Patents by Inventor Arnaud WALTHER

Arnaud WALTHER 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).

  • Publication number: 20240067520
    Abstract: An encapsulated MEMS device and a method for manufacturing the MEMS device are provided. The method comprises providing a cavity structure having an inner volume comprising a plurality of MEMS elements, which are relatively displaceable with respect to each other, and having an opening structure to the inner volume, depositing a Self-Assembled Monolayer (SAM) through the opening structure onto exposed surfaces within the inner volume of the cavity structure, and closing the cavity structure by applying a layer structure on the opening structure for providing a hermetically closed cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Fabian Streb, Johann Straßer, Hans-Jörg Timme, Marc Füldner, Arnaud Walther, Hutomo Suryo Wasisto
  • Publication number: 20230339743
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a first deflectable membrane structure, a rigid electrode structure and a second deflectable membrane structure in a vertically spaced configuration. The rigid electrode structure is arranged between the first and second deflectable membrane structures. The first and second deflectable membrane structures each includes a deflectable portion, and the deflectable portions of the first and second deflectable membrane structures are mechanically coupled by mechanical connection elements to each other and are mechanically decoupled from the rigid electrode structure. At least a subset of the mechanical connection elements are elongated mechanical connection elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Hans-Jörg Timme, Stefan Barzen, Marc Füldner, Stefan Geißler, Matthias Friedrich Herrmann, Maria Kiriak, Abidin Güçlü Onaran, Konstantin Tkachuk, Arnaud Walther
  • Patent number: 11470426
    Abstract: A micro electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a flexible membrane disposed over a substrate, and a first backplate disposed over the flexible membrane. The first backplate includes a first plurality of bumps facing the flexible membrane. The MEMS device further includes a plurality of features disposed at the flexible membrane, where each of the plurality of features being associated with a corresponding one of the first plurality of bumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Arnaud Walther, Stefan Barzen, Wolfgang Klein, Johann Strasser
  • Patent number: 11180361
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure forming a capacitive sensing arrangement. The MEMS device includes a plurality of anti-stiction bumps arranged between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure at a corresponding plurality of locations. The plurality of locations being projected into a main surface of the second electrode structure is distributed so as to comprise a first distribution density in a first main surface region of the main surface and so as to comprise second, different distribution density in a second main surface region of the main surface, the second main surface region being delimited from the first main surface region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Marc Fueldner, Arnaud Walther
  • Patent number: 11161735
    Abstract: A production method for a double-membrane MEMS component includes: providing a layer arrangement on a carrier substrate, wherein the layer arrangement comprises a first membrane structure, a sacrificial material layer adjoining the first membrane structure, and a counterelectrode structure in the sacrificial material layer and at a distance from the first membrane structure, wherein at least one through opening is formed in the sacrificial material layer as far as the first membrane structure; forming a filling material structure in the at least one through opening by applying a first filling material layer on the wall region of the at least one through opening; applying a second membrane structure on the layer arrangement with the sacrificial material; and removing the sacrificial material from an intermediate region to expose the filling material structure in the intermediate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Johann Strasser, Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Juergen Wagner, Arnaud Walther
  • Publication number: 20210044905
    Abstract: A micro electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a flexible membrane disposed over a substrate, and a first backplate disposed over the flexible membrane. The first backplate includes a first plurality of bumps facing the flexible membrane. The MEMS device further includes a plurality of features disposed at the flexible membrane, where each of the plurality of features being associated with a corresponding one of the first plurality of bumps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Arnaud Walther, Stefan Barzen, Wolfgang Klein, Johann Strasser
  • Patent number: 10913656
    Abstract: A method for sealing an access opening to a cavity comprises the following steps: providing a layer arrangement having a first layer structure and a cavity arranged adjacent to the first layer structure, wherein the first layer structure has an access opening to the cavity, performing a CVD layer deposition for forming a first covering layer having a layer thickness on the first layer structure having the access opening, and performing an HDP layer deposition with a first and second substep for forming a second covering layer on the first covering layer, wherein the first substep comprises depositing a liner material layer on the first covering layer, wherein the second substep comprises partly backsputtering the liner material layer and furthermore the first covering layer in the region of the access opening, and wherein the first and second substeps are carried out alternately and repeatedly a number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Alfons Dehe, Uwe Hoeckele, Johann Strasser, Arnaud Walther
  • Publication number: 20200290864
