Patents by Inventor Heinz-Peter Frerichs
Heinz-Peter Frerichs 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).
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Patent number: 8759981Abstract: A multilayer system includes first and second functional layers, for example, semiconductor layers. A third or intermediate layer is disposed between the first and second functional layers and adheres relatively well to the first and second layers yet has relatively little or no detrimental effect on the functionality of the first and second layers. The third layer is applied to the first layer. Anchoring elements are provided which are partly embedded in the third layer, and the second layer is secured to the third layer by the anchoring elements. This structure yields good adhesion between the three layers, because the third layer adheres relatively well to the first layer and the third layer and the second layer are mechanically bonded together relatively strongly by the anchoring elements.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2003Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Heinz Peter Frerichs, Herbert Verhoeven
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Patent number: 8669662Abstract: A fastening device is provided that includes a semiconductor body with an integrated circuit, and a dielectric passivation layer formed on the surface of the semiconductor body, and a trace formed underneath the passivation layer, and an oxide layer formed beneath the trace, and a connecting component that forms a frictional connection between a component formed above the passivation layer and the semiconductor body, wherein a formation passing through the passivation layer and the oxide layer and having a bottom surface is formed, and a conductive layer is formed on the bottom surface and the connecting component forms an electrical connection between the conductive layer and the component.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2012Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Tobias Kolleth
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Patent number: 8621923Abstract: A humidity sensor has, on a substrate, at least one voltage sensor with a sensor region and at least one control electrode. The control electrode is connected to a signal source which is designed such that a variable control voltage can be applied to the control electrode. A moisture-permeable sensor layer whose dielectric constant depends on humidity is located on the sensor region. The control electrode is adjacent to the sensor layer in such a manner that the measured voltage signal of the voltage sensor depends on the control voltage and the humidity. The voltage sensor is connected to an analysis unit for ascertaining the humidity on the basis of the measured voltage signal. In the vertical projection onto the plane in which the substrate extends, the control electrode is located laterally next to the sensor region.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventor: Heinz-Peter Frerichs
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Patent number: 8592875Abstract: A semiconductor gas sensor is provided that includes a semiconductor body with a passivation layer formed on a surface of thereof. A gas-sensitive control electrode is separated from a channel region by a gap or a control electrode is arranged as a first plate of a capacitor with a gap and a second plate of the capacitor is connected to a gate of the field effect transistor implemented as a Capacitively Controlled Field Effect Transistor. The control electrode has is connected to a reference voltage. A support area is provided with a first support structure and a second support structure. A contact area is provided on the surface of the semiconductor body. A first contact region has a frictional connection and an electrical connection with the control electrode and the second contact region has at least a frictional connection with the control electrode.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2012Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Tobias Kolleth
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Patent number: 8324913Abstract: The invention relates to a moisture sensor which comprises a receiving area on its surface for a moisture film, the layer thickness of which is dependent on the relative humidity in the surrounding of the receiving area. The moisture sensor has a signal source which is connected to at least one control electrode at at least one infeed, the electrode abutting the receiving area, for providing a control voltage to the moisture film. The moisture sensor comprises at least one potential sensor which has at least one sensor area, under the receiving area, which is spaced apart from the at least one infeed. The sensor area is electrically insulated from the receiving area by an insulation layer, located between the sensor area and the receiving area, in such a way that an electrical potential can be capacitively detected by means of the potential sensor, the potential being dependent on the layer thickness of the moisture film and the control voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2008Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Mirko Lehmann, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Ingo Freund
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Patent number: 8242545Abstract: A device for detecting a gas or gas mixture has a first and a second gas sensor. The first gas sensor is a MOSFET, which comprises a first source, a first drain, a first channel zone disposed between the latter elements, and a first gas sensitive layer capacitively coupled to the first channel zone that contains palladium and reacts to a change in the concentration of the gas to be detected with a change in its work function. The second gas sensor has, in a semiconductor substrate, a second source, a second drain, and a second channel zone between the latter elements, which is capacitively coupled via an air gap to a suspended gate. The latter comprises a second gas sensitive layer that reacts to a change in the concentration of the gas to be detected with a change in its work function. The second gas sensitive layer is arranged on a support layer and faces the air gap.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Ingo Freund
