Abstract: A micromachined device made of semiconductor material is formed by: a semiconductor body; an intermediate layer set on top of the semiconductor body; and a substrate, set on top of the intermediate layer. A cavity extends in the intermediate layer and is delimited laterally by bottom fixed regions, at the top by the substrate, and at the bottom by the semiconductor body. The bottom fixed regions form fixed electrodes, which extend in the intermediate layer towards the inside of the cavity. An oscillating element is formed in the substrate above the cavity and is separated from top fixed regions through trenches, which extend throughout the thickness of the substrate. The oscillating element is formed by an oscillating platform set above the cavity, and by mobile electrodes, which extend towards the top fixed regions in a staggered way with respect to the fixed electrodes. The fixed electrodes and mobile electrodes are thus comb-fingered in plan view but formed on different levels.

Abstract: The process for manufacturing a through insulated interconnection is performed by forming, in a body of semiconductor material, a trench extending from the front (of the body for a thickness portion thereof; filling the trench with dielectric material; thinning the body starting from the rear until the trench, so as to form an insulated region surrounded by dielectric material; and forming a conductive region extending inside said insulated region between the front and the rear of the body and having a higher conductivity than the first body. The conductive region includes a metal region extending in an opening formed inside the insulated region or of a heavily doped semiconductor region, made prior to filling of the trench.

Abstract: The process for manufacturing a through insulated interconnection is performed by forming, in a body of semiconductor material, a trench extending from the front (of the body for a thickness portion thereof; filling the trench with dielectric material; thinning the body starting from the rear until the trench, so as to form an insulated region surrounded by dielectric material; and forming a conductive region extending inside said insulated region between the front and the rear of the body and having a higher conductivity than the first body. The conductive region includes a metal region extending in an opening formed inside the insulated region or of a heavily doped semiconductor region, made prior to filling of the trench.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical device formed by a body of semiconductor material having a thickness and defining a mobile part and a fixed part. The mobile part is formed by a mobile platform, supporting arms extending from the mobile platform to the fixed part, and by mobile electrodes fixed to the mobile platform. The fixed part has fixed electrodes facing the mobile electrodes, a first biasing region fixed to the fixed electrodes, a second biasing region fixed to the supporting arms, and an insulation region of insulating material extending through the entire thickness of the body. The insulation region insulates electrically at least one between the first and the second biasing regions from the rest of the fixed part.

Abstract: A micromachined device made of semiconductor material is formed by: a semiconductor body; an intermediate layer set on top of the semiconductor body; and a substrate, set on top of the intermediate layer. A cavity extends in the intermediate layer and is delimited laterally by bottom fixed regions, at the top by the substrate, and at the bottom by the semiconductor body. The bottom fixed regions form fixed electrodes, which extend in the intermediate layer towards the inside of the cavity. An oscillating element is formed in the substrate above the cavity and is separated from top fixed regions through trenches, which extend throughout the thickness of the substrate. The oscillating element is formed by an oscillating platform set above the cavity, and by mobile electrodes, which extend towards the top fixed regions in a staggered way with respect to the fixed electrodes. The fixed electrodes and mobile electrodes are thus comb-fingered in plan view but formed on different levels.

Abstract: The process for manufacturing a through insulated interconnection is performed by forming, in a body of semiconductor material, a trench extending from the front (of the body for a thickness portion thereof; filling the trench with dielectric material; thinning the body starting from the rear until the trench, so as to form an insulated region surrounded by dielectric material; and forming a conductive region extending inside said insulated region between the front and the rear of the body and having a higher conductivity than the first body. The conductive region includes a metal region extending in an opening formed inside the insulated region or of a heavily doped semiconductor region, made prior to filling of the trench.

Abstract: Crystalline polymers and copolymers of propylene having total MIL values>2 g/10 minutes, total [&eegr;] values in tetrahydronaphthalene at 135° C.≦2.8 dl/g, Mw/Mn values>20, a fraction insoluble in xylene at 25° C.≧94, and comprising from 10 to 60% by weight of a fraction (A) having [&eegr;]≧2.6, are prepared by way of sequential polymerization in at least two stages, in the presence of particular Ziegler-Natta catalysts supported on magnesium halides.

