Patents by Inventor Nicolo' BONI

Nicolo' BONI 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: 12222492
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes a fixed structure having a frame defining a cavity, a tiltable structure elastically suspended above the cavity with main extension in a horizontal plane, a piezoelectrically driven actuation structure which can be biased to cause a desired rotation of the tiltable structure about a first and second rotation axes, and a supporting structure integral with the fixed structure and extending in the cavity starting from the frame. Lever elements are elastically coupled to the tiltable structure at a first end by elastic suspension elements and to the supporting structure at a second end by elastic connecting elements which define a lever rotation axis. The lever elements are elastically coupled to the actuation structure so that their biasing causes the desired rotation of the tiltable structure about the first and second rotation axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' Boni, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 12209008
    Abstract: A MEMS actuator includes a mobile mass suspended over a substrate in a first direction and extending in a plane that defines a second direction and a third direction perpendicular thereto. Elastic elements arranged between the substrate and the mobile mass have a first compliance in a direction parallel to the first direction that is lower than a second compliance in a direction parallel to the second direction. Piezoelectric actuation structures have a portion fixed with respect to the substrate and a portion that deforms in the first direction in response to an actuation voltage. Movement-transformation structures coupled to the piezoelectric actuation structures include an elastic movement-conversion structure arranged between the piezoelectric actuation structures and the mobile mass. The elastic movement-conversion structure is compliant in a plane formed by the first and second directions and has first and second principal axes of inertia transverse to the first and second directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' Boni, Gabriele Gattere, Manuel Riani, Roberto Carminati
  • Publication number: 20240425359
    Abstract: A MEMS device is formed by a body of semiconductor material which defines a support structure. A pass-through cavity in the body is surrounded by the support structure. A movable structure is suspended in the pass-through cavity. An elastic structure extends in the pass-through cavity between the support structure and the movable structure. The elastic structure has a first and second portions and is subject, in use, to mechanical stress. The MEMS device is further formed by a metal region, which extends on the first portion of the elastic structure, and by a buried cavity in the elastic structure. The buried cavity extends between the first and the second portions of the elastic structure and communicates laterally with the pass-through cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' BONI, Lorenzo VINCIGUERRA, Roberto CARMINATI, Massimiliano MERLI
  • Patent number: 12117608
    Abstract: A MEMS micromirror device is formed in a package including a containment body and a lid transparent to a light radiation. The package forms a cavity housing a tiltable platform having a reflecting surface. A metastructure is formed on the lid and/or on the reflecting surface and includes a plurality of diffractive optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Nicolo' Boni, Massimiliano Merli, Enri Duqi
  • Patent number: 12084341
    Abstract: A MEMS device is formed by a body of semiconductor material which defines a support structure. A pass-through cavity in the body is surrounded by the support structure. A movable structure is suspended in the pass-through cavity. An elastic structure extends in the pass-through cavity between the support structure and the movable structure. The elastic structure has a first and second portions and is subject, in use, to mechanical stress. The MEMS device is further formed by a metal region, which extends on the first portion of the elastic structure, and by a buried cavity in the elastic structure. The buried cavity extends between the first and the second portions of the elastic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' Boni, Lorenzo Vinciguerra, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 12066621
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a semiconductor body with a cavity and forming an anchor portion, a tiltable structure elastically suspended over the cavity, first and second support arms to support the tiltable structure, and first and second piezoelectric actuation structures biasable to deform mechanically, generating a rotation of the tiltable structure around a rotation axis. The piezoelectric actuation structures carry first and second piezoelectric displacement sensors. When the tiltable structure rotates around the rotation axis, the displacement sensors are subject to respective mechanical deformations and generate respective sensing signals in phase opposition to each other, indicative of the rotation of the tiltable structure. The sensing signals are configured to be acquired in a differential manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectron S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Nicolo' Boni, Andrea Barbieri, Marco Zamprogno, Luca Molinari
  • Patent number: 12043540
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device with a tiltable structure, a fixed supporting structure, and an actuation structure with driving arms connected to the tiltable structure by elastic decoupling elements. Described herein, particularly, is a planar stop structure between the driving arms and the tiltable structure, which functions to limit movement in the tiltable plane. This stop structure includes a first projection/abutment surface pair formed by a projection extending from a driving arm and an abutment surface formed by a recess in the tiltable structure. The projection and abutment surface are adjacent and spaced apart in the device's rest condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' Boni, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 11953813
