switching transistor may be a thin film transistor. Alternatively, both measuring element and transistor may be formed in a single crystal semiconductor, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Imec vzw
    Inventors: Eric Beyne, Amos Breskin, Rachel Chechik, Stefaan Tavernier, Walter Van Doninck
  • Patent number: 6358866
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for post-oxidation heating of at least one substrate comprising at least a SiO2 layer or a SiO2/poly-Si layer structure, comprising the steps of: creating an inert gaseous ambient in a furnace, said ambient having a partial pressure within a predetermined range and said gaseous ambient comprising helium molecules, which have a suitable diameter for penetrating into the SiO2 and/or the poly-Si material; placing the substrate into said ambient; thereafter heating said furnace to a temperature of at least 200° C. for a predetermined period of time; cooling said furnace while maintaining said gaseous ambient in said predetermined pressure range in said furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignees: IMEC vzw, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Research and Development
    Inventors: André Stesmans, Valery V. Afanas'ev
  • Patent number: 6352936
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for stripping the photoresist layer and the crust from a semiconductor. The crust has been formed with as a result of an ion implantation step, wherein the method comprises an ion assisted plasma step using a mixture of water vapour, helium and a F-containing compound in which radicals are generated, and the step of contacting said photoresist layer and crust with said radicals to remove said photoresist layer and crust from said semiconductor surface. Said plasma step is preferably an ion assisted plasma step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignees: IMEC vzw, Matrix Integrated Systems
    Inventors: Christian Jehoul, Kristel Van Baekel, Werner Boullart, Herbert Struyf, Serge Vanhaelemeersch
  • Publication number: 20020008227
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for the formation of ferro-electric films using a multi coating process based on a sol-gel technique. In particular a method is disclosed to fabricate high-quality thickness scaled PZT films of an alkoxide-type liquid chemical PZT precursor solution, preferably a Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 precursor solution, using a sol-gel technique. At least two coated layers are deposited, but the precise number of coated layers depends on the desired thickness of the ferro-electric film. According to the method of the invention, the electrical characteristics of the film as formed are not dependent on the number of coated layers. There are a number of properties, characteristic for the method of the present invention, and resulting in said excellent electrical characteristics. In fact said method can comprise a multi coating process wherein a reduced number of coated layers is used but where intermediate crystallization steps are performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum (IMEC vzw)
    Inventors: Dirk Wouters, Gerd Norga, Herman Maes, Ria Nouwen, Jules Mullens, Dirk Franco, Jan Yperman, Lucien C. Van Poucke
  • Patent number: 6334902
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing a liquid, i.e. a wet processing liquid, from at least one surface of at least one substrate is disclosed. A liquid is supplied on a surface of substrate. Simultaneously or thereafter the liquid or the substrate is locally heated to thereby reduce the surface tension of said liquid. By doing so, at least locally a sharply defined liquid-ambient boundary is created. According to one aspect of the invention, the substrate is subjected to a rotary movement at a speed to guide said liquid-ambient boundary over the surface of the substrate thereby removing said liquid from said surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
    Inventors: Paul Mertens, Marc Meuris, Marc Heyns
  • Publication number: 20010055833
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an infrared detector, a method of controlling the stress in a polycrystalline SiGE layer and an infrared detector device is disclosed. The method of fabricating includes the steps of forming a sacrificial layer on a substrate; patterning said sacrificial layer; establishing a layer consisting essentially of polycrystalline SiGe on said sacrificial layer; depositing an infrared absorber on said polycrystalline SiGe layer; and thereafter removing the sacrificial layer. The method of controlling the stress in a polycrystalline SiGe layer deposited on a substrate is based on varying the deposition pressure. The infrared detector device comprises an active area and an infrared absorber, wherein the active area comprises a polycrystalline SiGe layer, and is suspended above a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Applicant: Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum (IMEC, vzw).