Abstract: The method is intended for manufacturing a microintegrated structure, typically a microactuator for a hard-disk drive unit and includes the steps of: forming interconnection regions in a substrate of semiconductor material; forming a monocrystalline epitaxial region; forming lower sinker regions in the monocrystalline epitaxial region and in direct contact with the interconnection regions; forming insulating material regions on a structure portion of the monocrystalline epitaxial region; growing a pseudo-epitaxial region formed by a polycrystalline portion above the structure portion of the monocrystalline epitaxial region and elsewhere a monocrystalline portion; and forming upper sinker regions in the polycrystalline portion of the pseudo-epitaxial region and in direct contact with the lower sinker regions. In this way no PN junctions are present inside the polycrystalline portion of the pseudo-epitaxial region and the structure has a high breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A head (130) for a disk storage device having a plurality of tracks (117) divided into memory cells (234), including a magnetic circuit (205, 230a, 230b, 250a, 250b) for reading the memory cells (234) in succession, the magnetic circuit (205, 230a, 230b, 250a, 250b) for reading the memory cells (234) including at least two partial reading components (206a, 230a, 250a; 206b, 230b, 250b) each for reading a portion (234a; 234b) of each memory cell (234), the portions (234a; 234b) being arranged transversely relative to the longitudinal axis (233) of the corresponding track (117).

Abstract: A bi-dimensional position sensor that can be advantageously used in the turn system controlled from the steering wheel of a vehicle. The sensor includes a permanent magnet fixed to a control lever so as to move in a plane along first and second directions and to rotate about a third direction orthogonal to the preceding ones. The permanent magnet is movable with respect to an integrated device including a first group of sensor elements arranged spaced along the first direction, a second group of sensor elements arranged spaced along the second direction and a third group of sensor elements detecting the angular position of the permanent magnet. Electronics integrated with the sensor elements generate a code associated with each position which the permanent magnet may assume and generate a control signal corresponding to the desired function.

Abstract: A method for the formation of a region of silicon dioxide on a substrate of monocrystalline silicon. The epitaxial growth of a silicon layer, the opening of holes in the silicon layer above the silicon dioxide region, and the removal of the silicon dioxide which constitutes the region by means of chemical attack through the holes until a silicon diaphragm, attached to the substrate along the edges and separated therefrom by a space, is produced. In order to form an absolute pressure microsensor, the space has to be sealed. To do this, the method provides for the holes to have diameters smaller than the thickness of the diaphragm and to be closed by the formation of a silicon dioxide layer by vapor-phase deposition at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: An electrostatic cleaning structure of a hard disk driver is formed by a plurality of concentric conductive regions to which biasing pulse trains are supplied. Each biased conductive region generates an electric field attracting any dielectric particle. The pulse trains supplied to immediately adjacent conductive regions are phase-shifted by a predetermined time and in a direction linked to a desired direction of removal for the electrostatic particles. Voltage pulses sent to each conductive region are delayed with respect to voltage pulses sent to an immediately preceding conductive region in the direction of desired removal, and are advanced with respect the voltage pulses sent to an immediately successive conductive region.

Abstract: A system and method for authentication of an item, comprising a substantially invisible watermark secured to the item for uniquely identifying the item, wherein the watermark is nonremovable and includes a substantially invisible authentication code for identifying the item. A unique identification code is associated with the item, wherein the identification code differs from the authentication code. A storage area includes owner identification information for linking the item to an owner, wherein the identification code is linked to the authentication code of the item and to the owner identification information. Entry of data which matches the linked owner identification information, the authentication code and the identification code in the storage area authenticates the ownership and certifies the authenticity of the item.

