Patents by Inventor Charles I. Grosjean
Charles I. Grosjean 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: 20210159875Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer and a piezoelectric material layer disposed on the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer. An electrically-conductive material layer is disposed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer, and patterned to form first and second electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2020Publication date: May 27, 2021Inventors: Joseph C. Doll, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill, Nicholas Miller, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 10910341Abstract: First and second contacts are formed on first and second wafers from disparate first and second conductive materials, at least one of which is subject to surface oxidation when exposed to air. A layer of oxide-inhibiting material is disposed over a bonding surface of the first contact and the first and second wafers are positioned relative to one another such that a bonding surface of the second contact is in physical contact with the layer of oxide-inhibiting material. Thereafter, the first and second contacts and the layer of oxide-inhibiting material are heated to a temperature that renders the first and second contacts and the layer of oxide-inhibiting material to liquid phases such that at least the first and second contacts alloy into a eutectic bond.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2019Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Paul M. Hagelin, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 10892733Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer and a piezoelectric material layer disposed on the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer. An electrically-conductive material layer is disposed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer, and patterned to form first and second electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: SITIME CORPORATIONInventors: Joseph C. Doll, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill, Nicholas Miller, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Publication number: 20200391997Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first silicon layer disposed between second and third silicon layers and separated therefrom by respective first and second oxide layers. A cavity within the first silicon layer is bounded by interior surfaces of the second and third silicon layers, and a passageway extends through the second silicon layer to enable material removal from within the semiconductor device to form the cavity. A metal feature is disposed within the passageway to hermetically seal the cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2020Publication date: December 17, 2020Inventors: Michael Julian Daneman, Charles I. Grosjean, Paul M. Hagelin
-
Patent number: 10833632Abstract: In an integrated circuit device having a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator and a temperature transducer, a clock signal is generated by sensing resonant mechanical motion of the MEMS resonator and a temperature signal indicative of temperature of the MEMS resonator is generated via the temperature transducer. The clock signal and the temperature signal are output from the integrated circuit device concurrently.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Sassan Tabatabaei, Kamran Souri, Saleh Heidary Shalmany, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 10800650Abstract: A MEMS element within a semiconductor device is enclosed within a cavity bounded at least in part by hydrogen-permeable material. A hydrogen barrier is formed within the semiconductor device to block propagation of hydrogen into the cavity via the hydrogen-permeable material.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Charles I. Grosjean, Paul M. Hagelin, Michael Julian Daneman, Ginel C. Hill, Aaron Partridge
-
Patent number: 10737934Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second exposed electrical contacts and a cavity having a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure therein. A conductive path extends from the first exposed electrical contact to the cavity and an over-voltage protection element electrically is coupled between the first and second exposed electrical contacts.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Nicholas Miller, Ginel C. Hill, Charles I. Grosjean, Michael Julian Daneman, Paul M. Hagelin, Aaron Partridge
-
Patent number: 10696547Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first silicon layer disposed between second and third silicon layers and separated therefrom by respective first and second oxide layers. A cavity within the first silicon layer is bounded by interior surfaces of the second and third silicon layers, and a passageway extends through the second silicon layer to enable material removal from within the semiconductor device to form the cavity. A metal feature is disposed within the passageway to hermetically seal the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Michael Julian Daneman, Charles I. Grosjean, Paul M. Hagelin
-
Publication number: 20200186084Abstract: One or more heating elements are provided to heat a MEMS component (such as a resonator) to a temperature higher than an ambient temperature range in which the MEMS component is intended to operate—in effect, heating the MEMS component and optionally related circuitry to a steady-state “oven” temperature above that which would occur naturally during component operation and thereby avoiding temperature-dependent performance variance/instability (frequency, voltage, propagation delay, etc.). In a number of embodiments, an IC package is implemented with distinct temperature-isolated and temperature-interfaced regions, the former bearing or housing the MEMS component and subject to heating (i.e., to oven temperature) by the one or more heating elements while the latter is provided with (e.g., disposed adjacent) one or more heat dissipation paths to discharge heat generated by transistor circuitry (i.e., expel heat from the integrated circuit package).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2019Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Carl Arft, Aaron Partridge, Markus Lutz, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 10676349Abstract: Multiple degenerately-doped silicon layers are implemented within resonant structures to control multiple orders of temperature coefficients of frequency.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Charles I. Grosjean, Nicholas Miller, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill, Joseph C. Doll
-
Publication number: 20200028485Abstract: A moveable micromachined member of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an insulating layer disposed between first and second electrically conductive layers. First and second mechanical structures secure the moveable micromachined member to a substrate of the MEMS device and include respective first and second electrical interconnect layers coupled in series, with the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member and each other, between first and second electrical terminals to enable conduction of a first joule-heating current from the first electrical terminal to the second electrical terminal through the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2019Publication date: January 23, 2020Inventors: Joseph C. Doll, Nicholas Miller, Charles I. Grosjean, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill
