Abstract: A method includes obtaining an active feature layer having a first surface bearing one or more active feature areas. A first capacitor plate of a first capacitor is formed on an interior surface of a cap. A second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is formed on an exterior surface of the cap. The first capacitor plate of the first capacitor overlays and is spaced apart from the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor along a direction that is orthogonal to the exterior surface of the cap to form the first capacitor. The cap is coupled with the first surface of the active feature layer such that the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is in electrical communication with at least a first active feature of the active feature layer. The cap is bonded with the passive layer substrate.

Abstract: A measuring system is disclosed. The measuring system includes a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device including a piezoelectric substrate and a first and second electrode disposed on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate, and a measuring device communicatively coupled to the first electrode via a first probe and the second electrode via a second probe and configured to apply an electrical signal to the first and second electrode to generate an incident bulk acoustic wave within the piezoelectric substrate, detect at least a first reflected bulk acoustic wave and a second reflected bulk acoustic wave at the first and second electrode, and calculate a thickness between a first interface corresponding to the first reflected bulk acoustic wave and a second interface corresponding to the second reflected bulk acoustic wave based on a time elapsed between detecting the first and second reflected bulk acoustic waves.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an active feature layer having a first surface bearing one or more active feature areas. A first capacitor plate of a first capacitor is formed on an interior surface of a cap. A second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is formed on an exterior surface of the cap. The first capacitor plate of the first capacitor overlays and is spaced apart from the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor along a direction that is orthogonal to the exterior surface of the cap to form the first capacitor. The cap is coupled with the first surface of the active feature layer such that the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is in electrical communication with at least a first active feature of the active feature layer. The cap is bonded with the passive layer substrate.

Abstract: A sensor system for monitoring a condition of a piston rod includes an interrogator system having a first coil winding coupled to a housing and radially spaced from the piston rod such that a gap is defined between the first coil winding and the piston rod. A second coil winding is coupled to the piston rod and is inductively coupled to the first coil winding. The second coil winding is configured to communicate with the first coil winding through a range of linear movement of the piston rod relative to the housing. A sensor is coupled to the second coil winding. The sensor is configured to measure a characteristic associated with the piston rod and generate a current in the second coil winding to transmit, via the inductive coupling with the first coil winding, an electrical output signal associated with the characteristic to the interrogator system.

Abstract: A method of forming a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) device includes bonding a CMUT substrate to a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate. The CMUT substrate has a first thickness and the SOI substrate includes a handle, a buried oxide layer, and a device layer. At least one of the CMUT substrate or the SOI substrate includes a patterned dielectric layer. The device layer is bonded to the patterned dielectric layer to form a plurality of sealed cavities and the device layer forms a diaphragm of the plurality of cavities. The method further includes reducing the first thickness of the CMUT substrate to a second thickness and forming a plurality of through-silicon vias from a second surface of the CMUT substrate opposite the first surface.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an active feature layer having a first surface bearing one or more active feature areas. A first capacitor plate of a first capacitor is formed on an interior surface of a cap. A second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is formed on an exterior surface of the cap. The first capacitor plate of the first capacitor overlays and is spaced apart from the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor along a direction that is orthogonal to the exterior surface of the cap to form the first capacitor. The cap is coupled with the first surface of the active feature layer such that the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is in electrical communication with at least a first active feature of the active feature layer. The cap is bonded with the passive layer substrate.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an active device layer. The active device layer has a first surface with one or more active feature areas. First portions of the active feature areas are exposed, and second portions of the active feature areas are covered by an insulating layer. A conformal overcoat layer is formed on the first surface. A base of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device layer is formed on the conformal overcoat layer. The MEMS device layer is spatially segregated from the active feature areas by removing portions of the base of the MEMS device layer in one or more antiparasitic regions (APRs) that correspond to the active feature areas. Metal MEMS features are formed on the base of the MEMS device layer. Selected portions of the active feature areas are exposed removing portions of the conformal overcoat layer that overlay the active feature areas.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an active device layer. The active device layer has a first surface with one or more active feature areas. First portions of the active feature areas are exposed, and second portions of the active feature areas are covered by an insulating layer. A conformal overcoat layer is formed on the first surface. A base of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device layer is formed on the conformal overcoat layer. The MEMS device layer is spatially segregated from the active feature areas by removing portions of the base of the MEMS device layer in one or more antiparasitic regions (APRs) that correspond to the active feature areas. Metal MEMS features are formed on the base of the MEMS device layer. Selected portions of the active feature areas are exposed removing portions of the conformal overcoat layer that overlay the active feature areas.

