Patents Assigned to IMEC
  • Patent number: 8446217
    Abstract: An amplifying circuit arranged for converting an input signal into an amplified output signal comprising: an input node (11) at an input side of said circuit for receiving said input signal (pi); an output node (9) at an output side of said circuit for outputting said amplified output signal (io); a first gain element (M1) connected between said input and output nodes and provided for converting an input voltage taken from said input signal into a current for forming said amplified output signal; a negative feedback loop (3) over said first gain element, said negative feedback loop having first elements (5, 6) arranged for providing input matching; and a positive feedback loop (2) over said first gain element, said positive feedback loop having second elements (7, 8) arranged for providing additional input matching and gain enhancement of said first gain element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventor: Sumit Bagga
  • Patent number: 8447238
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transmitter device arranged for supplying RF energy is disclosed. In one aspect, the RF transmitter device has a reception unit for receiving information on detected living beings. The RF transmitter device is arranged for adapting its transmit power according to the received information. A method for adapting the transmit power of the RF transmitter device while it is supplying energy to a sensor network is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Ruud Vullers, Hubregt Jannis Visser
  • Patent number: 8445963
    Abstract: A multi-gate device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a substrate having a first semiconductor layer of a first carrier mobility enhancing parameter, a buried insulating layer, and a second semiconductor layer with a second carrier mobility enhancing parameter. The device also includes a first active region electrically isolated from a second active region in the substrate. The first active region has a first fin grown on the first semiconductor layer and having the first mobility enhancing parameter. The second active region has a second fin grown on the second semiconductor layer and having the second mobility enhancing parameter. The device also includes a dielectric layer over the second semiconductor layer which is located between the first fin and the second fin. The first and second fins protrude through and above the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Stefan Jakschik, Nadine Collaert
  • Publication number: 20130119014
    Abstract: A method for treating a surface of a porous material in an environment is provided, comprising setting the temperature of the surface to a value T1 and setting the pressure of the environment to a value P1, contacting the surface with a fluid having a solidifying temperature at the pressure value P1 above the value T1 and having a vaporizing temperature at the pressure value P1 below 80° C., thereby solidifying the fluid in pores of the material, thereby sealing the pores, treating the surface, wherein the treatment is preferably an etching or a modification of the surface, and setting the temperature of the surface to a value T2 and setting the pressure of the environment to a value P2 in such a way as to vaporize the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicants: GLOBALFOUNDERIES Inc., IMEC
    Inventors: IMEC, GLOBALFOUNDERIES Inc.
  • Patent number: 8441064
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a non-volatile memory device is described. The method comprises growing a layer in a siliconoxide consuming material, e.g. DyScO, on top of the upper layer of the layer where charge is stored. A non-volatile memory device is also described. In the non-volatile memory device, the interpoly/blocking dielectric comprises a layer in a siliconoxide consuming material, e.g. DyScO, on top of the upper layer of the layer where charge is stored, the siliconoxide consuming material having consumed at least part of the upper layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Bogdan Govoreanu, Stefan De Gendt, Sven Van Elshocht, Tom Schram
  • Patent number: 8440504
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for aligning and bonding a first element (1) and a second element (2), comprising: obtaining a first element (1) having at least one protrusion, the protrusion having a base portion (12) made of a first material and an upper portion (13) made of a second, deformable material, different from the first material; obtaining a second element (2) having a first main surface and second main surface (8) and at least one through-hole between the first and second main surface; placing the first and second element onto each other; receiving in the through-hole of the second element (2) the protrusion of the first element (1), the protrusion being arranged and constructed so as to extend from an opening of the through-hole in the first main surface to a position beyond an opening of the through-hole in the second main surface (8); deforming the deformable portion (13) of the protrusion, such that the deformed portion mechanically fixes the second element (2) on the first el
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Philippe Soussan, Wouter Ruythooren, Eric Beyne, Koen De Munck
  • Publication number: 20130116577
