Patents by Inventor Christopher Schell

Christopher Schell 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: 20160023895
    Abstract: A method for producing a micromechanical component includes providing a substrate with a monocrystalline starting layer which is exposed in structured regions. The structured regions have an upper face and lateral flanks, wherein a catalyst layer, which is suitable for promoting a silicon epitaxial growth of the exposed upper face of the structured monocrystalline starting layer, is provided on the upper face, and no catalyst layers are provided on the flanks. The method also includes carrying out a selective epitaxial growth process on the upper face of the monocrystalline starting layer using the catalyst layer in a reactive gas atmosphere in order to form a micromechanical functional layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Friedjof Heuck, Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 9233841
    Abstract: A production process for a micromechanical component includes at least partially structuring at least one structure from at least one monocrystalline silicon layer by at least performing a crystal-orientation-dependent etching step on an upper side of the silicon layer with a given (110) surface orientation of the silicon layer. For the at least partial structuring of the at least one structure, at least one crystal-orientation-independent etching step is additionally performed on the upper side of the silicon layer with the given (110) surface orientation of the silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Friedjof Heuck, Christoph Schelling, Mirko Hattass, Benjamin Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20150375991
    Abstract: A diaphragm structure of a micromechanical component includes: a diaphragm integrated via at least one spring element into a layered structure, the diaphragm spanning a cavern, so that at least one section of the diaphragm edge extends up to and beyond the edge area of the cavern; and an anchoring structure formed in the overlap area between the diaphragm and the cavern edge area. The anchoring structure includes at least one anchor element structured out of the layered structure above the cavern edge area, and one through opening for the anchor element formed in the edge area of the diaphragm, so that there is a clearance between the anchor element and the through opening which allows for a mechanical stress relaxation of the diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Christoph Schelling, Jochen Zoellin
  • Publication number: 20150372216
    Abstract: A thermodiode element for a photosensor of a thermocamera usable for infrared radiation measurement includes a semiconductor substrate that has a first layer, and a second layer adjoining the first layer. The first layer has a base doping zone, and the second layer has a side doping zone that is the same doping type as the base doping zone. The second layer also has a further doping zone that is arranged as an island in the side doping zone and that has a doping type that is opposite to the doping type of the base doping zone. The base doping zone is further arranged in the first layer so as to adjoin the further doping zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Christoph Schelling, Fabian Utermoehlen, Ingo Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20150365751
    Abstract: A micromechanical sensor system combination, and a corresponding manufacturing method, includes an interposer chip including a first front side and a first back side which includes first electrical contacts on the first front side and second electrical contacts on the first back side, the interposer chip having first electrical vias which electrically connect the first electrical contacts to the second electrical contacts; as well as a micromechanical sensor chip system including a second front side a second back side including at least one first sensor device and a second sensor device which are laterally adjacent, the first front side being attached on the second front side so that the first sensor device and the second sensor device are electrically and mechanically connected to the first electrical contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Christoph Schelling, Rolf Scheben, Ricardo Ehrenpfordt
  • Publication number: 20150353347
    Abstract: To implement cavities having different internal pressures in joining two semiconductor elements, at least one of the two element surfaces to be joined is structured, so that at least one circumferential bonding frame area is recessed or elevated in comparison with at least one other circumferential bonding frame area. At least one connecting layer should then be applied to this structured element surface and at least two circumferential bonding frames should be structured out of this connecting layer on different surface levels of the element surface. The topography created in the element surface permits sequential bonding in which multiple cavities between the two elements may be successively hermetically sealed, so that a defined internal pressure prevails in each of the cavities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Christoph Schelling, Ralf Reichenbach, Jens Frey, Antoine Puygranier
  • Publication number: 20150340592
