Patents by Inventor Kathrin Knese

Kathrin Knese 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).

  • Patent number: 8558327
    Abstract: A micromechanical component having a conductive substrate, a first conductive layer provided above the substrate and that forms, above a cavity provided in the substrate, an elastically deflectable diaphragm region of monocrystalline silicon and an adjacent peripheral region, a circuit trace level provided above the first conductive layer in a manner that is electrically insulated from the first conductive layer, the circuit trace level having above the diaphragm region a first electrode region and having above the peripheral region a first connection region electrically connected to the same, and a second conductive layer that is provided above the circuit trace level, the second conductive layer having above the diaphragm region a second electrode region that is electrically insulated from the first electrode region, and having above the peripheral region a second connection region electrically insulated from the second electrode region and electrically connected to the first connection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Kathrin Knese, Heribert Weber, Simon Armbruster
  • Patent number: 8530261
    Abstract: A method for producing a component having at least one diaphragm formed in the upper surface of the component, which diaphragm spans a cavity, and having at least one access opening to the cavity from the back side of the component, at least one first diaphragm layer and the cavity being produced in a monolithic semiconductor substrate from the upper surface of the component, and the access opening being produced in a temporally limited etching step from the back side of the substrate. The access opening is placed in a region in which the substrate material comes up to the first diaphragm layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Kramer, Kathrin Knese, Hubert Benzel, Gregor Schuermann, Simon Armbruster, Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 8519494
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micromechanical diaphragm structure having access from the rear of the substrate includes: n-doping at least one contiguous lattice-type area of a p-doped silicon substrate surface; porously etching a substrate area beneath the n-doped lattice structure; producing a cavity in this substrate area beneath the n-doped lattice structure; growing a first monocrystalline silicon epitaxial layer on the n-doped lattice structure; at least one opening in the n-doped lattice structure being dimensioned in such a way that it is not closed by the growing first epitaxial layer but instead forms an access opening to the cavity; an oxide layer being created on the cavity wall; a rear access to the cavity being created, the oxide layer on the cavity wall acting as an etch stop layer; and the oxide layer being removed in the area of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Kramer, Marcus Ahles, Armin Grundmann, Kathrin Knese, Hubert Benzel, Gregor Schuermann, Simon Armbruster
  • Patent number: 8470631
    Abstract: A simple and economical method for manufacturing very thin capped MEMS components. In the method, a large number of MEMS units are produced on a component wafer. A capping wafer is then mounted on the component wafer, so that each MEMS unit is provided with a capping structure. Finally, the MEMS units capped in this way are separated to form MEMS components. A diaphragm layer is formed in a surface of the capping wafer by using a surface micromechanical method to produce at least one cavern underneath the diaphragm layer, support points being formed that connect the diaphragm layer to the substrate underneath the cavern. The capping wafer structured in this way is mounted on the component wafer in flip chip technology, so that the MEMS units of the component wafer are capped by the diaphragm layer. The support points are then cut through in order to remove the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Kramer, Kathrin Knese, Hubert Benzel, Karl-Heinz Kraft, Simon Armbruster
  • Publication number: 20110147864
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micromechanical diaphragm structure having access from the rear of the substrate includes: n-doping at least one contiguous lattice-type area of a p-doped silicon substrate surface; porously etching a substrate area beneath the n-doped lattice structure; producing a cavity in this substrate area beneath the n-doped lattice structure; growing a first monocrystalline silicon epitaxial layer on the n-doped lattice structure; at least one opening in the n-doped lattice structure being dimensioned in such a way that it is not closed by the growing first epitaxial layer but instead forms an access opening to the cavity; an oxide layer being created on the cavity wall; a rear access to the cavity being created, the oxide layer on the cavity wall acting as an etch stop layer; and the oxide layer being removed in the area of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Torsten Kramer, Marcus Ahles, Armin Grundmann, Kathrin Knese, Hubert Benzel, Gregor Schuermann, Simon Armbruster
  • Publication number: 20100267183
    Abstract: A simple and economical method for manufacturing very thin capped MEMS components. In the method, a large number of MEMS units are produced on a component wafer. A capping wafer is then mounted on the component wafer, so that each MEMS unit is provided with a capping structure. Finally, the MEMS units capped in this way are separated to form MEMS components. A diaphragm layer is formed in a surface of the capping wafer by using a surface micromechanical method to produce at least one cavern underneath the diaphragm layer, support points being formed that connect the diaphragm layer to the substrate underneath the cavern. The capping wafer structured in this way is mounted on the component wafer in flip chip technology, so that the MEMS units of the component wafer are capped by the diaphragm layer. The support points are then cut through in order to remove the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Torsten Kramer, Kathrin Knese, Hubert Benzel, Karl-Heinz Kraft, Simon Armbruster
  • Publication number: 20100164027
    Abstract: A method for producing a component having at least one diaphragm formed in the upper surface of the component, which diaphragm spans a cavity, and having at least one access opening to the cavity from the back side of the component, at least one first diaphragm layer and the cavity being produced in a monolithic semiconductor substrate from the upper surface of the component, and the access opening being produced in a temporally limited etching step from the back side of the substrate. The access opening is placed in a region in which the substrate material comes up to the first diaphragm layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Torsten Kramer, Kathrin Knese, Hubert Benzel, Gregor Schuermann, Simon Armbruster, Christoph Schelling
  • Publication number: 20100164023
    Abstract: A micromechanical component having a conductive substrate, a first conductive layer provided above the substrate and that forms, above a cavity provided in the substrate, an elastically deflectable diaphragm region of monocrystalline silicon and an adjacent peripheral region, a circuit trace level provided above the first conductive layer in a manner that is electrically insulated from the first conductive layer, the circuit trace level having above the diaphragm region a first electrode region and having above the peripheral region a first connection region electrically connected to the same, and a second conductive layer that is provided above the circuit trace level, the second conductive layer having above the diaphragm region a second electrode region that is electrically insulated from the first electrode region, and having above the peripheral region a second connection region electrically insulated from the second electrode region and electrically connected to the first connection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Kathrin Knese, Heribert Weber, Simon Armbruster