    Abstract: A system for the analysis of ECG signals is disclosed. The system may comprise (i) at least one readout channel, configured to receive an analogue ECG signal acquired from at least one electrode attached to a body, and to extract an analogue measured ECG signal and analogue electrode-skin impedance signals; (ii) at least one ADC, configured to convert those extracted analogue signals at the readout channel into digital signals; (iii) a digital adaptive filter unit, configured to calculate a digital motion artifact estimate based on said digital versions of the measured ECG signal and the electrode-skin impedance signals; (iv) at least one DAC, configured to convert said digital motion artifact estimate into an analogue signal; and (v) a feedback loop for sending said analogue motion artifact estimate signal back to the readout channel configured to deduct said analogue motion artifact estimate signal from said analogue measured ECG signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: IMEC
  • Publication number: 20130116588
    Abstract: A microprocessor configured to receive and process digitized signals derived from an analogue ECG signal is provided. An example microprocessor comprises a beat detection unit configured to receive the in-phase and quadrature phase band power signals, calculate a band power value and an adaptive threshold value, and compare said band power value with said adaptive threshold value to detect a QRS complex of the ECG signal indicative of a detected valid beat; and an R peak detection unit configured to receive the digital ECG signal and information about the detected valid beat, select a portion of the received ECG signal as a first time window around the detected valid beat; determine the location of a first R peak position; and perform a time domain search in a second time window around said first R peak position in order to refine the location of an R peak position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: IMEC
  • Publication number: 20130114645
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to detecting a start frame delimiter. A received data packet is correlated with a known sequence, which provides a first correlation result. The received data packet is correlated with a predefined sequence, which yields at least a second correlation result. The data packet comprises at least a preamble portion and a header portion, whereby the preamble portion comprises the start frame delimiter. The predefined sequence is determined according to the preamble pattern. The method further comprises of comparing the first correlation result with the second correlation result and comparing the first correlation result with a given threshold. The process of correlating will be continued until two criteria are met: the first correlation result is larger than the threshold and larger than the at least second correlation result. Only then it is decided that the start of frame delimiter pattern has been detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: STICHTING IMEC NEDERLAND
    Inventors: Li Huang, Ben Busze, Guido Dolmans
  • Publication number: 20130111977
    Abstract: The application describes methods and apparatus for chemical sensing, e.g. gas sensing, which have high sensitivity but low power operation. A sensor is described having a flexible membrane comprising a III/N heterojunction structure configured so as to form a two dimensional electron gas within said structure. A sensing material is disposed on at least part of the flexible membrane, the sensing material being sensitive to one or more target chemicals so as to undergo a change in physical properties in the presence of said one or more target chemicals. The sensing material is coupled to said heterojunction structure such that said change in physical properties of the sensing material imparts a change in stress within the heterojunction structure which modulates the resistivity of the two dimensional electron gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventor: Stichting IMEC Nederland
  • Publication number: 20130113549
    Abstract: A variable capacitor circuit is disclosed. The variable capacitor circuit includes a plurality of MOS capacitors, each MOS capacitor being implemented by a MOS transistor with the gate terminal connected to a first voltage signal and with the drain terminal shorted with the source terminal and connected to a second voltage signal, said MOS capacitors being connected in parallel through the gate terminal connected to the first voltage signal, and being operated in a cut-off region in which the equivalent capacitance of each MOS capacitor remains substantially constant for variations of the first voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: IMEC
  • Patent number: 8437001
    Abstract: A method for forming a nanostructure penetrating a layer and the device made thereof is disclosed. In one aspect, the device has a substrate, a layer present thereon, and a nanostructure penetrating the layer. The nanostructure defines a nanoscale passageway through which a molecule to be analyzed can pass through. The nanostructure has, in cross-sectional view, a substantially triangular shape. This shape is particularly achieved by growth of an epitaxial layer having crystal facets defining tilted sidewalls of the nanostructure. It is highly suitably for use for optical characterization of molecular structure, particularly with surface plasmon enhanced transmission spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignees: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Kai Cheng, Pol Van Dorpe, Liesbet Lagae, Gustaaf Borghs, Chang Chen
  • Patent number: 8431828
    Abstract: A composite substrate is disclosed. In one aspect, the substrate has a stretchable and/or flexible material. The substrate may further have patterned features embedded in the stretchable and/or flexible material. The patterned features have one or more patterned conducting layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignees: IMEC, Universiteit Gent
    Inventors: Jan Vanfleteren, Dominique Brosteaux, Fabrice Axisa
  • Patent number: 8432940