Abstract: A method of forming a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) device includes bonding a CMUT substrate to a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate. The CMUT substrate has a first thickness and the SOI substrate includes a handle, a buried oxide layer, and a device layer. At least one of the CMUT substrate or the SOI substrate includes a patterned dielectric layer. The device layer is bonded to the patterned dielectric layer to form a plurality of sealed cavities and the device layer forms a diaphragm of the plurality of cavities. The method further includes reducing the first thickness of the CMUT substrate to a second thickness and forming a plurality of through-silicon vias from a second surface of the CMUT substrate opposite the first surface.

Abstract: A measuring system is disclosed. The measuring system includes a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device including a piezoelectric substrate and a first and second electrode disposed on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate, and a measuring device communicatively coupled to the first electrode via a first probe and the second electrode via a second probe and configured to apply an electrical signal to the first and second electrode to generate an incident bulk acoustic wave within the piezoelectric substrate, detect at least a first reflected bulk acoustic wave and a second reflected bulk acoustic wave at the first and second electrode, and calculate a thickness between a first interface corresponding to the first reflected bulk acoustic wave and a second interface corresponding to the second reflected bulk acoustic wave based on a time elapsed between detecting the first and second reflected bulk acoustic waves.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an active feature layer having a first surface bearing one or more active feature areas. A first capacitor plate of a first capacitor is formed on an interior surface of a cap. A second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is formed on an exterior surface of the cap. The first capacitor plate of the first capacitor overlays and is spaced apart from the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor along a direction that is orthogonal to the exterior surface of the cap to form the first capacitor. The cap is coupled with the first surface of the active feature layer such that the second capacitor plate of the first capacitor is in electrical communication with at least a first active feature of the active feature layer. The cap is bonded with the passive layer substrate.

Abstract: A sensor system for monitoring a condition of a piston rod includes an interrogator system having a first coil winding coupled to a housing and radially spaced from the piston rod such that a gap is defined between the first coil winding and the piston rod. A second coil winding is coupled to the piston rod and is inductively coupled to the first coil winding. The second coil winding is configured to communicate with the first coil winding through a range of linear movement of the piston rod relative to the housing. A sensor is coupled to the second coil winding. The sensor is configured to measure a characteristic associated with the piston rod and generate a current in the second coil winding to transmit, via the inductive coupling with the first coil winding, an electrical output signal associated with the characteristic to the interrogator system.

Abstract: A non-magnetic hermetic package includes walls that surround an open cavity, with a generally planar non-magnetic and metallic seal ring disposed in a continuous loop around upper edges of the walls; a sensitive component that is bonded within the cavity; and a non-magnetic lid that is sealed to the seal ring to close the cavity by a metallic seal.

Abstract: A non-magnetic hermetic package includes walls that surround an open cavity, with a generally planar non-magnetic and metallic seal ring disposed in a continuous loop around upper edges of the walls; a sensitive component that is bonded within the cavity; and a non-magnetic lid that is sealed to the seal ring to close the cavity by a metallic seal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a bonded quartz wafer package includes a first quartz wafer including at least one quartz-based device, a second quartz wafer disposed above the first quartz wafer, and a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) bonding layer disposed in between the first and second quartz wafers that bonds the first and second quartz wafers together.

Abstract: A non-magnetic hermetic package includes walls that surround an open cavity, with a generally planar non-magnetic and metallic seal ring disposed in a continuous loop around upper edges of the walls; a sensitive component that is bonded within the cavity; and a non-magnetic lid that is sealed to the seal ring to close the cavity by a metallic seal.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a plurality of true time delay (TTD) modules, each having a plurality of switching elements configured to selectively define alternative RF signal transmission paths between a signal input and a signal output of the TTD module. A controller is programmed to control the plurality of TTD modules to steer a beam according to a make-before-break switching technique by closing a first pair of switching elements within at least a subset of the plurality of TTD modules to activate a first RF signal transmission path; closing a second pair of switching elements of the subset of the plurality of TTD modules to activate a second RF signal transmission path in parallel with the first RF transmission path; and opening the first pair of switching elements of the subset of TTD modules after closing the second pair of switching elements.

Abstract: A non-magnetic lid for sealing a hermetic package. The lid includes a molybdenum substrate having a sputtered adhesion layer and a copper seed layer. The lid also includes a plated palladium solder base layer, and has a gold/tin solder preform attached to a sealing surface of the lid.

Abstract: A non-magnetic lid for sealing a hermetic package. The lid includes a molybdenum substrate having a sputtered adhesion layer and a copper seed layer. The lid also includes a plated palladium solder base layer, and has a gold/tin solder preform attached to a sealing surface of the lid.

Abstract: A system and method for a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) device including a substrate and a free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure formed on the substrate. The free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure includes a metal mechanical element mechanically coupled to the substrate and a seed layer mechanically coupled to and in electrical communication with the mechanical element, the seed layer comprising at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy, wherein a thickness of the mechanical element is substantially greater than a thickness of the seed layer such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the material properties of the mechanical element.