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microelectromechanical device that features a fixed structure defining a cavity, a tiltable structure elastically suspended within the cavity, and a piezoelectrically driven actuation structure that rotates the tiltable structure about a first rotation axis. The actuation structure includes driving arms with piezoelectric material, elastically coupled to the tiltable structure by decoupling elastic elements that are stiff to out-of-plane movements but compliant to torsional movements. The tiltable structure is elastically coupled to the fixed structure at the first rotation axis using elastic suspension elements, while the fixed structure forms a frame surrounding the cavity with supporting elements. A lever mechanism is coupled between a supporting element and a driving arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' Boni, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 11933968
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEMS) structure includes a fixed frame internally defining a cavity, and a mobile mass suspended in the cavity and movable with a first resonant rotational mode about a first rotation axis and with a second resonant rotational mode about a second rotation axis orthogonal to the first. A pair of supporting elements extends in the cavity, is rigidly coupled to the fixed frame, and is elastically deformable to cause rotation of the mobile mass about the first rotation axis. A pair of elastic-coupling elements is elastically coupled between the mobile mass and the first pair of supporting elements. Each of the elastic-coupling elements includes a first and second elastic portions, the first elastic portion being compliant to torsion about the second rotation axis. The second elastic portion is compliant to bending outside of a horizontal plane of main extension of the MEMS structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' Boni, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 11933966
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of making a microelectromechanical (MEMS) device. The method includes, in a single structural layer, affixing a tiltable structure to an anchorage portion with first and second supporting arms extending between the anchorage portion and opposite sides of the tiltable structure, and forming first and second resonant piezoelectric actuation structures extending between a constraint portion of the first supporting arm and the anchorage portion, on opposite sides of the first supporting arm. The method further includes coupling a handling wafer underneath the structural layer to define a cavity therebetween, and forming a passivation layer over the structural layer, the passivation layer having contact openings defined therein for routing metal regions for electrical coupling to respective electrical contact pads, the electrical contact pads being electrically connected to the first and second resonant piezoelectric actuation structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Nicolo' Boni, Massimiliano Merli
  • Publication number: 20240043263
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical microelectromechanical device, includes forming, in a first wafer of semiconductor material having a first surface and a second surface, a suspended mirror structure, a fixed structure surrounding the suspended mirror structure, elastic supporting elements extending between the fixed structure and the suspended mirror structure, and an actuation structure coupled to the suspended mirror structure. The method continues with forming, in a second wafer, a chamber delimited by a bottom wall having a through opening, and bonding the second wafer to the first surface of the first wafer and bonding a third wafer to the second surface of the first wafer so that the chamber overlies the actuation structure, and the through opening is aligned to the suspended mirror structure, thus forming a device composite wafer. The device composite wafer is diced to form an optical microelectromechanical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Luca SEGHIZZI, Nicolo' BONI, Laura OGGIONI, Roberto CARMINATI, Marta CARMINATI
  • Publication number: 20240019688
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a micro-electro-mechanical mirror device having a fixed structure defining an external frame delimiting a cavity, a tiltable structure extending into the cavity, a reflecting surface carried by the tiltable structure and having a main extension in a horizontal plane, and an actuation structure coupled between the tiltable structure and the fixed structure. The actuation structure is formed by a first pair of actuation arms causing rotation of the tiltable structure around a first axis parallel to the horizontal plane. The actuation arms are elastically coupled to the tiltable structure through elastic coupling elements and are each formed by a bearing structure and a piezoelectric structure. The bearing structure of each actuation arm is formed by a soft region of a first material and the elastic coupling elements are formed by a bearing layer of a second material, the second material having greater stiffness than the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Massimiliano MERLI, Roberto CARMINATI, Nicolo' BONI, Sonia COSTANTINI, Carlo Luigi PRELINI
  • Publication number: 20230408808
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device has a first tiltable mirror structure extending in a horizontal plane defined by first and second horizontal axes and includes a fixed structure defining a frame delimiting a cavity, a tiltable element carrying a reflecting region, elastically suspended above the cavity having first and second median axes of symmetry, elastically coupled to the frame by first and second coupling structures on opposite sides of the second horizontal axis. The first tiltable mirror structure has a driving structure coupled to the tiltable element to cause rotation around the first horizontal axis. The first tiltable mirror structure is asymmetrical with respect to the second horizontal axis and has, along the first horizontal axis, a first extension on a first side of the second horizontal axis, and a second extension greater than the first extension, on a second side of the second horizontal axis opposite to the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' BONI, Roberto CARMINATI, Massimiliano MERLI
  • Patent number: 11787685