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for receiving signals over a power line distribution. Typically, problems of noise and interference are being solved at the receiver side. Systems of the present disclosure, however, are not limited to the receiver-side solution. Systems according to the present disclosure may also be used at the transmitter side. The receiver comprises a high pass filter, a preselect crossover filter, and an analog front-end receiver architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Johan Bauwelinck, Els De Backer, Cedric Mélange, Jan Vandewege
  • Patent number: 8431924
    Abstract: A method to fabricate a hetero-junction in a Tunnel Field Effect Transistor device configuration (e.g. in a segmented nanowire TFET) is provided. A thin transition layer is inserted in between the source region and channel region such that the out-diffusion is within a very limited region of a few nm, guaranteeing extremely good doping abruptness thanks to the lower diffusion of the dopants in the transition layer. The transition layer avoids the direct contact between the highly doped source region and the lowly doped or undoped channel and allows to contain the whole doping entirely within the source region and transition layer. The thickness of the transition layer can be engineered such that the transition layer coincides with the steep transition step from the highly doped source region to the intrinsic region (channel), and hence maximizing the tunneling current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Francesca Iacopi, Anne S. Verhulst, Arturo Sibaja-Hernandez
  • Publication number: 20130102140
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device has a first and second active layer on a substrate, the second active layer having a higher bandgap than the first active layer, being substantially Ga-free and including at least Al. The device has a gate insulating layer on a part of the second active layer formed by thermal oxidation of a part of the second active layer. The device has a gate electrode on at least a part of the gate insulating layer and a source electrode and drain electrode on the second active layer. The device has, when in operation and when the gate and source electrode are at the same voltage, a two-dimensional electron gas layer between the first and second active layer only outside the location of the gate electrode and not at the location of the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: IMEC
  • Publication number: 20130102121
    Abstract: A method for forming a MIM capacitor structure includes the steps of obtaining a base structure provided with a recess, the recess exposing a conductive bottom electrode plug; selectively growing Ru on the bottom electrode plug, based on a difference in incubation time of Ru growth on the bottom electrode plug compared to the base structure material; oxidizing the selectively grown Ru; depositing a Ru-comprising bottom electrode over the oxidized Ru; forming a dielectric layer on the Ru-comprising bottom electrode; and—forming a conductive top electrode over the dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: IMEC
  • Publication number: 20130100577
    Abstract: A method for forming a Metal-Insulator-Metal Capacitor (MIMCAP) structure and the MIMCAP structure thereof are described. An example electronic device includes a first electrode, and a layer of a dielectric material including titanium oxide and a first dopant ion. The layer of the dielectric material is formed on the first electrode. The first dopant ion has a size mismatch of 10% or lower compared to the Ti4+ ion and the dielectric material has a rutile tetragonal crystalline structure at temperatures below 650° C. The example electronic device further includes a second electrode, formed upon the dielectric material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: IMEC
  • Publication number: 20130093624
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates a method for performing hybrid beamforming in a wireless communication device or any device that uses signal phase shifting for transmission and/or reception. The method comprises performing phase shifting in at least two different domains (or paths), each characterized by an operational frequency, in the communication device. More in particular, the disclosure relates in a first aspect to a method for performing at a receiver beamforming on a beam of incoming signals received via plurality of antenna paths. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates a method for performing hybrid beamforming at a transmitter device, wherein also phase shifting in at least two different domains is performed. More in particular, the disclosure also relates to a method for performing at a transmitter device beamforming on a beam of outgoing signals via a plurality of antenna paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Jakub Raczkowski, Piet Wambacq
  • Patent number: 8423105
    Abstract: In the present invention a novel method and device for measuring characteristics from a relatively weak signal comprising desired and undesired components is presented. Undesired signals may arise from the nature of the characteristic, from the detector or from the circuitry. The signal is extracted from a first measurement element (1) comprising these desired and undesired components. Using another signal from this first measurement element or from another second measurement element (2) the undesired components can be eliminated. The measurement method is extremely useful when using organic materials for the detectors, electronic circuitry, and measurement elements. These devices can be produced relatively cheap, but less reliable. They can also be combined in a one- or two-dimensional array for measuring characteristics over a larger area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Jan Genoe, Paul Heremans