-
Patent number: 10541666Abstract: A resonant member of a MEMS resonator oscillates in a mechanical resonance mode that produces non-uniform regional stresses such that a first level of mechanical stress in a first region of the resonant member is higher than a second level of mechanical stress in a second region of the resonant member. A plurality of openings within a surface of the resonant member are disposed more densely within the first region than the second region and at least partly filled with a compensating material that reduces temperature dependence of the resonant frequency corresponding to the mechanical resonance mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2018Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Paul M. Hagelin, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 10541224Abstract: First and second contacts are formed on first and second wafers from disparate first and second conductive materials, at least one of which is subject to surface oxidation when exposed to air. A layer of oxide-inhibiting material is disposed over a bonding surface of the first contact and the first and second wafers are positioned relative to one another such that a bonding surface of the second contact is in physical contact with the layer of oxide-inhibiting material. Thereafter, the first and second contacts and the layer of oxide-inhibiting material are heated to a temperature that renders the first and second contacts and the layer of oxide-inhibiting material to liquid phases such that at least the first and second contacts alloy into a eutectic bond.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2018Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Paul M. Hagelin, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 10476477Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a substrate having a substantially planar surface and a resonant member having sidewalls disposed in a nominally perpendicular orientation with respect to the planar surface. Impurity dopant is introduced via the sidewalls of the resonant member such that a non-uniform dopant concentration profile is established along axis extending between the sidewalls parallel to the substrate surface and exhibits a relative minimum concentration in a middle region of the axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Charles I. Grosjean, Ginel C. Hill, Paul M. Hagelin, Renata Melamud Berger, Aaron Partridge, Markus Lutz
-
Patent number: 10263596Abstract: Degenerately doped semiconductor materials are deployed within resonant structures to control the first and higher order temperature coefficients of frequency, thereby enabling temperature dependence to be engineered without need for cumulative material layers which tend to drive up cost and compromise resonator performance.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Joseph C. Doll, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill, Nicholas Miller, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 10218333Abstract: A moveable micromachined member of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes an insulating layer disposed between first and second electrically conductive layers. First and second mechanical structures secure the moveable micromachined member to a substrate of the MEMS device and include respective first and second electrical interconnect layers coupled in series, with the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member and each other, between first and second electrical terminals to enable conduction of a first joule-heating current from the first electrical terminal to the second electrical terminal through the first electrically conductive layer of the moveable micromachined member.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Joseph C. Doll, Nicholas Miller, Charles I. Grosjean, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill
-
Patent number: 10192850Abstract: First and second contacts are formed on first and second wafers from disparate first and second conductive materials, at least one of which is subject to surface oxidation when exposed to air. A layer of oxide-inhibiting material is disposed over a bonding surface of the first contact and the first and second wafers are positioned relative to one another such that a bonding surface of the second contact is in physical contact with the layer of oxide-inhibiting material. Thereafter, the first and second contacts and the layer of oxide-inhibiting material are heated to a temperature that renders the first and second contacts and the layer of oxide-inhibiting material to liquid phases such that at least the first and second contacts alloy into a eutectic bond.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Paul M. Hagelin, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Publication number: 20180257929Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first silicon layer disposed between second and third silicon layers and separated therefrom by respective first and second oxide layers. A cavity within the first silicon layer is bounded by interior surfaces of the second and third silicon layers, and a passageway extends through the second silicon layer to enable material removal from within the semiconductor device to form the cavity. A metal feature is disposed within the passageway to hermetically seal the cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Michael Julian Daneman, Charles I. Grosjean, Paul M. Hagelin
-
Publication number: 20180226942Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer and a piezoelectric material layer disposed on the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer. An electrically-conductive material layer is disposed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer, and patterned to form first and second electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2018Publication date: August 9, 2018Inventors: Joseph C. Doll, Paul M. Hagelin, Ginel C. Hill, Nicholas Miller, Charles I. Grosjean
-
Patent number: 9948273Abstract: A resonant member of a MEMS resonator oscillates in a mechanical resonance mode that produces non-uniform regional stresses such that a first level of mechanical stress in a first region of the resonant member is higher than a second level of mechanical stress in a second region of the resonant member. A plurality of openings within a surface of the resonant member are disposed more densely within the first region than the second region and at least partly filled with a compensating material that reduces temperature dependence of the resonant frequency corresponding to the mechanical resonance mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: SiTime CorporationInventors: Paul M. Hagelin, Charles I. Grosjean