    Abstract: A method for producing a multi-layer electrode system includes providing a carrier substrate having a recess in a top side of the carrier substrate. At least one wall of the recess is inclined in relation to a bottom side of the carrier substrate, which is opposite to the top side. The method also includes applying a multi-layer stack, which includes at least a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a piezoelectric layer arranged between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, to the top side of the carrier substrate. At least the wall and a bottom of the recess are covered by at least a portion of the multi-layer stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Tjalf Pirk, Andreas Krauss, Friedjof Heuck, Stefan Leidich, Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 9178018
    Abstract: A manufacturing method is described for a micromechanical component and a corresponding micromechanical component. The manufacturing method includes the steps: forming at least one crystallographically modified area in a substrate; forming an etching mask having a mask opening on a main surface of the substrate; and carrying out an etching step using the etching mask, the crystallographically modified area and a surrounding area of the substrate being removed and thus forming a cavern in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 9162873
    Abstract: A packaging concept for MEMS components having at least one diaphragm structure formed in the front side of the component is provided, according to which the MEMS component is mounted on a support which at least laterally delimits a cavity adjoining the diaphragm structure. In addition, at least one electrical feedthrough is formed in the support which allows electrical contacting of the MEMS component through the support. To achieve the largest possible rear volume for the diaphragm structure of the MEMS component for a given chip surface area, and also to simplify the processing of the support, according to the invention the electrical feedthroughs are integrated into the wall of the cavity adjoining the diaphragm structure, in that at least one section of such a feedthrough is implemented in the form of an electrically conductive coating of a side wall section of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Zoellin, Ricardo Ehrenpfordt, Christoph Schelling, Juergen Graf, Frederik Ante, Michael Curcic
  • Patent number: 9139418
    Abstract: An MEMS component includes at least one metal-ceramic multilayer stack as a mechanical functional layer in the layered structure of the MEMS component. The metal-ceramic multilayer stack functions as a mechanical functional layer in which at least one component of the micromechanical structure of the MEMS component is configured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Zoellin, Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 9131319
    Abstract: A capacitive MEMS microphone structure is provided, which micromechanical microphone structure of component is realized in a layer construction and includes: a diaphragm structure sensitive to sound pressure, which is deflectable in a direction perpendicular to the layer planes of the layer construction; an acoustically penetrable counter-element which has through holes and is formed above or below the diaphragm structure in the layer construction; and a capacitor system for detecting the excursions of the diaphragm structure. The diaphragm structure includes a structural element in the middle area of the diaphragm structure, which structural element projects perpendicularly from the diaphragm plane and which, depending on the degree of excursion of the diaphragm structure, variably extends into a correspondingly formed and positioned through hole in the counter-element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Zoellin, Ricardo Ehrenpfordt, Juergen Graf, Christoph Schelling, Frederik Ante, Michael Curcic
  • Patent number: 9082882
    Abstract: A microelectronic component includes a semiconductor substrate having a top side and a reverse side, an elastically movable mass device on the top side of the substrate, at least one source region provided in or on the mass device, at least one drain region provided in or on the mass device, and a gate region suspended on a conductor track arrangement above the at least one source region and at least one drain region and spaced apart from the mass device by a gap. The conductor track arrangement is anchored on the top side of the substrate in a periphery of the mass device such that the gate region remains fixed when the mass device has been moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Schelling, Ando Feyh
  • Patent number: 9066180
    Abstract: A micromechanical microphone structure configured as a layered structure includes: a semiconductor substrate; a diaphragm structure having an acoustically active diaphragm which at least partially spans a sound opening in the back side of the substrate and is provided with a movable electrode of a microphone capacitor, which diaphragm structure has openings via which pressure compensation occurs between the back side and the front side of the diaphragm; a stationary acoustically permeable counterelement having vents, which counterelement is situated in the layered structure above the diaphragm and which functions as a carrier for a nonmovable electrode of the microphone capacitor; and at least one ridge-like structural element which is situated at the outer edge area of the diaphragm, and which protrudes from the diaphragm plane into corresponding recesses in an adjoining layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Zoellin, Christoph Schelling
  • Publication number: 20150137300