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure forming a capacitive sensing arrangement. The MEMS device includes a plurality of anti-stiction bumps arranged between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure at a corresponding plurality of locations. The plurality of locations being projected into a main surface of the second electrode structure is distributed so as to comprise a first distribution density in a first main surface region of the main surface and so as to comprise second, different distribution density in a second main surface region of the main surface, the second main surface region being delimited from the first main surface region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Marc Fueldner, Arnaud Walther
  • Publication number: 20200239302
    Abstract: A production method for a double-membrane MEMS component includes: providing a layer arrangement on a carrier substrate, wherein the layer arrangement comprises a first membrane structure, a sacrificial material layer adjoining the first membrane structure, and a counterelectrode structure in the sacrificial material layer and at a distance from the first membrane structure, wherein at least one through opening is formed in the sacrificial material layer as far as the first membrane structure; forming a filling material structure in the at least one through opening by applying a first filling material layer on the wall region of the at least one through opening; applying a second membrane structure on the layer arrangement with the sacrificial material; and removing the sacrificial material from an intermediate region to expose the filling material structure in the intermediate region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Johann Strasser, Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Juergen Wagner, Arnaud Walther
  • Patent number: 10676346
    Abstract: A production method for a MEMS component includes providing a layer arrangement on a carrier substrate, where the layer arrangement includes a first and second layer structure. A sacrificial material is arranged in an intermediate region between the first and second layer structures, an etch stop structure extending between the first and second layer structures subdivides the intermediate region into an exposure region and an edge region laterally adjoining the exposure region, and at least one of the first layer structure or the second layer structure has access openings to the exposure region. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material from the exposure region through the access openings using an etching process to expose the exposure region. The etch stop structure provides a lateral delimitation for the etching process, and the sacrificial material present in the edge region provides a mechanical connection between the first and second layer structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Arnaud Walther, Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Johann Strasser
  • Patent number: 10669151
    Abstract: A production method for a double-membrane MEMS component includes: providing a layer arrangement on a carrier substrate, wherein the layer arrangement comprises a first membrane structure, a sacrificial material layer adjoining the first membrane structure, and a counterelectrode structure in the sacrificial material layer and at a distance from the first membrane structure, wherein at least one through opening is formed in the sacrificial material layer as far as the first membrane structure; forming a filling material structure in the at least one through opening by applying a first filling material layer on the wall region of the at least one through opening; applying a second membrane structure on the layer arrangement with the sacrificial material; and removing the sacrificial material from an intermediate region to expose the filling material structure in the intermediate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Johann Strasser, Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Juergen Wagner, Arnaud Walther
  • Patent number: 10641626
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a MEMS sensor includes a membrane that is suspended from the substrate, a resonant frequency of said membrane being influenced by an ambient pressure that acts on the membrane; and an evaluation device configured to perform a first measurement based on the resonant frequency of the membrane to obtain a measurement result, where the evaluation device is configured to at least partly compensate an influence of the ambient pressure on the measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Christian Bretthauer, Alfons Dehe, Prashanth Makaram, Abidin Güçlü Onaran, Arnaud Walther
  • Patent number: 10589990
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a MEMS microphone includes a sound detection unit having a first membrane, a second membrane arranged at a distance from the first membrane, a low-pressure region arranged between the first membrane and the second membrane, a gas pressure that is reduced in relation to normal pressure being present in said low-pressure region, a counter electrode arranged in the low-pressure region, and a sound through-hole, which extends through the sound detection unit in a thickness direction of the sound detection unit; and a valve provided at the sound through-hole, said valve being configured to adopt a plurality of valve states, wherein a predetermined degree of transmission of the sound through-hole to sound is assigned to each valve state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Alfons Dehe, Ulrich Krumbein, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Johann Strasser, Juergen Wagner, Arnaud Walther
  • Patent number: 10575101
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical microphone includes a reference electrode, a first membrane arranged on a first side of the reference electrode and displaceable by sound to be detected, and a second membrane arranged on a second side of the reference electrode, said second side being situated opposite the first side of the reference electrode, and displaceable by sound to be detected. A region of one from the first and second membranes that is displaceable by sound relative to the reference electrode, independently of said region's position relative to the reference electrode, can comprise a planar section and also an undulatory section adjoining the planar section and arranged in a region of overlap one of the first membrane or the second membrane with the other one of the first membrane and or the second membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Arnaud Walther, Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Johann Strasser, Carsten Ahrens