Abstract: The method inlcudes the steps of forming a sacrificial buried region of insulating material on a substrate of monocrystalline semiconductor material, epitaxially growing a first semiconductor material layer on the substrate, the first semiconductor material layer including a polycrystalline region over the sacrificial buried region and a monocrystalline region elsewhere, the substrate and the semiconductor material layer surrounding the sacrificial buried region on all sides, and removing the sacrificial buried region. The portion of the polycrystalline region surrounded by the trench thus forms a suspended structure separated and isolated thermally from the rest of the semiconductor material layer. Using microelectronics processes, electronic components are formed in the monocrystalline region, and dedicated regions are formed at the suspended structure, so that the electronic components are integrated in the same chip with static, kinematic or dynamic microstructures.

Abstract: The integrated inductor comprises a coil of metal which is formed in the second metal level. The coil is supported by a bracket extending above spaced from a semiconductor material body by an air gap obtained by removing a sacrificial region formed in the first metal level. The bracket is carried by the semiconductor material body through support regions which are arranged peripherally on the bracket and are separated from one another by through apertures which are connected to the air gap. A thick oxide region extends above the semiconductor material body, below the air gap, to reduce the capacitive coupling between the inductor and the semiconductor material body. The inductor thus has a high quality factor, and is produced by a process compatible with present microelectronics processes.

Abstract: The integrated microactuator has a stator and a rotor having a circular extension with radial arms which support electrodes extending in a substantially circumferential direction and interleaved with one another. For the manufacture, first a sacrificial region is formed on a silicon substrate; an epitaxial layer is then grown; the circuitry electronic components and the biasing conductive regions are formed; subsequently a. portion of substrate beneath the sacrificial region is removed, forming an aperture extending through the entire substrate; the epitaxial layer is excavated to define and separate from one another the rotor and the stator, and finally the sacrificial region is removed to release the mobile structures from the remainder of the chip.

Abstract: Polyolefin compositions comprising (percent by weight) A) 60%-95% of a crystalline polypropylene component having a Melt Flow Rate (MFRA) value of from 2.5 to 50 g/10 min. and containing from 20% to 80% of a fraction AI) having MFRI from 0.5 to 8 g/10 min., and from 20% to 80% of a fraction AII); B) 5%-40% of a copolymer of ethylene with one or more C4-C10 &agr;-olefin(s) containing from 10 to 40% of said C4-C10 &agr;-olefin(s); the ratio MFRA/MFRI being from 2 to 25; the percentages of A) and B) being referred to the sum of A) and B), and the percentages of AI) and AII) being referred to the sun of AI) and AII).

Abstract: The integrated inductor comprises a coil of metal which is formed in the second metal level. The coil is supported by a bracket extending above spaced from a semiconductor material body by an air gap obtained by removing a sacrificial region formed in the first metal level. The bracket is carried by the semiconductor material body through support regions which are arranged peripherally on the bracket and are separated from one another by through apertures which are connected to the air gap. A thick oxide region extends above the semiconductor material body, below the air gap, to reduce the capacitive coupling between the inductor and the semiconductor material body. The inductor thus has a high quality factor, and is produced by a process compatible with present microelectronics processes.

Abstract: The method is intended for manufacturing a microintegrated structure, typically a microactuator for a hard-disk drive unit and includes the steps of: forming interconnection regions in a substrate of semiconductor material; forming a monocrystalline epitaxial region; forming lower sinker regions in the monocrystalline epitaxial region and in direct contact with the interconnection regions; forming insulating material regions on a structure portion of the monocrystalline epitaxial region; growing a pseudo-epitaxial region formed by a polycrystalline portion above the structure portion of the monocrystalline epitaxial region and elsewhere a monocrystalline portion; and forming upper sinker regions in the polycrystalline portion of the pseudo-epitaxial region and in direct contact with the lower sinker regions. In this way no PN junctions are present inside the polycrystalline portion of the pseudo-epitaxial region and the structure has a high breakdown voltage.

Abstract: Crystalline polymers and copolymers of propylene having total MIL values>2 g/10 minutes, total [&eegr;] in values in tetrahydronaphthalene at 135° C.≦2.8 dl/g, Mw/Mn values>20, a fraction insoluble in xylene at 25° C.≧94, and comprising from 10 to 60% by weight of a fraction (A) having [&eegr;]≧2.6, are prepared by way of sequential polymerization in at least two stages, in the presence of particular Ziegler-Natta catalysts supported on magnesium halides.