Patents by Inventor Antonio Minotti

Antonio Minotti 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).

  • Surface micromechanical process for manufacturing micromachined capacitive ultra-acoustic transducers and relevant micromachined capacitive ultra-acoustic transducer
    Patent number: 7790490
    Abstract: The invention concerns a manufacturing process, and the related micromachined capacitive ultra-acoustic transducer, that uses commercial silicon wafer 8 already covered on at least one or, more preferably, on both faces by an upper layer 9 and by a lower layer 9? of silicon nitride deposited with low pressure chemical vapour deposition technique, or deposition LPCVD deposition. One of the two layers 9 or 9? of silicon nitride, of optimal quality, covering the wafer 8 is used as emitting membrane of the transducer. As a consequence, the micro-cell array 6 forming the CMUT transducer is grown onto one of the two layers of silicon nitride, i.e. it is grown at the back of the transducer with a sequence of steps that is reversed with respect to the classical technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignees: Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Esaote S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giosuè Caliano, Alessandro Caronti, Vittorio Foglietti, Elena Cianci, Antonio Minotti, Alessandro Nencioni, Massimo Pappalardo
  • Surface Micromechanical Process For Manufacturing Micromachined Capacitive Ultra-Acoustic Transducers and Relevant Micromachined Capacitive Ultra-Acoustic Transducer
    Publication number: 20080212407
    Abstract: The invention concerns a manufacturing process, and the related micromachined capacitive ultra-acoustic transducer, that uses commercial silicon wafer 8 already covered on at least one or, more preferably, on both faces by an upper layer 9 and by a lower layer 9? of silicon nitride deposited with low pressure chemical vapour deposition technique, or deposition LPCVD deposition. One of the two layers 9 or 9? of silicon nitride, of optimal quality, covering the wafer 8 is used as emitting membrane of the transducer. As a consequence, the micro-cell array 6 forming the CMUT transducer is grown onto one of the two layers of silicon nitride, i.e. it is grown at the back of the transducer with a sequence of steps that is reversed with respect to the classical technology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicants: CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE, ESAOTE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giosue Caliano, Alessandro Caronti, Vittorio Foglietti, Elena Cianci, Antonio Minotti, Alessandro Nencioni, Massimo Pappalardo