Patents by Inventor France Michel

France Michel 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: 20060138076
    Abstract: Production process of a flat suspended micro-structure using a sacrificial layer of polymer material and component obtained thereby The process successively comprises deposition of a sacrificial layer (2) of polymer material, deposition, on at least a part of the substrate (1) and of the front face of the sacrificial layer (2), of an embedding layer (6), the thickness whereof is larger than that of the sacrificial layer (2), and planarization so that the front faces of the sacrificial layer (2) and of the embedding layer (6) form a common flat surface. A formation layer (3) of a suspended structure (5) is deposited on the front face of the common flat surface. Planarization can comprise chemical mechanical polishing and etching of the embedding layer (6). Etching of the sacrificial layer (2) can be performed by means of a mask formed on the front face of a layer of polymer material eliminated during the planarization step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Philippe Robert, France Michel, Catherine Maeder-Pachurka, Nicolas Sillon
  • Patent number: 6365056
    Abstract: A process for making at least one suspended element uses an etching technique for micro-machining a structure comprising a substrate covered in sequence by a first layer called a stop layer made of a first material, and a second layer made of a second material in which the suspended element is formed. The process uses a dry etching technique using a gas with sufficient selectivity to enable etching of the second layer without etching the stop layer, under conditions defined to enable anisotropic etching of the second material, the etching being carried out according to a first phase to delimit the suspended element as far as the level of the stop layer and being continued in a second phase during which the suspended element is released by etching of the surface layer of the suspended element delimited in the first phase and which is adjacent to the stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Philippe Robert, France Michel, Hubert Grange
  • Patent number: 5750420
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a structure with a useful layer (120) held at a distance from a substrate (100) by abutments (150, 151) and of detaching such a layer.This method comprises the following steps:a first partial and selective etching of the sacrificial layer leaving at least one spacer paving (140) to survive between the substrate and the useful layer,a second selective etching of the useful layer (120) and/or the substrate (100) using the spacer (140) as a mask so as to form at least one abutment (150, 151) in said useful layer and/or the substrate,removal of said spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Hubert Bono, France Michel, Patrice Rey
  • Patent number: 5495761
    Abstract: An accelerometer with a mobile mass mechanically connected, via an insulator, to a conductive substrate by flexible beams. Mobile conductive teeth are integrally formed with the mobile mass. Fixed conductive teeth are joined to an insulator from the substrate and arranged in an alternating manner with the mobile conductive teeth. Fixed electrodes serving as an electrostatic screen are placed between the fixed teeth and the mobile teeth in such a way that each mobile tooth is intercalated between a fixed electrode and a fixed tooth so as to constitute a series of variable capacitance capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Bernard Diem, France Michel
  • Patent number: 4653326
    Abstract: A directional accelerometer and a process for the microlithographic fabrication of such an accelerometer. The accelerometer includes a substrate having at least one recess to define at least one beam in the substrate. One of the ends of the beam is integrally formed with the remainder of the substrate. The beam, which is oriented in the first direction, is deformable into the recess in a second direction only, parallel to the substrate surface and perpendicular to the first direction. The second direction corresponds to the acceleration component to be measured. Electrical connections and contacts are formed in the substrate for the device measuring the deformations of the beam. These measurements make it possible to determine the acceleration components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Jean-Sebastien Danel, Gilles Delapierre, France Michel