    Inventors: Paolo Fiorini, Sherif Sedky, Matty Caymax, Christiaan Baert
  • Publication number: 20010055857
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing system for the production of semiconductor electronic devices is described, which includes a sequence of semiconductor processing steps carried out on a plurality of semiconductor processing machines, whereby the processing is carried out on discrete pieces of substrate which are smaller than conventional semiconductor wafers but may be made therefrom, or from larger diameter semiconducting wafers or from materials onto which semiconductor layers may be formed, and the discrete substrate pieces are selectably processable into the electronic devices either individually or as a plurality removably fixed to a support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Applicant: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Marc Meuris, Marc Heyns, Paul Mertens
  • Patent number: 6328902
    Abstract: A probe tip configuration, being part of a probe (FIG. 2) for use in a scanning proximity microscope, is disclosed, comprising a cantilever beam (1) and a probe tip. Said tip comprises a first portion of a tip (2) and at least one second portion of a tip (5). Said first portion of a tip is connected to said cantilever beam whereas said second portion of a tip is placed on said first portion of a tip. Cantilever beam, first portion of a tip and second portion(s) of a tip can be composed of different materials and can be isolated each from another which makes an easy adjustement of the maximum penetration depth of the tip possible without limiting the resolution and makes it also possible to detect more than one signal of a sample at the same time using one cantilever beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Thomas Hantschel, Wilfried Vandervorst
  • Patent number: 6330465
    Abstract: Gastrointestinal probe (2) comprising a sensitive material (4) which is able to be connected to electrical or optical readout means or measurement means (10) characterized in that said sensitive material (4) undergoes an irreversible change when it is submitted to the cumulative action of the external medium, in such a manner that the irreversible change can be measured and/or recorded by said electrical or optical readout means or measurement means (10). The present invention concerns also the production process of the gastrointestinal probe according to the invention and its use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignees: Imec vzw
    Inventors: Guido Huyberechts, Gaston Vantrappen
  • Patent number: 6322598
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing system for the production of semiconductor electronic devices is described, which includes a sequence of semiconductor processing steps carried out on a plurality of semiconductor processing machines, whereby the processing is carried out on discrete pieces of substrate which are smaller than conventional semiconductor wafers but may be made therefrom, or from larger diameter semiconducting wafers or from materials onto which semiconductor layers may be formed, and the discrete substrate pieces are selectably processable into the electronic devices either individually or as a plurality removably fixed to a support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Marc Meuris, Paul Mertens, Marc Heyns
  • Patent number: 6323555
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a metallization structure on a fluorine-containing dielectric and a method for fabrication thereof. This metallization structure comprises a conductive pattern; a fluorine-containing dielectric; and a barrier layer containing a material, i.e. a near noble metal such as Co, Ni, Pt and Pd, said barrier layer comprising at least a first part, being positioned between said fluorine-containing dielectric and said conductive pattern, said first part containing at least a first and a second sub-layer, said first sub-layer contacting said fluorine-containing dielectric and being impermeable for fluorine. Particularly by depositing a layer of said material on a fluorine-containing dielectric, a stable and thin layer of a fluoride of said material is formed in a self-limiting way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Interuniversitiar Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC VZW)
    Inventors: Karen Maex, Mikhail Rodionovich Baklanov, Serge Vanhaelemeersch
  • Patent number: 6324629
    Abstract: A method for determining an optimized data organization in at least one first memory of an essentially digital system comprising at least the first memory and a second memory, acting as cache for the first memory, the optimized data organization being characteristic for an application, to be executed by the digital system, is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignees: CoWare N.V., Frontier Design BYBA, Interuniversitaire Microelektronics Centrum (IMEC)
    Inventors: Chidamber Kulkarni, Koen Danckaert, Francky Catthoor, Hugo De Man
  • Patent number: 6319736
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an apparatus and a non-destructive method for determining the porosity of an element, particularly a thin film, formed on a substrate, said substrate being positioned in a pressurized chamber, said chamber being at a predetermined pressure and at a predetermined temperature. According to this method a gaseous substance like e.g. toluene vapor is admitted in said chamber and after a predetermined period of time the porosity of the thin film is determined by means of at least on ellipsometric measurement. Particularly, the optical characteristics resulting from this in-situ ellipsometry are used to determine the amount of gaseous substance condensed in the pores of the film. These amounts are used to calculate the porosity of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
    Inventors: Mikhail Rodionovich Baklanov, Fedor Nikolaevich Dultsev, Konstantin Petrovich Mogilnikov, Karen Maex
  • Patent number: 6318901
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to disclose a socket that is easy in use for optoelectrical interconnection. The socket of the invention can be handled as a compact device that allows the interconnection between electrical signals and external apparatus for transmitting the optical signals, preferably via a high density of optical channels. The socket of the invention has features and markers for attachment and alignment of optical transfer media such as optical fibers, optical fiber bundles and optical imaging fiber bundles. The alignment features and markers allow to align the optical transfer media to the connection for electrical signals. The markers can be integrated in or can be provided on a fiber optic face plate substrate forming part of the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Paul Heremans, Gustaaf Borghs, Maarten Kuijk, Roger Vounckx
  • Patent number: 6307877
    Abstract: The programmable modem for digital data of the present invention provides a highly programmable, digital modem implemented in an integrated circuit which can be customized to specific applications. The programmable modem uses spread spectrum techniques and is specifically programmable to alter the parameters of the modem to improve performance. The present invention also provides a systematic method and development kit to provide rapid customization of a modem for a particular application or for rapid specification of a high-performance application specific integrated circuit mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Lieven Philips, Jan Vanhoof, Maryse Wouters, Rik De Wulf, Veerle Derudder, Carl Van Himbeeck, Ivo Bolsens, Hugo De Man, Bert Gyselinckx
  • Patent number: RE37512
    Abstract: Method of preparing on a solar cell the top contact pattern which consists of a set of parallel narrow finger lines and wide collector lines deposited essentially at right angles to the finger lines on the semiconductor substrate, characterized in that it comprises at least the following steps: (a) screen printing and drying the set of contact finger lines; (b) printing and drying the wide collector lines on the top of the set of finger lines in a subsequent step; (c) firing both finger lines and collector lines in a single final step in order to form an ohmic contact between the finger lines and the semiconductor substrate and between the finger lines and the wide collector lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC) VZW
    Inventors: Jozef Szlufcik, Johan Nijs, Roland Jozef Fick