Abstract: An inertial MEMS device includes an inertial element provided by a movable structure that is responsive to movement. The moveable structure is formed in a first structural layer of semiconductor material. A suspended structure extends above the movable structure at a distance therefrom. The suspended structure is formed in a second structural layer of semiconductor material and carries a piezoelectric structure. The suspended structure and the piezoelectric structure form a wake-up element that generates an activation signal in presence of vibrations or shocks. The inertial element and the wake-up element are contained in a chamber formed by a substrate and a cap, together with peripheral portions of the first and the second structural layers.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical sensor assembly includes a semiconductor die having a scaled cavity. A microelectromechanical inertial sensor has a sensing mass. A piezoelectric vibration sensor has a piezoelectric membrane. The sensing mass and the piezoelectric membrane are stacked one on top of the other and housed in the sealed cavity.

Abstract: A MEMS device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate including a main surface extending perpendicular to a first direction and a side surface extending on a plane parallel to the first direction and to a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. At least one cantilevered member protrudes from the side surface of the semiconductor substrate along a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. The at least one cantilevered member includes a body portion that includes a piezoelectric material. The body portion has a length along the third direction, a height along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and the height is greater than the width. The at least one cantilevered member is configured to vibrate by lateral bending along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A MEMS device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate including a main surface extending perpendicular to a first direction and a side surface extending on a plane parallel to the first direction and to a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. At least one cantilevered member protrudes from the side surface of the semiconductor substrate along a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. The at least one cantilevered member includes a body portion that includes a piezoelectric material. The body portion has a length along the third direction, a height along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and the height is greater than the width. The at least one cantilevered member is configured to vibrate by lateral bending along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A stator for an electric actuator or motor, including: a solid body; a ferromagnetic core region between the layers of semiconductor material, electrically insulated from the layers of semiconductor material; a plurality of conductive through vias through the solid body; a first plurality of conductive strips, which extend parallel to one another above the core; and a second plurality of conductive strips, which extend parallel to one another above the core and opposite to the first plurality of conductive strips; wherein the first plurality of conductive strips, the plurality of conductive through vias, and the second plurality of conductive strips form a winding or coil of the stator.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a process for manufacturing a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device. The process includes, in part, forming a first sacrificial dielectric region on a semiconductor wafer; forming a structural layer of semiconductor material on the first sacrificial dielectric region; forming a plurality of first openings through the structural layer; forming a second sacrificial dielectric region on the structural layer; forming a ceiling layer of semiconductor material on the second sacrificial dielectric region; forming a plurality of second openings through the ceiling layer; forming on the ceiling layer a permeable layer; selectively removing the first and the second sacrificial dielectric regions; and forming on the permeable layer a sealing layer of semiconductor material.

Abstract: A MEMS device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate including a main surface extending perpendicular to a first direction and a side surface extending on a plane parallel to the first direction and to a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. At least one cantilevered member protrudes from the side surface of the semiconductor substrate along a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. The at least one cantilevered member includes a body portion that includes a piezoelectric material. The body portion has a length along the third direction, a height along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and the height is greater than the width. The at least one cantilevered member is configured to vibrate by lateral bending along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new methodology to analyze the effects of the acoustic waves generated during accident or operational transients occurring in boiling water reactors (BWRs). These transients include the main steam line break (MSLB) event and the turbine stop valve (TSV) operational transient. Accordingly, the invention is utilized for calculating the dynamic loads on steam dryers of a boiling water reactor resulting from the main steam line break event or the turbine stop valve event.

Abstract: A method of designing/making an acoustic side branch resonator structured to be coupled to a standpipe of, for example, a nuclear power plant, wherein the acoustic side branch resonator includes a plurality of wire mesh elements for damping purposes. The method includes determining a resonant frequency of the standpipe, determining an active length of the acoustic side branch resonator using the resonant frequency, and determining a particular number of the wire mesh elements to be used in the acoustic side branch resonator and a pitch of each of the wire mesh elements using momentum and continuity equations of a compressible fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a computational system and method to analyze a radiation field in a light water nuclear reactor. The system and method include a radiation transport module for performing a neutron and gamma transport calculation of a reactor geometry model of the light water nuclear reactor for at least one fuel cycle; a material analysis module for analyzing flux data calculated by the radiation transport module for materials and/or components within the light water nuclear reactor; and a mobile component tracking module for calculating radiation exposure for components within the light water nuclear reactor which have more than one different location during or between the at least one fuel cycle.

Abstract: A method of designing/making an acoustic side branch resonator structured to be coupled to a standpipe of, for example, a nuclear power plant, wherein the acoustic side branch resonator includes a plurality of wire mesh elements for damping purposes. The method includes determining a resonant frequency of the standpipe, determining an active length of the acoustic side branch resonator using the resonant frequency, and determining a particular number of the wire mesh elements to be used in the acoustic side branch resonator and a pitch of each of the wire mesh elements using momentum and continuity equations of a compressible fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to a method for the calculation of radiation field distributions employing a new parallel 3-D radiation transport code and, a multi-processor computer architecture. The code solves algorithms using a domain decomposition approach. For example, angular and spatial domains can be partitioned into subsets and, the subsets can be independently allocated and processed.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to a method for the calculation of radiation field distributions employing a new parallel 3-D radiation transport code and, a multi-processor computer architecture. The code solves algorithms using a domain decomposition approach. For example, angular and spatial domains can be partitioned into subsets and, the subsets can be independently allocated and processed.