    Abstract: An infrared sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate, at least one sensor element that is micromechanically formed in the semiconductor substrate, and at least one calibration element, which is micromechanically formed in the semiconductor substrate, for the sensor element. An absorber material is arranged on the semiconductor substrate in the area of the sensor element and the calibration element. One cavern each is formed in the semiconductor substrate substantially below the sensor element and substantially below the calibration element. The sensor element and the calibration element are thermally and electrically isolated from the rest of the semiconductor substrate by the caverns. The infrared sensor device has high sensitivity, calibration functionality for the sensor element, and a high signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Ingo Herrmann, Edda Sommer, Christoph Schelling, Christian Rettig, Mirko Hattass
  • Patent number: 9035413
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a carrier substrate having at least one conductor track, at least one converter element structured at least partly from a further semiconductor substrate, and conductive structures formed on a respective converter element. The at least one converter element is electrically linked to the at least one conductor track via at least one at least partly conductive supporting element arranged between a contact side of the carrier substrate and an inner side of the converter element. The inner side is oriented toward the carrier substrate. The at least one converter element is arranged on the contact side of the carrier substrate such that the inner side of the converter element is kept spaced apart from the contact side of the carrier substrate. The at least one converter element and the conductive structures formed thereon are completely embedded into at least one insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Bischopink, Silvia Kronmueller, Christoph Schelling
  • Publication number: 20150102443
    Abstract: An infrared sensor device includes at least one sensor element formed in a semiconductor substrate, an SOI wafer that defines a gap below and around the sensor element, and a suspension device that is configured to suspend the sensor element in the SOI wafer. The sensor element is substantially arranged below the suspension device, thereby achieving a high sensitivity, low thermal capacity, low thermal coupling to the substrate and a high image refresh rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Ingo Herrmann, Christoph Schelling
  • Publication number: 20150078590
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a micro-electromechanical membrane arrangement with a substrate, which has a multiplicity of recesses on a surface, a first electrically conductive electrode layer, which is arranged on the surface of the substrate and has a multiplicity of first depressions coinciding with the recesses, and an electrically conductive membrane layer, which can be deflected in a direction perpendicular to the active surface of the substrate, is arranged over the first electrode layer and is kept at a distance therefrom by a first distance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Mike Daley, Rolf Scheben, Christoph Schelling
  • Publication number: 20150028207
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement includes an infrared sensor and at least one acceleration sensor. The infrared sensor is configured to detect infrared radiation, and to output infrared image data. The at least one acceleration sensor is configured to detect an instantaneous acceleration of the sensor arrangement, and to output acceleration data. The output of the infrared image data from the infrared sensor is blocked when the instantaneous acceleration of the sensor arrangement exceeds a preprogrammed threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Herrmann, Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 8929584
    Abstract: Measures for dynamically regulating the microphone sensitivity of a MEMS microphone component at low frequencies by way of variable roll-off behavior are proposed. The micromechanical microphone structure of the component, which is implemented in a layer structure on a semiconductor substrate, encompasses an acoustically active diaphragm having leakage openings which spans a sound opening in the substrate back side, and a stationary acoustically permeable counterelement having through openings which is disposed in the layer structure above/below the diaphragm. The component furthermore encompasses a capacitor assemblage for signal sensing, having at least one deflectable electrode on the diaphragm and at least one stationary electrode on the counterelement, and an arrangement for implementing a relative motion between the diaphragm and counterelement parallel to the layer planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Zoellin, Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 8901684
    Abstract: A micromechanical component including a first composite of a plurality of semiconductor chips, the first composite having a first front and back surfaces, a second composite of a corresponding plurality of carrier substrates, the second composite having a second front and back surfaces; wherein the first front surface and the second front surface are connected via a structured adhesion promoter layer in such a way that each semiconductor chip is connected, essentially free of cavities, to a corresponding carrier substrate corresponding to a respective micromechanical component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hubert Benzel, Frank Henning, Armin Scharping, Christoph Schelling