  • Patent number: 10560771
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, microelectromechanical microphone includes a holder and a sound detection unit carried on the holder. The sound detection unit includes a planar first membrane, a planar second membrane arranged at a distance from the first membrane, a low-pressure chamber formed between the first membrane and the second membrane, a reduced gas pressure relative to normal pressure being present in the low-pressure chamber, a reference electrode arranged at least in sections in the low-pressure chamber, where the first and second membranes are displaceable relative to the reference electrode by sound waves to be detected, the reference electrode includes a planar base section and a stiffening structure provided on the base section, and the stiffening structure is provided on a side of the base section that faces the first membrane or/and on a side of the base section that faces the second membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Johann Strasser, Arnaud Walther, Andreas Wiesbauer
  • Publication number: 20190112182
    Abstract: A method for sealing an access opening to a cavity comprises the following steps: providing a layer arrangement having a first layer structure and a cavity arranged adjacent to the first layer structure, wherein the first layer structure has an access opening to the cavity, performing a CVD layer deposition for forming a first covering layer having a layer thickness on the first layer structure having the access opening, and performing an HDP layer deposition with a first and second substep for forming a second covering layer on the first covering layer, wherein the first substep comprises depositing a liner material layer on the first covering layer, wherein the second substep comprises partly backsputtering the liner material layer and furthermore the first covering layer in the region of the access opening, and wherein the first and second substeps are carried out alternately and repeatedly a number of times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Alfons Dehe, Uwe Hoeckele, Johann Strasser, Arnaud Walther
  • Patent number: 10260878
    Abstract: A gyroscope including a mass capable of movement due to excitation and a mass capable of movement due to detection, a mechanism applying an excitation signal to the excitation mass in a first direction, a mechanism detecting the movement of the detection mass in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a mechanism detecting the movement of the excitation mass in the second direction, and a processor processing detection signals emitted by the mechanism detecting movements of the detection mass and the mechanism detecting movements of the excitation mass in the second direction, to obtain a phase bias, quadrature bias, and amplification factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventor: Arnaud Walther
  • Publication number: 20190092624
    Abstract: A production method for a MEMS component includes providing a layer arrangement on a carrier substrate, where the layer arrangement includes a first and second layer structure. A sacrificial material is arranged in an intermediate region between the first and second layer structures, an etch stop structure extending between the first and second layer structures subdivides the intermediate region into an exposure region and an edge region laterally adjoining the exposure region, and at least one of the first layer structure or the second layer structure has access openings to the exposure region. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material from the exposure region through the access openings using an etching process to expose the exposure region. The etch stop structure provides a lateral delimitation for the etching process, and the sacrificial material present in the edge region provides a mechanical connection between the first and second layer structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Arnaud Walther, Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Johann Strasser
  • Publication number: 20190084827
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a MEMS microphone includes a sound detection unit having a first membrane, a second membrane arranged at a distance from the first membrane, a low-pressure region arranged between the first membrane and the second membrane, a gas pressure that is reduced in relation to normal pressure being present in said low-pressure region, a counter electrode arranged in the low-pressure region, and a sound through-hole, which extends through the sound detection unit in a thickness direction of the sound detection unit; and a valve provided at the sound through-hole, said valve being configured to adopt a plurality of valve states, wherein a predetermined degree of transmission of the sound through-hole to sound is assigned to each valve state
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Alfons Dehe, Ulrich Krumbein, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Johann Strasser, Juergen Wagner, Arnaud Walther
  • Publication number: 20190071305
    Abstract: A production method for a double-membrane MEMS component includes: providing a layer arrangement on a carrier substrate, wherein the layer arrangement comprises a first membrane structure, a sacrificial material layer adjoining the first membrane structure, and a counterelectrode structure in the sacrificial material layer and at a distance from the first membrane structure, wherein at least one through opening is formed in the sacrificial material layer as far as the first membrane structure; forming a filling material structure in the at least one through opening by applying a first filling material layer on the wall region of the at least one through opening; applying a second membrane structure on the layer arrangement with the sacrificial material; and removing the sacrificial material from an intermediate region to expose the filling material structure in the intermediate region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Johann Strasser, Alfons Dehe, Gerhard Metzger-Brueckl, Juergen Wagner, Arnaud Walther