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Patent number: 8226892Abstract: A gas sensor has a gas-sensitive layer with a surface area where the electron affinity depends on the concentration of a target gas brought in contact with the surface area. An electrical potential sensor is capacitively coupled to the surface area via an air gap. The surface area of the gas-sensitive layer is covered by an electric insulating layer that is inert to the target gas and is bonded to the gas-sensitive layer. The coating is designed in such a way that it is permeable for the target gas and a different, non-target gas that can be adsorbed on the surface area. The coating has different diffusion constants for the target gas and the non-target gas. The diffusion constants are coordinated with each other in such a way that the sensitivity of the gas sensor to the target gas increases when the target gas concentration exceeds a predetermined concentration threshold in the presence of the non-target gas.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Christoph Senft
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Patent number: 8056394Abstract: In a procedure for measuring the concentration of a target gas, a gas sensor is provided whose sensor signal at constant temperature is dependent on a target gas concentration and has a lower measurement sensitivity in a first modulation range than in a second modulation range. The position of the modulation ranges is dependent on the temperature. The temperature of the gas sensor is controlled so that the sensor signal is essentially independent of the target gas concentration and lies within the second modulation range. The temperature of the gas sensor is then a measurement for the target gas concentration.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2009Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Hans-Günter Zimmer, Tobias Kolleth, Christoph Wilbertz
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Publication number: 20110088466Abstract: A humidity sensor has, on a substrate, at least one voltage sensor with a sensor region and at least one control electrode. The control electrode is connected to a signal source which is designed such that a variable control voltage can be applied to the control electrode. A moisture-permeable sensor layer whose dielectric constant depends on humidity is located on the sensor region. The control electrode is adjacent to the sensor layer in such a manner that the measured voltage signal of the voltage sensor depends on the control voltage and the humidity. The voltage sensor is connected to an analysis unit for ascertaining the humidity on the basis of the measured voltage signal. In the vertical projection onto the plane in which the substrate extends, the control electrode is located laterally next to the sensor region.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Inventor: Heinz-Peter FRERICHS
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Patent number: 7918123Abstract: A gas sensor has at least one gas sensitive layer, which has at least one surface area in which the work function is dependent upon the concentration of a target gas capable of being brought into contact with the surface zone. At least one electric potential sensor is capacitatively coupled to the surface zone over an air gap. The surface zone of the gas sensitive layer is covered with an electrically insulating coating which is inert to the target gas and which is adhesively bound to the gas sensitive layer. The coating is configured so that it is permeable to the target gas and so that when the target gas contacts the surface zone of the gas sensitive layer, it prevents or at least impedes an alteration of the bound state of atoms and/or molecules bound to the surface zone and differing from the target gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2008Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs
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Publication number: 20100270595Abstract: A device for detecting a gas or gas mixture has a first and a second gas sensor. The first gas sensor is a MOSFET, which comprises a first source, a first drain, a first channel zone disposed between the latter elements, and a first gas sensitive layer capacitively coupled to the first channel zone that contains palladium and reacts to a change in the concentration of the gas to be detected with a change in its work function. The second gas sensor has, in a semiconductor substrate, a second source, a second drain, and a second channel zone between the latter elements, which is capacitively coupled via an air gap to a suspended gate. The latter comprises a second gas sensitive layer that reacts to a change in the concentration of the gas to be detected with a change in its work function. The second gas sensitive layer is arranged on a support layer and faces the air gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2010Publication date: October 28, 2010Applicant: MICRONAS GMBHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Ingo Freund
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Publication number: 20100176826Abstract: The invention relates to a moisture sensor which comprises a receiving area on its surface for a moisture film, the layer thickness of which is dependent on the relative humidity in the surrounding of the receiving area. The moisture sensor has a signal source which is connected to at least one control electrode at at least one infeed, the electrode abutting the receiving area, for providing a control voltage to the moisture film. The moisture sensor comprises at least one potential sensor which has at least one sensor area, under the receiving area, which is spaced apart from the at least one infeed. The sensor area is electrically insulated from the receiving area by an insulation layer, located between the sensor area and the receiving area, in such a way that an electrical potential can be capacitively detected by means of the potential sensor, the potential being dependent on the layer thickness of the moisture film and the control voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2008Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: MICRONAS GMBHInventors: Mirko Lehmann, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Ingo Freund
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Publication number: 20090272175Abstract: In a procedure for measuring the concentration of a target gas, a gas sensor is provided whose sensor signal at constant temperature is dependent on a target gas concentration and has a lower measurement sensitivity in a first modulation range than in a second modulation range. The position of the modulation ranges is dependent on the temperature. The temperature of the gas sensor is controlled so that the sensor signal is essentially independent of the target gas concentration and lies within the second modulation range. The temperature of the gas sensor is then a measurement for the target gas concentration.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2009Publication date: November 5, 2009Applicant: MICRONAS GMBHInventors: Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Hans-Günter Zimmer, Tobias Kolleth, Christoph Wilbertz