    Abstract: For manufacturing an optical microelectromechanical device, a first wafer of semiconductor material having a first surface and a second surface is machined to form a suspended mirror structure, a fixed structure surrounding the suspended mirror structure, elastic supporting elements which extend between the fixed structure and the suspended mirror structure, and an actuation structure coupled to the suspended mirror structure. A second wafer is machined separately to form a chamber delimited by a bottom wall having a through opening. The second wafer is bonded to the first surface of the first wafer in such a way that the chamber overlies the actuation structure and the through opening is aligned to the suspended mirror structure. Furthermore, a third wafer is bonded to the second surface of the first wafer to form a composite wafer device. The composite wafer device is then diced to form an optical microelectromechanical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Luca Seghizzi, Nicolo′ Boni, Laura Oggioni, Roberto Carminati, Marta Carminati
  • Publication number: 20230324674
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical mirror device has, in a die of semiconductor material: a fixed structure defining a cavity; a tiltable structure carrying a reflecting region, elastically suspended above the cavity and having a main extension in a horizontal plane; at least one first pair of driving arms, carrying respective piezoelectric structures which can be biased to generate a driving force that causes rotation of the tiltable structure about a rotation axis parallel to a first horizontal axis of the horizontal plane; elastic suspension elements, which elastically couple the tiltable structure to the fixed structure at the rotation axis and are rigid to movements out of the horizontal plane and compliant to torsion about the rotation axis. In particular, the driving arms of the first pair are magnetically coupled to the tiltable structure to cause its rotation about the rotation axis by magnetic interaction, following biasing of the respective piezoelectric structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' BONI, Roberto CARMINATI, Massimiliano MERLI, Carlo Luigi PRELINI, Tarek AFIFI AFIFI
  • Publication number: 20230288696
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical-mirror device has a fixed structure defining an external frame delimiting a cavity, an internal frame arranged above the cavity and defining a window, and a tiltable structure with a reflective surface and arranged in the window. Elastically coupled to the internal frame by first and second coupling elastic elements. An actuation structure is coupled to the internal frame to cause the rotation of the tiltable structure around first and second axes. The actuation structure has a first pair of driving arms, elastically coupled to the internal frame and carrying piezoelectric material regions to cause rotation of the tiltable structure around the first axis, and a further pair of driving arms carrying piezoelectric material regions to cause rotation of the tiltable structure around the second axis and interposed between the fixed structure and the internal frame, to which they are elastically coupled by first and second suspension elastic elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' BONI, Roberto CARMINATI, Massimiliano MERLI
  • Publication number: 20230249960
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device with a tiltable structure, a fixed supporting structure, and an actuation structure with driving arms connected to the tiltable structure by elastic decoupling elements. Described herein, particularly, is a planar stop structure between the driving arms and the tiltable structure, which functions to limit movement in the tiltable plane. This stop structure includes a first projection/abutment surface pair formed by a projection extending from a driving arm and an abutment surface formed by a recess in the tiltable structure. The projection and abutment surface are adjacent and spaced apart in the device's rest condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' BONI, Roberto CARMINATI, Massimiliano MERLI
  • Publication number: 20230251556
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microelectromechanical device that features a fixed structure defining a cavity, a tiltable structure elastically suspended within the cavity, and a piezoelectrically driven actuation structure that rotates the tiltable structure about a first rotation axis. The actuation structure includes driving arms with piezoelectric material, elastically coupled to the tiltable structure by decoupling elastic elements that are stiff to out-of-plane movements but compliant to torsional movements. The tiltable structure is elastically coupled to the fixed structure at the first rotation axis using elastic suspension elements, while the fixed structure forms a frame surrounding the cavity with supporting elements. A lever mechanism is coupled between a supporting element and a driving arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo' BONI, Roberto CARMINATI, Massimiliano MERLI
  • Patent number: 11673799
    Abstract: To manufacture an oscillating structure, a wafer is processed by: forming torsional elastic elements; forming a mobile element connected to the torsional elastic elements; processing the first side of the wafer to form a mechanical reinforcement structure; and processing the second side of said wafer by steps of chemical etching, deposition of metal material, and/or deposition of piezoelectric material. Processing of the first side of the wafer is carried out prior to processing of the second side of the wafer so as not to damage possible sensitive structures formed on the first side of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Enri Duqi, Nicolo′ Boni, Lorenzo Baldo, Massimiliano Merli, Roberto Carminati
  • Publication number: 20230168488
    Abstract: A MEMS shutter including: a substrate of semiconductor material traversed by a main aperture, and a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, which form a supporting structure fixed to the substrate; a plurality of deformable structures; a plurality of actuators; and a plurality of shielding structures, each of which is formed by a corresponding portion of at least one between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, the shielding structures being arranged angularly around the underlying main aperture so as to provide shielding of the main aperture, each shielding structure being further coupled to the supporting structure via a corresponding deformable structure. Each actuator may be controlled so as to cause a rotation of a corresponding shielding structure between a respective first position and a respective second position, thus varying shielding of the main aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Federico VERCESI, Fabrizio CERINI, Luca GUERINONI, Nicolo' BONI