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Publication number: 20090246084Abstract: A gas sensor has a gas-sensitive layer with a surface area where the electron affinity depends on the concentration of a target gas brought in contact with the surface area. An electrical potential sensor is capacitively coupled to the surface area via an air gap. The surface area of the gas-sensitive layer is covered by an electric insulating layer that is inert to the target gas and is bonded to the gas-sensitive layer. The coating is designed in such a way that it is permeable for the target gas and a different, non-target gas that can be adsorbed on the surface area. The coating has different diffusion constants for the target gas and the non-target gas. The diffusion constants are coordinated with each other in such a way that the sensitivity of the gas sensor to the target gas increases when the target gas concentration exceeds a predetermined concentration threshold in the presence of the non-target gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: Micronas GmbHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Christoph Senft
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Patent number: 7554135Abstract: A device for detecting a gas or gas mixture having at least one first gas sensor designed as an SGFET and at least—one second, additional gas sensor designed as a Lundström-FET. The gas sensors are connected to a processing device designed to analyze the measurement signals from both types of gas sensors in order to detect the gas or gas mixture.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2005Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventors: Mirko Lehmann, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Christoph Wilbertz
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Publication number: 20090078026Abstract: A gas sensor has at least one gas sensitive layer, which has at least one surface area in which the work function is dependent upon the concentration of a target gas capable of being brought into contact with the surface zone. At least one electric potential sensor is capacitatively coupled to the surface zone over an air gap. The surface zone of the gas sensitive layer is covered with an electrically insulating coating which is inert to the target gas and which is adhesively bound to the gas sensitive layer. The coating is configured so that it is permeable to the target gas and so that when the target gas contacts the surface zone of the gas sensitive layer, it prevents or at least impedes an alteration of the bound state of atoms and/or molecules bound to the surface zone and differing from the target gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2008Publication date: March 26, 2009Applicant: MICRONAS GMBHInventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs
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Publication number: 20080237654Abstract: A device for detecting a gas or gas mixture having at least one first gas sensor designed as an SGFET and at least—one second, additional gas sensor designed as a Lundström-FET. The gas sensors are connected to a processing device designed to analyze the measurement signals from both types of gas sensors in order to detect the gas or gas mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2005Publication date: October 2, 2008Applicant: Micronas GmbHInventors: Mirko Lehmann, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Christoph Wilbertz
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Patent number: 7326974Abstract: A field-effect transistor used as a sensor for measuring a gas or ion concentration utilizes a surface structure such as rings along with surface profiling, for example elevations of the rings and depressions therebetween, to decrease the surface conductivity between a guard ring and the FET, to thereby increase the concentration rise per unit time of a gas signal and increase the time for a potential on a channel region of the FET to approximate the potential on a guard ring. The rings, which may be arranged around the FET structure, may be defined by a surface material different from the remaining surface material and thus having different surface conductivities. The surface profiling, together with the rings, can be utilized to increase an amount of time that may describe the equalization of the channel region potential to the guard ring potential. The elevations may have a surface conductivity different from, for example smaller than, that of the depressions.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2003Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Micronas GmbHInventor: Heinz-Peter Frerichs
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Publication number: 20070189931Abstract: The invention relates to a gas sensor comprising a substrate of a first charge carrier type whereon a drain and a source of a second charge carrier type are arranged. A channel area is formed between the drain and the source. The gas sensor also comprises a gas sensitive layer comprising poles between which a gas induced voltage is produced according to the concentration of a gas which is in contact with the layer. In order to measure said voltage, a pole of the gas sensitive layer is capacitatively coupled to the channel area by means of an air gap and the other pole is connected to a counter-electrode having a reference potential. A hydrophobic layer is arranged on the surface of the gas sensor between the gas sensitive layer and the channel area and/or on a sensor electrode which is connected to a gate electrode arranged on the channel area.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2004Publication date: August 16, 2007Applicant: Micronas GmbHInventors: Jurgen Ruhe, J.D. Jeyaprakash Samuel, Heinz-Peter Frerichs, Mirko Lehmann
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Publication number: 20070047172Abstract: The invention relates to a monolithic arrangement, especially an integrated circuit (IC), with a floating electrode (FE), at least one conductor track (ML) for connecting the floating electrode (FE) to a system component (MS) inside the monolithic arrangement, a plurality of other conductor tracks (L) at least temporarily conducting potential in order to carry signals or currents between components (MS, GND), structures and/or contacts (K), and an insulator (IS) for electrical insulating of the conductor track (ML) and the other conductor tracks (L) from each other, wherein one layout of the conductor track (ML) and of the other conductor tracks (L) is such that the path of the conductor track (ML) does not cross the path of any of the conductor tracks (L). It is advisable to maintain a minimum distance between the measuring conductor track and the other conductor tracks.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2006Publication date: March 1, 2007Inventors: Christoph Wilbertz, Heinz-Peter Frerichs